July 9, 2021 — This past weekend, a crew assembled to raise the sail on a traditionally restored Bristol Bay double-ender.
The boat was part of the Fourth of July parade in Homer but the plan is to sail it back to Bristol Bay where it served as salmon gillnetter in the early 1900s.
The crew of the Back to the Bay project is rigging a wooden double-ender with a spritsail in Nomar’s parking lot on Pioneer Avenue in Homer. Bumpo Bremiker is splicing line to make loops to hold the rings that will secure the sail while Dave Seaman explains.
“…splicing up some eye splices in the sheet attachment point on the sail. John Breiby, a nautical historian on Alaska wrote a little pamphlet called Rigging the Bristol Bay Double-ender. We’ve approximated the best we can,” said Seaman.
This year the boat is on a trailer, preparing to sail down Homer’s Fourth of July Parade route. Next year they hope to put out from Homer harbor, travel under sail – west across Cook Inlet to Williamsport. Then, they’ll take the 26 mile portage to Iliamna Lake, sail the lake and the Kvichak River, visiting a series of villages on the way to their destination, Fishtival 2022 in Naknek.