12/16/2025
Early Days- Howard-K built by Knudsen in Stanwood, Wa- named for his son photo taken 100 West of Arguello 1973//
Beticia Noelle 4 1/2 yrs her first albacore pulled in and landed all by herself- on the F/V Howard-K-Mister dog. Tish began her fishing career at 4months // Mary Butler, first she and Jim had the F/V Blue Skies, then the F/V Memories. Kyle and I took the girls to Jim & Mary in December. I remember standing in her kitchen ,snow on the ground and looked out she exclaimed "my rose bush-look it has a rose." She and I went out and Jim had taped a bright red velvet rose to her favorite bush before we began to brew coffee.// F/V Memories what a fantastic rig I cannot remember the dimension of the center upright beam in the fish hold, but it was massive. The hatch cover was off the hold, and Kyle and Jim sat chatting for quite awhile. All of a sudden Mary in her foul weather gear came up out of the hold and her work at cleaning. Kyle never got over how shamed he felt talking to Jim while she was down there cleaning. // My favorite halibut schooner F/V Lady Olga owned operated by Monrad Farstad- I always remember he carried a hand tinted photo of his wife on board the vessel- a real gentleman// F/V Grant— when we looked about purchasing her from Jack Knudsen I asked about the water leak in the fo’s’cle sky light. Jacks father commented that encouraged the crew up on deck we’re they belonged. ( in much more cryptic language). Note: Jim Butler and his brother were on their own as youngsters of 15 yrs old. They lived on a vessel tied to a log barge- and worked in the river to provide for themselves. I believe Jim Butler was the elder of the 2 brothers and he was 14 or 15. Beticia Rainwater
