Norm Blanchard, 98

[Lew Barrett]

This is a dual post. I thought it was important to make sure that people who rarely venture topsides also know about this moment, but it wouldn't do to post this notice in just the Bilge. If Norm were with us today, he'd probably rarely venture down there himself.



Norm Blanchard, a giant of our business and avocation has passed. He collaborated in building boats with all the major golden era designers, and lived long enough to see his abundant output venerated and restored many times over. The vessels he built from his own designs and those of Geary, Monk, Seaborn, Garden and many, many more of the greats form a significant part of the skeleton of the old boat hobby and business in America, with many still in active service today, 70 or 80 years on. Truly a giant.

Condolences to all his many friends and family.

Updated link to CYA announcement:

CYA link (http://www.classicyacht.org/forum/index.php?topic=500.0)

Please let me know if the link works (or doesn't).

I edited this post to provide a link to a public section of the Classic Yacht Association forum so that WBF members could view the announcement. Please let me know if the link works (or doesn't).

[Lew Barrett]

http://www.mahoganybay.net/assets/content/images/2004%20ACBS.JPG


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/CYA%20Bell%20Street%202008/betty044.jpg

[MKane]

Lew,

That first picture is stunning, and I saved and labelled it as such. Any more info on it ?

You should crosspost to the "i :preally like raised deck" thread.

Thanks,
MK

[johnw]

Here's the email Vern Velez sent from CWB:

With great sadness I inform you about the passing of Norm Blanchard two days ago. Norm was 98 and in bad health the last few years.
A frequent visitor at CWB until about four years ago, Norm, was the son of the founder of the Blanchard Boat Company, Norm Sr., and also a boat builder. The Blanchard Boat Company was undoubtedly, the most prolific wooden boat builder of wooden boats during the first half of the 20th century in the Pacific Northwest. They built power and sailboats from small dinghies to 100+ megayachts in the 20s and 30s. They also built utility, patrol and service vessels for the Armed Forces during WWII. In all they built approximately 2000 boats.
Blanchard's most popular sailboat is the 24/26ft Blanchard Senior Knockabout (think of a round bottomed Star with a small cabin) of which 97 were built. They also designed and built the 20ft. Blanchard Junior Knockabout daysailer originally designed to be a simple, easily sailed boat to be a nondemanding vessel to be used as a rental. CWB displays seven of these extremely easy to sail boats and they "earn their keep" as rentals and as sailing trainers. It is estimated that about 30 of these were built but there has never been an accurate count. Blanchard also built Geary 18's and Lightnings among their many products.
The 2009 Norm Blanchard WoodOpen&OneDesign Regatta will be September 25, 26, 27 at CWB. This should be a big celebration of ALL small boat sailing and I hope we will have a large Blanchard built sailboat representation.

[Lew Barrett]

MK,

That's Mer-Na I believe. SWhe has had a succession of significant owners, including my good friend Greg Gilbert and Marty Loken, the well known runabout guy and photographer. She's what is known as a Blanchard Standard Cruiser. Thirty six feet, they were mostly built on spec and are more or less Blanchard's answer to the famed Lake Union Dreamboat. There are a fair number extent. I find them charming too.

There's a lot to be said about the Blanchard Standard Cruiser in particular, and Blanchard's boats in general. Let's see who kicks in. If nobosy else does, I'll continue to post to this thread.

Here in Seattle, it's hard to imagine who was held in higher regard in the recent past than Norm Blanchard. Vern's comments cover Norm's most well known sailboat output, but the Blanchard yard was a monster for turning out motorboats as well. The eastern yards get the press, but the western yards built the boats that still live in big numbers today (except Chris Craft and perhaps Matthews). Blanchard was a huge part of that.

[cape5]

This is sad news. Dave LeClercq, Phil Bolger, and now Norm Blanchard.
RIP all.
I feel old somehow...:(

[C. Ross]

Every Blanchard I've ever seen is beautiful. What a fine legacy. Thanks for the notice, Lew.

(You know Mer-Na is now here in Minnesota? If you ever come visit, we'll peek at her...)

[Lew Barrett]

I was aware of that, Cris. I believe they wrote her up in the magazine some months ago. In fact the photo above is copped from the Mahogany Bay site.

[Lew Barrett]

http://woodenboat.org/content/boat2c/image/Eleanora.jpg
A Senior, Designed by Blanchard Sr., Norm Jr. built many.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/norm_blanchard_on_BJK_with_label_1j.jpg
At CWB on one of the Jrs.

http://skaneatelestalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/lightning.jpg

A big success for a little boat.

