Bill Healy

[jreiter190]

As an old salt, Capt. Tom, who owned, and was the original Chief Engineer on the Virginia S , ex. SUISUN, 1914 Coast and Geodetic Survey vessel, told us one day, when he was 83, " I never let the truth get in the way of a good sea story". What's the difference between a sea story and a fairy tale? A fairy tale starts, Once upon a time. ...a sea story starts, Now, this no ****!

[Caley and Fam.]

Originally Posted by Scuppergirl

Hi. I think I know the Bill Healey that you are seeking. He was my step-father. He was a wooden boat builder out of Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He designed and built wooden boats by hand. All of his boats were constructed upside down and then "flipped" over once the hull was completed. I am lucky enough to have grown up with him on a 34' ketch named "Motu Atea" (meaning "Distant Island" in Polynesian) that he built in the late 70's. I am currently in the process of tracking down his boats and would love to eventually write a book or do a documentary on him and his boats. There are too many great stories and beautiful boats not to share. He has since passed away, but leaves an amazing legacy.

Hello, I find I very exciting that I have come across a group of people that recognize the name Bill Healy. Clearly you knew him very well. I currently live on Matu Atea with my daughter and husband. We’ve live aboard now for a couple of years. I just thought I’d say hello and let you know the boat is still going strong.

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by Caley and Fam.

Hello, I find I very exciting that I have come across a group of people that recognize the name Bill Healy. Clearly you knew him very well. I currently live on Matu Atea with my daughter and husband. We’ve live aboard now for a couple of years. I just thought I’d say hello and let you know the boat is still going strong.

Well it is exciting to hear from someone who actually has a Bill Healy boat. I worked with him at Riverbend Marine in Fort Lauderdale. I've since retired from the shipwright trade and have relocated to Northwest Montana but I still remember the good old days when boats and water were near and part of my everyday life. Any chance you have a photo of your boat that you could send to me? My personal email is aleutian101@yahoo.com.


Thanks,


Jamo

[boatman1]

I had the good fortune to meet George Wall in the early 70's at his Blue Fin Marina on Key Largo: actually I kept several boats there. Mr Wall was a fine, fine man and incredibly accomplished as a building and boat construction guy. He spoke very highly of Bill Healy: having heard such admiration from George about Healys' design and construction talents speaks volumns to me.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Caley and Fam.

[Baileyg]

Greetings. Back in 2013, Scuppergirl said she was researching a book about Bill Healey. I have a couple of black and white photos of Bill standing beside the last boat he built which was located at the Blue Fin Marina.I wonder if she would want them. I am happy to send digital copies to anyone interested. Bill worked for my father, Warren Bailey, off and on in the 1950's at the space Warren rented in Miami Ship Yard to build 40' - 45' wooden sailboats. To contact me, go to the website for East Carolina University, Academics, Colleges and Schools, "philosophy" under Thomas Harriot College, Faculty and Staff. I am the first person listed.

[HopCar]

Baileyg how about posting the photos here so we can all see them?
As you are new to the forum, you may not be able to post photos yet. Maybe one of the moderators will fix that for you.

Your Dad used to shop at my store sometimes.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Baileyg.

[Baileyg]

I will try to upload photos this evening. I still work, so I cannot participate until then. Looking forwarding to discussing the old days in Miami and Key Largo.

[Baileyg]

I uploaded four photos to the public folder "Bill Healey 1991 Key Largo, FL.

[Baileyg]

HopCar, well I remember going into Hopkins Carter with my father when he needed something for the boat he was building. Maybe 1956-57, earlier or later. Long time ago now. Those were the days when the sales people knew more than many customers. Maybe by 58 or 59 I would go by myself to get things on his account, which was pretty special to a kid in those days.

[Baileyg]

Boatman1 - is George Wall still alive? My last conversation with him was in March of 2010, when I brought my father Warren up from Key Largo to my place in Greenville, NC. He was extremely helpful to me, connecting me with people I needed to talk to. Warren spoke very highly of him.

[Baileyg]

I worked on a crew at the Miami Ship Yard when I was 13-15 (1956-58)helping build a boats with my father, Warren. Bill Healy was part of the crew. When I finish this post I am going to look for a photo of the crew. Everything I heard about Bill I got from Warren. He was living on his boat tied up along the bank of the Miami river at the time, next to a vacant lot. He, his partner and a pile of kids lived on what seemed to me a pretty small boat. When I met up with him in Key Largo in 1991 he was on his shallow draft (2.5') Tamahine. I looked inside and did not see a centerboard, so I asked him how he got to weather. He pointed to the large engine at the base of the companionway (no cover) and said "with that." The inside of Tamahine was entirely unpainted. The outside, down to the waterline, was painted with house paint (the kind that holds the brushstrokes). I thought "now this is a guy how has things figured out!" No sailing to weather, no worrying about fancy marine deck paint, no waisting paint where it doesn't rain.

[Baileyg]

I can't find the photo Gallery I created "Bill Healy..." Perhaps the system takes awhile to make it accessible. I found the photo of the crew at Miami Ship with Bil Healy - turns out it was 1959. If anyone can tell me how to find the Gallery so I add this photo, I would appreciate it.

[Baileyg]

Found it. Posted Crew photo. Warren is on the left, Bill front right, I am the kid in the middle. I have forgotten the names of the other three guys. The Gallery name is "Bill Healy 1991 Key Largo, FL"