Preserving a Historic Fleet of Small Craft: Defining a Strategy for Boat Covers

FAIN: PG-51440-11

Center for Wooden Boats (Seattle, WA 98109-4444)
Betsy Davis (Project Director: May 2010 to December 2012)

Hiring a consultant to train the museum staff in preserving a collection of 30 historic boats documenting the maritime history and traditions of Seattle.

The Center for Wooden Boats preserves Northwest maritime heritage through its significant collection of historic small craft. About a third of the Collection is kept in the water year-round alongside CWB’s docks and floating boathouses. Admission is free to visitors year-round. CWB’s mission calls for these boats to stay in the water for viewing and use by the public. There is a particular need to ensure that these boats are well protected during the Fall and Winter months. In this project the consulting Conservator would help define the best strategy for boat covers at The Center for Wooden Boats’ unique location: recommending which materials to use for the covers, considering best designs, and helping establish appropriate procedures for their regular use.