Phil Erwin, class of 1999

I attended IYRS from 1997 to 2000 (2 year program, 1 year fellowship). I was the first and only member of my class to complete either program--programs in their infancy that would be unrecognizable to students today. Being solo, I guess I was the valedictorian. During that time I was goofing around and made a push stick "too good to use." I passed that on to Tom Head ('01) and it became the ceremonial push stick--if it still exists.
Following that I taught the first year program for 3 years (classes of '02, '03, & '04). During that time I did a lot of the drafting of Beetle Cat parts and diagrams that you may still be using. On my last visit I noted a lot of my original patterns for Beetles hanging on the wall. That was nice to see. I truly enjoyed those years!
After leaving IYRS in 2003, I moved to Ventura, California where I worked as an independent marine carpentry contractor. During that time I laid down, lofted and built through framing and plank line-off a Dragon Sloop, re-framed and re-timbered a Maine-built Friendship Sloop, planked and fitted out an Alden Schooner, and performed a host of fishing boat repairs and dive boat collision damage repairs.
I moved to San Francisco to lead the restoration of the c.1895 National Historic Landmark Lumber Schooner C. A. Thayer which was, and is owned by the National Park Service. Leading a crew of 25 men--most of whom spoke only Spanish--we completed the major hull and deck restoration (replacing approximately 85% of her original 456 tons) in 3 years at a cost of roughly $14 million. Besides driving the crew (in Spanish), I developed the systems for performing the re-framing, the fairing of inner and outer frames, the line-off of the ceiling (8"x80') and the hull planking (4"x40') and did all of the hull shape and sheer corrections. When not doing that, I worked as a line shipwright fabricating and installing ship components.
Following the delivery of the C. A. Thayer to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco, I was hired by the Federal Government (The Department of the Interior) to work as a Preservation Shipwright for the National Park Service. There, I continued the documentation and restoration of the historic interior spaces of the C. A. Thayer.
In February of 2008, I was hired into permanent Federal Service as the Manager of Historic Ship Preservation and Maintenance at the San Francisco Maritime National Historica Park.
I am Married, live out by the beach, in the fog, in San Francisco, and have sold my truck as I will no longer need to move my tools.

Phil Erwin, class of 1999