Boat shop safety a ‘test case’ for Maritime Center

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Port of Port Townsend commissioners have asked the Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC) for possible solutions to safety issues at the Point Hudson Boat Shop as a sort of “test case” of how the center might handle problems in the future.

NWMC has proposed that the port grant it a long-term master lease of Point Hudson, essentially allowing it to take over management of the 14-acre property owned by the port.

At an Aug. 9 Port Commission meeting, commissioners voiced disappointment with NWMC’s response to concerns that Steve Chapin’s boat shop in the Armory Building was at risk of catching on fire or exploding.

“Has the Maritime Center been engaged in this effort as of yet for potential options or ideas?” asked Commissioner Brad Clinefelter.

“We’ve had some conversations with the Maritime Center … at this point they have not expressed an interest in this,” said Sam Gibboney, executive director for the port.

“I’d like to hear why not,” Clinefelter responded.

Jake Beattie, executive director of NWMC, said he had only two days to consider the problem as he had been away on vacation.

“Desperately, we’d love to have more opportunities to foster our working relationships, especially as we think about the future of Point Hudson and how we might have this be a test case or something like that,” Beattie said.

Beattie said raising $250,000 or more to make improvements to the Armory Building was the “wrong ask.”

“You only get to go to the well once,” Beattie said of fundraising efforts. “If we’re going to go to the well, why don’t we take care of the breakwater?”

The breakwater needs $5 million in repairs, port officials have said.

Beattie said rents should be raised, but Chapin said he could not afford that.

Another option would be for Chapin to move his shop to NWMC, but there were concerns there would not be enough room.

Clinefelter suggested that the racing shell storage area at NWMC be used for Chapin’s shop, but rowers at the meeting objected to that idea.

Commissioner Stephen Tucker said Chapin is a “treasure” that the port wants at Point Hudson. The port needs a good partner for managing Point Hudson, one that shares the port’s vision for the point, Tucker said, referring to NWMC.

“What a perfect opportunity to test-drive something,” Tucker said, suggesting NWMC find a solution to the problem.

It was “an opportunity to see what kind of creative thinking could come out of the Maritime Center for solving this problem and what kind of partnerships we could form with this and also to give people an understanding of ‘Wow, this is harder than it looks from the outside,’” Tucker said.

Peter Geerlofs, NWMC board member, said the center had been meeting in a working group several times a week on an idea it could propose.

“We have an interesting strategy where we believe we can solve a lot of your problems,” Geerlofs said.

Hanke responded: “I would actually disagree with you, Peter, because we’ve asked for particulars of what you’re proposing … you guys are walking into us wanting to do something and saying, ‘We’ve got it, but we can’t give it to you.’”

Tucker said he was “disappointed” with NWMC’s response.

“I’ve been trying to give you a leg up or inside track or some way to get in with the port to say, ‘This is how we can prove how that we’re worthwhile or trustworthy or capable.’ So far, we’ve been just rebuffed.

“The port has got some financial constraints. We can’t just go out and blow $250,000 right now, get Steve back in and have everything be hunky-dory,” Tucker said.