ERNIE GANN'S BOOKS CAPTURE
THE LOVE OF SAILING
Fred Dyson – Dyson's Starboard View – Messing About in Boats
Ernie Gann died the week before Christmas, 1991, at his home in Friday Harbor, Washington. The literary set may remember him for his best-selling books "The High and the Mighty" or "The Magistrate," but sailors will remember "Fiddler's Green" and "Song of the Sirens." ''Fiddlers Green" quietly captured something of human nature and commercial fishing in San Francisco Bay. "Song of the Sirens" is a magnificent collection of stories that tell of man's love of sailing. No one has ever captured the special relationship of humans and sailing vessels like Ernie.
Hope you have a fair wind to your next port of call, Ernie. We will remember you in the night watches.
BOATING ALASKA'S UGLY BOAT CONTEST
I am getting entries in this statewide contest and the competition is going to be tough.
From Southeast Alaska we have heard that some "hippies" are using a "vessel" that is a trimaran made of three septic tanks lashed together with a spruce tree sticking in one manhole for a mast. This "vessel" has apparently been in use for several years. We are awaiting pictures.
An Eagle River fan sent us a clipping from a marine trade journal that announces the construction of a government owned "tug" that has, among other features, a two-hundred-seat auditorium. I know; my eyes rolled up, too. Who else but the government needs a crew that large, or meetings to run a tug?
From Lake Iliamna a reader reports that a local floating abomination should win this contest. It seems that a tourist from West Germany so enjoyed his time on the lake that he agreed to go partners with his guide, a local Bristol Bay fisherman, and build a boat to suit both. The fisherman was to have complete freedom to design the aft sixteen feet of the thirty-two-foot boat and the wealthy German would design the cabin. The German was paying the bills, so his way prevailed.
The resulting monstrosity has private staterooms, huge freezers, built-in gun cabinets, a luxurious dining area, and no stability or workspace. There were no walkways to go forward to handle lines or ground tackle. The windows were huge and vulnerable in a seaway. The cabin had so much sail area that it was impossible to turn the boat off of a down-wind course. Without fish in the holds, the boat had virtually no righting movement and nearly rolled over at the dock when a portly fraulein leaned over the bulwarks to offload some dinner. The "partnership" had a short maiden voyage and our correspondent is trying to locate this seagoing delight or at least some pictures of it.
When I first arrived in Anchorage, there was a "boat" at Ship Creek that was made out of the hull of a PBY . It was world-class ugly, but interesting. Do any of you readers know what happened to this classical Alaskan creation?
I'm also interested in finding early photographs and plans for the U.S. Revenue Cutter "Corwin" and also any information about early Asian wrecks in Alaskan waters.
LOCAL BOATING ASSOCIATIONS
Coast Guard Auxiliary - training classes, voluntary inspections, information, safety training - contact Bill Schmidtman 271-5935
Knik Canoers and Kayakers - paddle sports, safety, environmental responsibility, touring, whitewater - contact Dave Blanchet 561-0500
Alaska Boating Association - River boats and recreational river boat issues - contact George Piaskowski 337-8032
Alaska Marine Dealers Association - contact 561-4554
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