Andrew Himes's blog

Seven Bells was transported from San Francisco to Seattle by Dennis Markin of Rio Linda Marina on December 17, 1998. The boat then had its bottom painted at CSR Marine before a Christmas launching on Lake Union. Spring 1999 in Seattle, Tim Ryan and Steve Vogel at CSR Marine on Lake Union led the final stages of the restoration project.

I arrived at CSR Marine bright and early (at 11 AM) on Wednesday. The new engines arrived late last week, delivered by a MER Equipment truck. The big crane at CSR Marine pulled Seven Bells out of the water, where it had been hiding in a covered shed to minimize damage to the exterior varnish by the bright September and October sunlight -- no kidding!

Sunday, September 11th, was one of the most interesting days of my life! I had spent the weekend at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, surrounded by hundreds of beautiful old (and young) wooden boats and thousands of adoring fans of wooden boats.

Insane. That's the only word I can think of to describe myself. How else can I refer to the impulsive frame of mind that led me to purchase a 70-year-old boat with the demented notion of restoring it to its former state of glory?