Lecture – The History of Boat Building on the Gulf Coast of Florida

Tuesday, November 14, 2023
2:00 pm

Presentation: The History of Boat Building on the Gulf Coast of Florida and the Gulf Coast Maritime Museum

Location: Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium, 2:00 pm, followed by Reception in the Woman’s Club Room with book selling, (cash only).

Speaker John Pether, co-authored with Laura Pether, and director of the Gulf Coast Maritime Museum in Sarasota.

The presentation will cover highlights from his book, Wood, Fiberglass, and Steel: The History of Boat Building on Florida’s Gulf Coast, about the history of boat building on the Gulf Coast of Florida from Chokoloskee Island (south of the Everglades) to Pensacola. He will discuss some of the characters written about and will also discuss the plans for the Gulf Coast Maritime Museum project. Despite Florida’s long history of boat building dating back 7,000 years to the original native settlers, and despite the fact that Florida has the largest number of registered boats in the country, the longest coastline second only to Alaska, and a huge and thriving boat building industry, there is no significant Maritime museum in the entire state which is collecting, preserving, and exhibiting our boat building history. The Gulf Coast Maritime Museum, Inc. is designed to fill that void.

Books are $22. Cash (exact amount) accepted or checks made out to GC Maritime Museum.

front cover of Wood, Fiberglass, and Steel: The History of Boat Building on the Gulf Coast of Florida

After completing over 140 interviews and three years of research, authors John and Laura Pether have provided a collection of histories concerning 269 boat builders on Florida's Gulf Coast. The stories - many of which were heretofore unwritten - unfold from south to north, from the Everglades to Pensacola. with the earliest boat builders of that region being discussed first in each chapter. Enhanced by photographs and brought to life by personal remembrances and historical newspaper accounts. The book is a fascinating tribute and depiction of how demand and technology transformed boat building methods and how the boat building industry impacted the economy and employment opportunities along the Gulf Coast. Whether the reader is interested in the era of steamships carrying cargo and passengers along the coast and rivers, the traditional lines of Greek sponge boats, the rapid build up in Tampa and the Panhandle of wood and steel vessel production for wartime use. the early development of hydroplanes. or the magic of boat building without plans -'by rack of eye

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Cost: Members Free, Non-members $35, register online below to attend. (Not a member? Click here to join.)

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