The F/V Jean & Dale -- A Core Sound Tradition

On September 16, 2000 the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum received an important addition to its collection, one that reflects the heritage and tradition of the Core Sound people, the 4O foot fishing vessel Jean & Dale. This boat has a long, storied past, a tale worth telling...

photo: CSWM

Donor Patty Lewis Taylor, with sun Rusty and grandsons Cody and Chandler photo: CSWM

In August 2000, Mrs. Patti Jean Lewis Taylor, a Harkers Island native, contacted the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum about possibly donating her father’s (Mr. Harry M. Lewis) fishing boat to the Museum. This conversation set into motion a series of events that culminated with the acquisition and movement of an almost 60 year old wooden fishing boat from its mooring in a secluded harbor on the bay-side of the Island to its permanent resting place at the new Core Sound Waterfowl Museum.

After Mrs. Taylor's initial conversation, an investigation began by museum staff to answer these questions: Who was Mr. Harry Lewis? Who built this water craft and where? How does this potential investment exemplify the culture, heritage and traditions of the Core Sound area? Will this artifact enhance educational opportunities and why is its important to Core Sound Waterfowl Museum? Can the logistics of transporting a large boat and then properly storing it be accomplished?

Capt. Harry Lewis aboard his vessel, the Jean Dale. photo: Patty L. Taylor

Mr. Harry Mattox Lewis (October 10, 1913 - June 2, 2000) was born to Thomas and Effie Lewis, all native Harkers Islanders. He married Ruby Dee Willis and they lived their life together on the Island, producing two children, Patty Jean and

Rusty and Randy Taylor help their grandfather, Harry Lewis, unload a day's catch from the F/V Jean Dale. photo: Patty L. Taylor

Dale. Mr. Harry was a fisherman and like many others living on the Island, supported his family from the bounty of the sea, catching finfish through long-hauling and setting nets in the local sounds and ocean. To accomplish this, he needed a boat whose design allowed stability in rough

The Jean Dale being hauled on a marine railway for repairs. photo: Patty L. Taylor

waters, ease of operation and ability to work in the shallow waters of Core and Bogue Sounds as well as the deeper waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This was in the early l940's. The boat-builder was Brady Lewis.

Mr. Brady Lewis (September 26, 1904 - May 12,1992) was born to Dan and Eva Lewis in the communitiy of Salter Path. The family moved from Salter Path to Crab Point then finally to Harkers Island where Brady married Island girl, Mary Elizabeth.

Brady's son, Mr. Makley Lewis and his wife, Florence recall the series of events which led Brady Lewis to build his first boat: “Dan (Brady's father) ordered a skiff to fish from the Beach. When the vessel was delivered, Brady reportedly said “Why I could do better than that!” Brady and his father went over to the Cape (Lookout) and cut a limb from a cedar tree with a particular “elbow” shape, brought it back to the Island and this limb became the "knee" of Brady Lewis’ first boat.”

Brady Lewis with sons Makely and Oliver. photo: Makley and Florence Lewis

Brady Lewis began his boat building career without apprenticing or formal education from any person. On his own, he designed the marine architectural marvel known as the (Harkers Island) flared - bow, round - stern. The larger boats also had a cabin still known as the “Dog House” design. He also built sailboats in the 18 foot range.

Mr. Clem Willis (a first cousin who apprenticed with Brady at his boat works) and his wife, Nannie, recall that in the days before electricity caine to the Island, all wood used in his boats was fashioned, by Brady with a hatchet. He had a boat house “on the Shore” located between (present-day) Clarence Willis boat works and Alex Willis' boat works where many area boat-builders learned their trade.

Examples of this are Earl and James Rose, of the former Rose Brothers Boat Works, as recounted in the book, Carteret County Heritage V0L II, Article #385 - Charlie Rose: I was living on Harkers Island, but my nephews decided they'd build themselves a boat,” Mr. Charlie said. "They went and helped Brady Lewis build one and then started their own."

photo: Patty L. Taylor

The Flared-Bow design has become one of world-wide importance, reflected in water craft produced locally, regionally, nationally and globally, with roots born in an innate understanding of the water. Makley Lewis and Clem Willis offer some thoughts on the origin of this design. "Brady had a gift for building things and understood the water. The curve of the bow turns water away from the inside of the boat, the round stern has no corner for nets to get hung on. Practical thinking, practical people, fine craftsmanship, ingenious results.”

The Jean & Dale is one of the first boats built by Brady Lewis’ own hand after electricity came to Harkers Island in 1941. Mr. Clem Willis worked on her with Brady at his boat house using cedar and heart pine. Rusty Taylor (Grandson of Harry Lewis) says “Granddaddy told me when the boat was built, it was the most expensive boat built on Harkers Island. It costed $750.00. The average cost of a boat at that time was around $650.00. The reason it costed more was that the boat is nailed together with copper nails."

The Jean Dale has survived sinking three times, a fire onboard and was a working fishing boat through the winter of 2000, with Mr. Harry as the sole owner in it’s history. This boat is the only known boat built by Brady Lewis himself left in existence on Harkers Island, a testament to the hardiness and uniqueness of its people.

After the initial investigation CSWM Staff pointed toward qualification as an artifact in our collection, several Island residents and local experts were consulted about the history and condition of the boat, as well as how to move it from its dockage to the new Museum site. As a result, early one Saturday morning, September16, a small crowd gathered at East Bay Boat Works (James and Ricky Gillikin) as Mr. Harry's Grandson, Rusty and his sons towed the Jean - Dale to an area at East Bay where it was lifted out of the water by Piner’s Crane Service (George Brown) and placed on a hydraulic boat trailer compliments of Jarrett Bay Boat Works. The crew from Jarrett Bay towed the boat from East Bay Boat Works to its permanent home at Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and blocked it up there.

Last day in the water. photo:CSWM	Lifted by crane on trailer for transport to new museum site. photo:CSWM	Setting up at her new home: Core Sound Waterfowl Museum photo:CSWM

"A historic footnote: East Bay Boat Works founder - James Lewis worked for Brady Lewis before he started his own business; Julian Guthrie, founder of the original Jarrett Bay Boat Works, Williston (a down East community located on Jarrett’s Bay) started out working for Brady Lewis; one of the Jarrett Bay moving crew, Kevin Foley previously worked at Jarrett Bay Boat Works in Williston and Mr. Calvin Rose, a consultant for this project, “hauled-out” the Jean & Dale for much of its life and worked at Rose Bros. Boat Works. The addition of the Jean Dale to our collection has generated a lot of interest within both the local community and visitors alike. It is becoming an important educational tool used to inform the public about the culture and heritage of the Core Sound area through demonstrating the ability of the local people to create tools that helped them survive and flourish in their environment through beauty as well as function.

"This project would be impossible without the help, support and advice of the following people and businesses: Calvin Rose - fisherman and marine railways owner/operator; Carl Huff - CSWM Board member, George Brown - owner/operator: Piner’s Crane Service; James (and Ricky) Gillikin -managers, East Bay Boat Works; Jarrett Bay Boat Works: Randy Ramsey - manager, Kevin Foley and Jeremy Ouert - hydraulic trailer crew and Mrs. Patty Jean Lewis Taylor & her family who had the foresight and desire to preserve a piece of Core Sound Heritage for future generations.

Funding provided by the NC Arts Council to document this historic vessel.