The Paragon was a wooden boat built in 1915 as a west coast halibut schooner. When my father bought it in the 1950's he fished halibut in the Gulf of Alaska and around Kodiak Island.
Later, he converted the boat for trawling. He raised the bow, adding a steel fo’c’s’le deck and converting the forward crew's quarters into storage. He also owned the Havana, Aloma and Yaquina, all wood fishing boats around the same size as the Paragon. A new steel mast replaced the old wood mast. A silver dollar was found under the old mast. The old mast was cut up and used for firewood.
Most of these photos show the boat as it looked for most if its history and prior to the modifications.
The Paragon going through the locks in Seattle
An Artist's rendition of the Paragon as originally built
About to head out fishing on the Paragon in 1970. I was 16 (with the guitar), my brother was 18. The boat sank less than a year later.
Notes
Puffin Bay at Baranof Island, Alaska
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