Richie Honan – Wooden Boat Show
Richard Honan from Winthrop, Massachusetts builds a wooden boat every year or so. He has to his credit two Joel White designed “Nutshell” prams, a Greenland style kayak, a Walter Simmons designed Duck Trap Wherry, a Reuel Parker designed “Sharpie”, and several others.
Richard brought his latest creation to the 23rd annual Wooden Boat Show, a 16’ “Melonseed” sailing skiff from the drawing board of Marc Barto. Richard named his Melonseed “Proud Mary 2” after his wife Mary. The original “Proud Mary”, again named for Richard’s wife, was the military truck he drove during his service in Viet Nam.
Richard’s Melonseed is strip built, meaning that narrow strips of wood are glued together along the length of the boat over a building form. After the wooden hull is faired (worked to final shape with power and hand tools) it is c
over with fiberglass cloth and resin.
Proud Mary 2 was one of the premiere boats in the “I Built It Myself” area of the show and the “Concours d’ Elegance” judges presented her with their highest honor. Richard’s wife Mary, daughter Christine, and grandchildren Anna and Benjamin were on hand when Proud Mary 2 took the “Best In Show” award.
by Nate Carey
