Blue Starr

Blue Starr was built by two shipwright brothers of Nanoose Bay Boatworks – at the time in Nanaimo – in 1970. They primarily worked on fish boats, so many work boat aspects came to life in her – solid, steam bent oak frames, heavy planks, a two-stroke “Screamin’ Jimmy” Detroit Diesel that can be heard 3 ports away. They incorporated hydraulic PTO off the engine to power the windlass, as well as hydraulic steering.

The build was unique in that designer Bill Garden oversaw his request to the brothers to modify his “Walloon” hull (an estimated 89 Walloon Ketches were built around the world) into a schooner, which he felt would better suit the hull after many years reviewing his old designs. The brothers exclusively worked on her together after work and weekends. She was laid up March 1970 and launched March 2005.

She is rigged as a bald-headed, Gaff Schooner. With a footed jib, she is self tacking, and an easy sailor, although not one who points particularly well! This next Spring the owner is working with local shipwrights and riggers from the Shop Co-Op in Port Townsend to build new spars that will modify the rigging enough in hopes to place *second* to last in the 2026 Wooden Boat Festival Schooner Race.

Continuing the tradition of a long lay-up, the extended refit since purchase 3 years ago has thus far included a primary rewire, striping and re-seaming the hull, restoring the sprit, gallows, davits, and bulwarks, as well as reworking the exhaust, fuel, corrosion, navigation electronics, and head systems. Deck restoration, raw and freshwater plumbing reworks, and re-rigging are active.

She is a liveaboard in Seattle, with dreams to one-day sail the Pacific.