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#1
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I was doing a story on a local boatyard today when I came across a boat
of a type that was new, to me, and had an interesting history. In a corner of the yard there was a "by owner" project underway. A vessel that looked something lke a cross between a tug and a fishboat was undergoing a near total rebuild. New frames had been sistered in almost her entire length, new planks were still a few rows from deck level on the port side, and it was rather obvious that a major portion of the structure would ulitmately be replaced before the old girl was ready for sea again. I chatted with the owner, and learned that the boat was originally built as a "monkey boat". My vacant stare probably inspired him to add a few interesting details. Back in the 1950's, a regulation was passed that restricted fishing in Bristol Bay to sailing vessels only. No engine of any kind was allowed. Some enterprising cannery owners studied the regulation very carefully, and while the regulation effectively restricted fishing to sailing vessels only- there was nothing in the regulation that demanded the fishboats actually sail to and from the fishing grounds. A specialized utility workboat/tug was designed. The "monkey boat" would tow a string of several sailing vessels onto or off of the grounds each trip. The monkey boats were hauled out by the cannery each fall, and relaunched in the spring. One winter the river changed course and moved the shoreline about 50 yards away from the old cannery buidling and wharf. The operators simply abandoned the old cannery and three monkey boats that were sitting alongside. The monkey boats must have outlived their usefulness, (maybe the regulations changed?) because they were allowed to sit as well. The vessel I saw being rebuilt was eventually dragged across the ground, refloated, and sold to somebody from Seattle. The other two were finally burned at the cannery site. The current owner's ambitious plans are to bring the monkey boat up to CG standards and get her certified for charter service. |
#2
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Gould,
I am not sure if you know the answer, but why did they design a such a unique boat? What advantages did the Monkey Boat have that a tug or a fishboat would not have for that particular job. wrote in message ups.com... I was doing a story on a local boatyard today when I came across a boat of a type that was new, to me, and had an interesting history. In a corner of the yard there was a "by owner" project underway. A vessel that looked something lke a cross between a tug and a fishboat was undergoing a near total rebuild. New frames had been sistered in almost her entire length, new planks were still a few rows from deck level on the port side, and it was rather obvious that a major portion of the structure would ulitmately be replaced before the old girl was ready for sea again. I chatted with the owner, and learned that the boat was originally built as a "monkey boat". My vacant stare probably inspired him to add a few interesting details. Back in the 1950's, a regulation was passed that restricted fishing in Bristol Bay to sailing vessels only. No engine of any kind was allowed. Some enterprising cannery owners studied the regulation very carefully, and while the regulation effectively restricted fishing to sailing vessels only- there was nothing in the regulation that demanded the fishboats actually sail to and from the fishing grounds. A specialized utility workboat/tug was designed. The "monkey boat" would tow a string of several sailing vessels onto or off of the grounds each trip. The monkey boats were hauled out by the cannery each fall, and relaunched in the spring. One winter the river changed course and moved the shoreline about 50 yards away from the old cannery buidling and wharf. The operators simply abandoned the old cannery and three monkey boats that were sitting alongside. The monkey boats must have outlived their usefulness, (maybe the regulations changed?) because they were allowed to sit as well. The vessel I saw being rebuilt was eventually dragged across the ground, refloated, and sold to somebody from Seattle. The other two were finally burned at the cannery site. The current owner's ambitious plans are to bring the monkey boat up to CG standards and get her certified for charter service. |
#3
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Good question, and no, I don't know the answer.
We may run an expanded article on the monkey boat and the young man's efforts to restore it- and if so I will learn a bit more. |
#4
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If you do, try to find out how they came up with the name "Monkey Boat". I
am sure there is a good story there somewhere. wrote in message ups.com... Good question, and no, I don't know the answer. We may run an expanded article on the monkey boat and the young man's efforts to restore it- and if so I will learn a bit more. |
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