PORT TOWNSEND — A boat that was seriously damaged in October when wind and tides slammed it into the Boat Haven breakwater is now seaworthy and will sail as soon as some small repairs are completed, according to its owner.
“A lot of people told me I’d never get this in the water,” said Jim Kruse of the Phoenix, a 60-foot gaff-rigged tops’l schooner that was nearly destroyed during an Oct. 9 storm.
“But it’s stronger than the original and better than it used to be,” he said.
The Phoenix is made of ferrocement, a durable compound used in boat-building, which contributes to its 51-ton weight.
Kruse initially used Vessel Assist for the rescue but could not afford their service. He switched to Craftsmen United, which completed the task for a lesser amount.
“They really saved us. We couldn’t have done this without them,” Kruse said.
Kruse said the entire cost of the operation was close to $50,000, which was financed with the help of his fiancee, Libby Garcia.
Orcas Island
The hull is now repaired and a new engine needs to be installed before attempting the trip to Orcas Island, Kruse’s home port.
The interior is “still pretty stripped” and will be repaired after he gets home, he said.
Kruse, who works as an educator, hasn’t been on the job since the wreck since he has spent much of his time in Port Townsend.
This was something less than a vacation, he said.
“I’ve met some wonderful people, but being stuck in Port Townsend isn’t the same as living in Port Townsend,” he said.
“It’s like I have my own little personal hell cloud that follows me around.”
The Phoenix was moored outside of the breakwater, unattended, when the storm dislodged the anchor and pushed the boat onto the rocks.
Had Kruse been onboard, he could have sailed it to safety, he said.
Skybird wings clipped
It was similar to an Aug. 28 incident when the Skybird, a 37-foot, 25-ton Buchan sailboat, met the same fate.
Its owner, Lauren Dixon, who has become friends with Kruse, was in California at the time.
The boat was rescued Sept. 3, with several cameras and hard drives Dixon was using to make a documentary destroyed.
The one valuable item recovered was her guitar, which is now in the hands of a Port Townsend luthier for final repair, she said last week.
Dixon, who is also repairing her boat in Craftsmen United’s shop, said she doesn’t have a clear idea of the total cost or how she will raise the money.
She is now taking it “one hole at a time,” hoping to get back on the water in the next three months.
In the meantime, she is living onboard in the galley of the beached vessel “in a space that is smaller than most people’s bathroom.”
While her cameras were destroyed, a few SD cards were saved, which she said could be enough to restart her documentary about starting over and self-discovery.
“The road to recovery seems to be a theme here,” Dixon said after the incident.
“I’m going to keep going on this, although now it will take a little longer.”
Dixon and Kruse worked on each other’s boats, with Dixon bestowing Kruse with the gift of a bottle of champagne.
“I told him goodbye and good riddance,” she joked.
“There is only room for one shipwreck here.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
