Center for Wooden Boats
Lake Union, Seattle
May 25, 2024
We took advantage of the Memorial Day weekend to fly up to Seattle to visit two of our children. They live together north of the city, far from Sea-Tac airport. Fortunately, we discovered a few years ago that Alaska Airlines runs a service to Paine Field in Everett which is about ten minutes from the kids’ house. We recommend that airport if that fits your travel plans; it is small and quick to get through, and the waiting area boasts a bar, two fireplaces, ample and comfortable seating, and a wonderful view.
On the Saturday of our visit, we all went down to Lake Union to visit the Center for Wooden Boats. We had learned about its existence in the Los Angeles Times, strangely enough. On Sunday, May 19, the paper ran a special section titled The 101 Best West Coast Experiences. Bob set it aside, but Meredith waded through it and came up with this gem—our youngest has said that her folks’ super-power is finding obscure museums! The article piqued our interest and we planned to make that our family outing this trip.
The Times article mentioned that it is possible to reserve a “Peapod” rowboat to use for free for one hour with an advance reservation. Meredith went to the website but did not find any slots open that day. We decided to visit the museum anyway.
The museum is small but interesting. There are a number of small wooden boats of various types suspended in the visitor center with explanatory plaques nearby—go up the stairs to view the boats from above and read about them. There are also displays about the process of building wooden boats on the upper level, with examples of the tools used in the process. We came away with a definite understanding of the difference between a “clinker built” boat and one that was “carvel built”! As we arrived, a boat building class was concluding in the workspace; this can be viewed from the upper level by visitors. There is also a large classroom area upstairs where a sail making course was being conducted. But, as the docent said when we arrived, the real museum is on the water.
We proceeded to the dock area. On the way we passed a display of two traditional dugout canoes under a protective roof. Another volunteer told us that they were the work of a local boat builder, himself a member of the Tulalip tribe, the guide said. They were fascinating: carved from single huge logs and painstakingly shaped by the use of water and heated stones to achieve their final form.
On the docks we saw a variety of boats. Some are smaller rowing boats and canoes, while others are larger sailing vessels. On the floating dock is a workshop from which wafted scents of wood, pitch, and paint over the waters. One young volunteer was being taught how to drill holes through thick timbers to insert lap bolts—part of an ongoing project to repair and upgrade the Center’s docks.
In the end, we found an unexpected bonus. When we asked, we found they had boats available to take out after all, and three of our group went out for a row. We proceeded to don life vests and enter the “Peapod,” though ours was not a true “double ender.” We were curious about the name. Peapod was a boat type developed in Maine for use in near-shore lobstering.
After a practice lap around the sheltered pool by the workshop, admiring the lilies and a turtle on a rock enclosure in the middle, Meredith guided us out onto the lake. It is quite unlike the rowing Meredith does at ZLAC Rowing Club, where she rows in modern shells. She and our youngest had fun dividing the rowing between them. Bob manned the stern and took a few pictures. It was a wonderful day after a damp morning, which might have discouraged the people who had claimed the reservations, and we enjoyed all of the views: toward Lake Washington, off toward the locks that lead to Puget Sound with the Space Needle and Museum of Pop Culture in sight to the south, and keeping a wary eye on other lake traffic, including the seaplane offering tours.
It was a wonderful few hours. That area offers many dining options, and we chose to walk a few blocks to Tanoor, an excellent Lebanese restaurant, new to us but well reviewed.
Parking is limited close to the center and is park and pay. Their site offers suggestions for parking; we parked in a commercial space under an office tower two blocks away.
