1960 ❖ CHARLIE AND BUDDY HEADING TO ALASKA

Gillnet vessel CHARLIE
A pioneer in the use of aluminum for
Bristol Bay fishing, has a trial run on Lake Union, WA.
24 May 1960.
Onboard were L-R: Bruce Whittemore, designer,
Jim Kelly, and Kenneth Anderson.
CHARLIE and one other were built for the Kayak Packing Co.
Click image to enlarge.
Original photo by Bob Carver from the archives of
the Saltwater People Historical Society©

"The aluminum gillnetters are on their way from Seattle to Bristol Bay.
      The boats are believed by their builder to be the first aluminum craft to operate in Bristol Bay's rich salmon fishing waters.
      The boats were built by Marine Construction & Design Co., for the Kayak Packing Co. They are being taken to Alaska on the deck of the floating cannery KAYAK.
      Two aluminum gillnetters were built last year by Marine Construction & Design Co., for use in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
      The two boats built for the Kayak Co., are 32-ft long, with a beam of 11-ft. 4 inches. They attained speeds in excess of 16 knots in trial runs, Jim Kelly of the Marine Construction & Design Co., said. 
       Kelly added that the carrying capacity of the boats is the largest of any Bristol Bay gillnetters."
Seattle Times 24 May 1960