BEACON – After a three-year, $400,000 restoration at the Riverport Wooden Boat School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, the Sloop Woody Guthrie is returning to its homeport in Beacon. It will be re-christened next Saturday, August 26.
The Woody Guthrie was built in 1978 to carry out the mission of the Clearwater on a local level. It was originally owned by Pete and Toshi Seeger, who later donated it to the Beacon Sloop Club. Volunteers from the club have helped sail and maintain the vessel over the last 40 years.
Restoration of the sloop began in August 2015. Work has included replacing nearly all of the ship’s frames, planks, structural timbers, a portion of the decking, and a section of the keel.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum’s professional shipwright crew, under the leadership of Boat School Director Jim Kricker, was aided by volunteers from the Beacon Sloop Club.
Beginning of the restoration (above) and the restored sloop
on the Rondout Creek (photos: Alan Thomas)
