Thelma C Restoration Project
Every year several old wooden boats abandoned in the Kodiak boat harbor end up as ashes on the beach, burned for unpaid moorage fees. Thanks to efforts by Kodiak Maritime Museum however, the 36 foot salmon seine vessel Thelma C was rescued from the burn pile. Now, with recent funding from the Alaska State Legislature, the boat will be restored it to its original condition and installed as a permanent outdoor interpretive exhibit on land near St. Paul Harbor in downtown Kodiak.
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| Thelma C, mid 1990's |
The boat and exhibit will tell the story of Kodiak’s salmon fishery and the boat itself, which was built following the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake and tsunami. Interpretive panels and a cell phone tour will describe how fishermen catch salmon, what it’s like to live and work on an Alaskan salmon fishing boat, and how the tsunami changed the fleet and downtown Kodiak forever.
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| Thelma C, Fall 2010 |
In mid-November 2011, the boat was moved to Kodiak College, which is partnering with KMM on the boat rebuilding effort. In the spring of 2012 project advisor and shipwright Brian Johnson of Ocean Bay Marine (himself a former owner of the Thelma C) will lead a team of volunteers and students as they learn how to replace degraded planking and ribs, repair the ship’s rigging, and restore the diesel engine.
Once the vessel is restored it will be moved to a site on the spit in Kodiak’s Small Boat Harbor. A roof will be constructed over the vessel to protect it from the weather, and interpretive signage and a cell phone multi-media display will be installed. Barring unforeseen complications, KMM hopes to complete the project by early 2013.
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| Thema C being moved to Salvation Army, November, 2010 |
The museum is currently recruiting volunteers interested in learning wooden boat repair skills while assisting with this important project. The end result will be a beautifully restored wooden vessel, and with the interpretive elements, a major cultural addition to Kodiak’s downtown waterfront.
Keep an eye on our website and our Facebook page and the KMM Blog for project updates. For more information or if you’d like to participate in the project, call 907-486-0384 or email info@kodiakmaritimemuseum.org .
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