BoatShop volunteers and project coordinators Richard Gray and Jan Hein will be speaking about Ken Ollar’s life and work at 6pm Thursday, November 6th in the BoatShop’s Joiner Shop.

For over half a century, photographer Ken Ollar sped through the Salish Sea aboard his motor vessel, Shutterbug, capturing iconic shots of wooden boats as they were built and launched, raced and cruised. He captured years of the Swiftsure Lightship Classic, hydroplane races, yacht club Opening Day celebrations and cruises, class racing in Blanchards, Stars, and T-Birds. Ollar amassed a significant collection of incredible images, taken from the 1920s through 1980. That archive is now housed at the Gig Harbor BoatShop’s Northwest Fleet Photo Collection, where it is being digitized and preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy.  

Circe, 1949

Northwest Fleet Photo Collection Studio at Gig Harbor BoatShop