[Lew Barrett]

At the moment I'm the only person posting here. In this case, i'm posting on behalf of Dan, who is not able to do it himself but as a fellow lover of the vintage stuff wanted to kick in on this thread. I hope Scot doesn't mind if I twist the rules here and post for him. It's a moment for Northwest "antiquarians" and boaters alike. Dan and I think in Norm's case a celebration is more fitting than a wake. he lived a rich, full and productive life. No regrets.

[johnw]

http://woodenboat.org/content/boat2c/image/Eleanora.jpg
A Junior, Designed by Blanchard Sr., Norm Jr. built many.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/norm_blanchard_on_BJK_with_label_1j.jpg
At CWB on one of the Jrs.

http://skaneatelestalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/lightning.jpg

A big success for a little boat.

That top one is a post-war Blanchard Sr. What a great boat. People keep rebuilding them, because they sail so well, and are so beautiful.

Plus, the rig has the same dimensions as the Star, so you can get cheap sails from the racing fanatics.

[Lew Barrett]

My typing mistake, John. From context you can see what I done did Thank you for immortalizing it! :D :D.

Looks hogged in the photo, but it's not. This model comes up for sale (as opposed to sail) around here somewhat frequently but they are usually projects. Because there is a ready market for them completed, and they are so well known and not too awfully big, they are a good prospect for amateur restoration. I would love one, but can't afford the time to give it. A syndicate around a decent one would be a terrific thing, as it is one of my ideal day sailor candidates. It provides the possibility of overnighting as well, albeit in rough and ready style compared to a slightly larger boat. But that's the charm.

[johnw]

Just part of the service;) That is a really great picture of Norm on a Junior.

[Lew Barrett]

I am going to keep this going with more Norm Blanchard stuff. The man was a giant.

Here's a link (http://www.classicyacht.org/ludreamboat) to a great story about Norm's power boats written by Marty Loken. Worth the time to read.

[snow]

Sad but happy news Lew - what a life, yes its all about celebrating the life. I had a photo of Mer-Na years b4 I bought RainDance - its just such a cool boat, I love the fact it got a fireplace. Bring on the photo's - they are all amazing.
Cheers Alan

[Lew Barrett]

Alan, if you follow the link just above your post you can read Marty's story on Blanchard launches. Mer-Na is well covered in it, as Marty was one of her owners. I think the gentleman who took it to Minnesota bought her from him.

[snow]

Thx Lew - great article - love this photo

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp165/Alanh22/Picture1-10.png

[C. Ross]

Pictures of Mer-Na's most recent restoration work, at St. Paul Shipwrights, a first class shop. http://stpaulshipwrights.com/theboatpages/blanchard.html (you have to click slide show and then "next" in the upper right corner)

[Eric Hvalsoe]

A few years back CWB was scratching its head to come up with a dedicated sail training design and boat. We potentially had donors with big ideas and big wallets. We returned to the Blanchard Junior, with renewed dedication to keeping a functioning sail training fleet in operation. At least that is how I remember it (John W?). I think that is quite an honor for Norm, imagine seeing an active fleet of your boats out there still, day after day, with all sorts of people learning to sail on them. We will have other kinds of sail trainers, but I suspect the Juniors will be around for a long time to come. I did not realize that more Seniors were built than Juniors. So many roads, sail and power, lead to the Blanchard yard. What a legacy.

[David G]

Pictures of Mer-Na's most recent restoration work, at St. Paul Shipwrights, a first class shop. http://stpaulshipwrights.com/theboatpages/blanchard.html (you have to click slide show and then "next" in the upper right corner)

Thanks, Chris. Good to see her all spiffed up.

And thanks, Lew - for starting the thread, and the celebration of a legacy.

[johnw]

I think we ended up with so many Blanchard Junior Knockabouts because it was what so many people wanted to sail. They were designed for livery service, and are ideal for what we do -- stable, forgiving, comfortable, roomy, and maneuverable enough and predictable enough that you really have to work at it to get in trouble with one.

I believe that like the Senior, they were designed on the mould loft floor. The first one was a little apple-bowed, but they stretched and sharpened the bow to make it easier to plank, which by the way made them more attractive.

