Meeting the Master himself

This past September George Calkins the desiginer of Bartender boats was at age 97 awarded a lifetime achievement award by Wooden Boat Magazine and the Wooden Boat Foundation. I was fortunate to shake his hand and chat with him for a few moments. First thing he asked me was what engine is in it? George is really a gear head at heart....
Wilma is a real pistol at a mere 90!

Removing the Port side spray rail

How GLENCANNON got her name

Some of you may wonder about the name "GLENCANNON"
She came to us without a name, which is quite rare for a boat that has been used well, enjoyed and successfully fished. I asked Mr. Stutzman the seller of the boat what her name was. He said that he and his buddy could never agree on a name. One wife is Pearl the other is Lee, "Pearlee" was caboshed. Mr. Stutzman is Oregon's largest processor of chicken manure. He wanted to name her "Chickenship".........his buddy caboshed that one. So she sailed, protected, cared for her crew and successfully fished for many years without a name. Nick and I were quite surprised by this, as we both feel that a boats name is very important. We are such boat nerds we have discussed boat names and their qualities many many times.............usually over a pint and or a wee...........little sip of rum.
I was down in Florence the weekend after we bought her with friend Danno Mulholland sailing his Pelican at the mouth of the Siuslaw river.......true Bartender territory! Right where a major river meets the mighty Pacific. We were having a delightful sail when my damn cell phone oinked. I considered a bit but looked thinking it might be Sara. But no, it was a text from Nick. The text was short "GLENCANNON" was all it read. I instantly texted back "yes"
GLENCANNON is a perfect name for a work boat owned by an old mechanic and a hot shot marine engineering officer. Mr. Colin Glencannon is a ficticious Scottish ships engineer in the days of tramp steamers in the China seas created by Guy Gilpatrick. Nick and I are huge fans of Mr. Glencannon. He is an imensely capable,tough, irascible, scotch whiskey swilling, bag pipe wailing and penny pinching engineer. He can fix anything with nothing and also find a wee dram or much more, of his dear "Duggan's Dew of Kirkintilloch."the Scotch whiskey that he was weaned on and is ever the solace to his soul..............in mass quanities........lol. So GLENCANNON she is and will be appropriately christend upon her relaunching.
If you would like to read a few Glencannon stories check out these links. They are hilarious.
http://gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/glencX03.htm
http://gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/glencX02.htm
http://gaslight.mtroyal.ab.ca/glencX01.htm

Mr. Leasure Time

Nick demonstrating leisure time activities aboard Glencannon

Glencannon

Redwing was gone, Nick and I were begining to get up the gumption to build from scratch when out of the blue came an E mail from Dan Mulholland with a link to a 26ft Bartender for sale in a dusty warehouse in Canby Oregon South of Portland. Nick and I went out one evening to check it out. Really what we found was to proverbial "classic car in a barn" She had been in DRY storage since 1991. We spent a couple of hours going over her inch by inch with ice picks, small hammers and very bright lights. We could not find one spec of rot to speak of........anywhere and we certainly knew what to look for and where to look. She had spent her life fishing out of Garibaldi in the summers and back home to the barn in the winter. We jumped at the chance to purchase a Bartender in such good condition. She neeeds a good bit of TLC to get her in shape. Loose trim rebedded and refastened, a few fiberglass bubble repairs, paint, varnish fuel tank cleaning and exhaust manifolds for the engine. We will be in the water next Spring with the outside of the hull and the engine up to snuff. The interior and topsides can wait until next winter to be brought up to snuff.

The Very End of Redwing....RIP good and loyal vessel