Flag Salute & Invocation by Bill Unrein 

Visiting Rotarians: none 

Guests: Jeffrey and Christine Smith 

Announcements:  

  • Bill Geyer says Membership Committee will be meeting tomorrow (Wednesday Jan 30 at 4pm) at the Barkley Company office (2200 Rimland Drive, second floor). Please give Bill all your new prospects/applicants.

Bucks in the Bay

  • Bob Moles says childhood slavery is now an officially recognized "Rotary International action item";
  • John Sleeth for a birthday;
  • Curtis Dyer for a birthday too;
  • Tim Krell had a fun dinner in Canada with clients, shared a trial story, and went up to Canada for MLK holiday;
  • Bill Geyer says vote no on the upcoming Prop 1 measure;
  • Terry Brown on successful basketball fellowship event last week, next fellowship game will be postponed, stay tuned;
  • Lisa Schork says she is on the board of Visiting Nurses which will be embarking on a capital campaign soon, so be forewarned she will be asking for donations!
  • Barry Kramer enjoyed the basketball game, and Steve Brummel has one cute kid!
 

Sergeant at Arms by Mark Turner
Fines for non-skiers, no Rotary pins, tax filings, Superbowl planning, Groundhog Day, Stowe, Bill Gorman, no-shows to the basketball game, and Tim Krell!

New member talks:

Stew introduced Christine and Jeffrey Smith “More Faster Backwards: Rebuilding the David B.” the story of refurbishing a charter boat.  A slide show and talk".  Stew enjoyed taking a charter with them recently.

When Christine and Jeffrey met 15 years ago they realized they shared a lot of interests: Hiking, boating, outdoor adventures, etc.  They began looking for a boat, a cheap boat, and found a real fixer-upper on Lopez Island, the David B.  The boat was falling apart, but it had been built in Lake Washington in 1929 as a tug (called a "monkey boat").  In the 1950's it was put on shore and stayed there 30 years, rotting away.  The Lopez ownerThe engine is original from 1929!  They played a recording of the sound of the engine - very unusual sound.  They bought the boat in 1998 and brought it to Bellingham a year later.  The refurbishing project was long and intensive.  In 2004 they had to pull the boat out of the water in shipyard, worked on the hull, much new planking.  Six months in shipyard.  When it went back in the water, they turned their attention to the galley.  A wood fire cook stove installed.  Christine makes bread twice a day.  They also totally re-worked the interior, building 4 cabins each with own bathrooms.  Galley table is big enough so everyone (up to eight people) can eat together.  They both have good culinary skills.  April 2006 was the "launching party" with 150 participants.  Since then they have been hosting guests during summers on all kinds of trips.

They wrote a book about their experience called "More Faster Backwards: Rebuilding the David B".  They are also both freelance write for yachting magazines.

Where they go: Everywhere from Bellingham and up to Juneau, AK.  Cruising speed about 6 knots.  

Was eight years of toil worth it?  Yes, absolutely!

Website www.northwestnavigation.com

Stew wins the raffle!

Respectfully submitted,

Stowe Talbot