The genesis for the Senior Knockabout was that Blanchard was building some Stars, and people kept asking for something like that with a cabin. Norm Sr. figured he could build a boat for less if it was round-bilged, because there would be less materials involved. So they came up with the Senior, but gave it a boomkin so the boat could have a permanent backstay. After WW II, they increased the stern overhang so that the boomkin wasn't needed. To my eye, the postwar Seniors are more graceful.

[Gold Rock]

98 years is a terrific run. The name Blanchard is huge in Pacific NW boating. My pop got his first taste of sailing on a 'Knockabout jr.' on Lake Washington when he lived in Bellevue back in the 1950's. I also recommend the very excellent read "Knee Deep in Shavings", which nicely covers the Blanchard legacy and gives an endearing taste of the late Norm's personality. A life well lived, I say, and I hoist one to his memory.

Chuck

[Yeadon]

I think we ended up with so many Blanchard Junior Knockabouts because it was what so many people wanted to sail. They were designed for livery service, and are ideal for what we do -- stable, forgiving, comfortable, roomy, and maneuverable enough and predictable enough that you really have to work at it to get in trouble with one.


This is very thing I love about those boats ... I can take my folks sailing, and the experience is always gentle enough that I can answer all their parental questions in ease while weaving in and out of the mess of seaplanes and Sea Rays on Lake Union.

[Lew Barrett]

Chuck, I thought I had included a link to Knee Deep in Shavings (http://www.amazon.com/Knee-Deep-Shavings-Memories-Yachting-Boatbuilding/dp/092066363X)
but I see I didn't.

It is co-written by Steve Wilen, who was Norm's friend in later years and also a Northwest CYA member. It is a very good read because it cover not only the boats and Norm's memories of running a yard in the halcyon days. but is also an interesting view through the mirror of 60 or 70 years. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

I share the sentiments above, sad to see him go, but celebrate a great life and contributions. I was lucky enough to hear him speak a few years back, and to fix some minor things on a couple of Jr.'s as well.

I may have to go down to CWB and finally sail a Jr. to see that it sails as nice as it looks like it would.

[ron ll]

I missed this thread entirely somehow and didn't learn of his passing until this morning. I have several stories I'll probably relate in several threads. For now I just need to make a minor correction to something above. The pic of the Blanchard Sr. Knockabout originally posted by Lew as a Junior is of course a Sr. as corrected by JohnW. However it is a PREwar Sr. not a postwar Sr. as evidenced by the short transom and boomkin :) (I know, picky picky). After the war the hull was extended and the boomkin eliminated.

Also, altho that pic has the sail number as B22, I don't think that boat is B22. I owned B22 "Blackfish" from 1974 thru about 1988. It was the originator of the Duck Dodge. B22 was built in 1940, commissioned by famous local sailors Bill and Mary Black and was the only Sr. built with a longer cabin. On B22 the cabin extends forward of the mast with the partners in the cabin top. All other Seniors had the cabin stopped slightly aft of the mast with the partners in the foredeck (Altho this can't quite be verified in the picture). But also the person I sold the boat to replaced the cockpit combing resulting in a joint between the cabin and combing, not apparent here.

I do recognize the mainsail however as one I had built by North with three reefpoints. And any serious Blanchard Senior Knockabout racer would not use Star sails for racing as the Stars were usually cut a bit flatter. :)

So much more to talk about re: Blanchards and Norm.

[ron ll]

I had the pleasure of having Norm as crew on my Senior Knockabout, B22 "Blackfish" for a Duck Dodge in about 1975. He was truely a gentleman, very humble and softspoken. I was honored to have him aboard and I gave him the helm for the race while I trimmed. At one point near a very crowded mark, he was driving into the thick of it. I admit I was getting nervous as we were heading for a t-bone and, as I didn't know him well, wasn't sure he was aware of it. Fortunately I didn't say anything and at the last second he gently moved the helm and smoothly dipped behind the other transom, missing it by inches. He knew EXACTLY where the boats were and how (his) boat would respond.

During that same race at one point he had me ease the genny just a little. "She wants to breathe just a bit," he said as he fell off just a fraction and the boat picked up more than enough speed to make up for the added distance, which of course is how I always sailed the boat after that, always remembering his words, "She likes to breathe just a bit."

[ron ll]

Another story involving a Blanchard JUNIOR knockabout. In the late Sixties we used to rent them at Leschi on Lake Washington. My friends and I weren't very experienced sailors and we were learning by the seats of our pants, fortunately in a pretty forgiving boat. One time we managed to sky the main halyard. In my youthful ignorance I shinnied up the mast, all the way to the top, to retrieve it. I succeeded in bringing it back down only later to discover that the keel on that boat probably wasn't enough to offset a 180 lb dumbass kid at the top of the mast. :D

[ron ll]

Didn't see anyone in the thread mention the pic below Mer-na in Lew's first post. I believe that is the schooner "Redjacket". I don't know much about her other than I would darn near fall overboard everytime I saw her. Absolutely georgeous lines. Is that a Seaborn design?

[johnw]

Didn't see anyone in the thread mention the pic below Mer-na in Lew's first post. I believe that is the schooner "Redjacket". I don't know much about her other than I would darn near fall overboard everytime I saw her. Absolutely georgeous lines. Is that a Seaborn design?


Geary.

[Lew Barrett]

I corrected my caption (Senior vs Junior) just to confuse anybody who comes along later! Normally, I leave my mistakes (when they are noticed in writing) as I believe it just throws the thread off if you change them after people have commented on the error. But in this case, I've made an exception :D:p

Red Jacket is a wonderful boat, truly excellent. The people who own her are really great too, and have kept her up for umpteen years. She gets around.

[ron ll]

Then of course there is the issue of Blanchard Juniors and Seniors being built by both Blanchard Junior and Senior. :)

Actually I think it is better to correct typos like that just in case some future youngsters dig up this forum as a source for their history. I realize John's postwar/prewar was also a simple typo, and John certainly knows the difference, but future historians might not. And each time we lose someone like Norm Jr., the knowledge base suffers immensely.

[ron ll]

(Slight thread drift) I was just looking around the yards trying to find Dan's Betty-B and stumbled across "Thelonius" a beautiful Monk. Hadn't seen it before. Interesting single prop with an auxillary shaft and motor to port as a get-home.

(Drift thread back) We have sure been lucky to have some great designers and builders around this area.

[Lew Barrett]

Thelonius belongs to Larry Benson, built in the 50s by Admiral Marine Works. I have a photo of her here somewhere, but if you have the time, read this story from last year in Classic Yacht Mag online
She's up now to get the damage from that repaired, if I'm not mistaken. :D It's not that funny to Larry, I'm sure.

On The Rocks! (http://www.classicyachtmag.com/NovDec2008.htm#)

[johnw]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EWnlYMyJsPM/SJD214dyHJI/AAAAAAAAAAM/YWupRVkNMlk/s1600/blanchard.jpg

Prewar version on the left, postwar version on the right, just so posterity doesn't get confused.

Great class of boats. One went to Long Island Sound and did very well racing there in the '90s.

[Lew Barrett]

I'm glad this thread still has some life. We could have a lot of discussion on Norm Blanchard without exhausting the topic.

[Alan H]

Wow...just saw this. My condolances. I only know Norm by reputation, but it was a pretty high class reputation.

[Lew Barrett]

Here are a couple more photos of Norm, courtesy of Stephen Wilen, who co-authored "Knee Deep in Shavings."

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/OpeningDay2000NormB.jpg
On Kennsington, Opening Day, 2000

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff76/LewBarrett/NormonPiratew-ScottRohrer070205.jpg
Norm on Pirate with Scott Rohrer

[GWB]

Thought some may like this:

2009 Fall Ocean Series


Boat (http://javascript<b></b>:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr2389$Default$List$grdData',' Sort$Boat|ASC'))Skipper (http://javascript<b></b>:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr2389$Default$List$grdData',' Sort$Skipper|ASC'))Type (http://javascript<b></b>:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr2389$Default$List$grdData',' Sort$Type|ASC'))1 Aug (http://javascript<b></b>:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr2389$Default$List$grdData',' Sort$1 Aug|ASC'))Total (http://javascript<b></b>:__doPostBack('dnn$ctr2389$Default$List$grdData',' Sort$Total|ASC'))

Boditha Bodil Chickinell Blanchard 26.750.75
Latis Jim GurleyRanger 3322.0
Spindrift Mel Githens Gulf 3233.0
Rhumba Michael Maas Rawson 3044.0
Alita MarieJohn Hartt Flying Dutchman 4155.0
Bushwacker Jim Relaford Spencer 537 DNF7.0
Alcyone David Fuller Columbia 438 DNC8.0
Nite Kap Ken Parnell Nauticat 338 DNC8.0
Elise Knauss, Rachel N308 DNC8.0
Visana Kather, Trace Satana 20238 DNC8.0