1 1 1 Tony
&Bessie
Jensen Motorboat-circa 1950
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Tony Jensen
The somewhat startling change from a career as a muscian to that of a boat builder is perhaps the outstanding feature of an analysis of Tony Jensen, well known boat builder of Seattle, Washington. Jensen, together with his wife, Bessie, are now the sole owners of the boat building firm, Jensen Motor Boat Corporation, which is located on Portage Bay, at 1417 East Northlake Avenue.(now Boat Street) Jensen's earliest experience in ship building was in 1906. He worked for the Moran Shipbuilding yard, when the Sol Duc, the Sioux, the -Alaskan, and two submarines were constructed. Later Jensen had what he considers the first motor boat in his locality. the "Hipp", named after a circus elephant. In 1909 , Jensen was placed in charge of White City Boat House, which was owned by Eddie Roesch, then agent for the Sterling marine engine line. Roesch sold Jensen a small runabout , the Swan, a 22 footer powered with a 25 h.p. Sterling. During this time Jensen was becoming more and more, interested in boats and boating.Jensen in 1911 won a cup at the Potlatch boat races, with the Swan. From that time, Jensen temporarily went out of the boat business, to enter other business, but he remained very much interested in water craft. Jensen, it should be remembered, was a musician during all of this time, also. He is a violin player (attended Julliard in New York)of unusual merit. He left Seattle in 1912 to go to Victoria, British Columbia. Where Jensen became orchestra leader at the Pantages Theatre. Victoria, from 1914 to 1920. His friends declare that he was a mighty good one, too. But the boat building business was calling to him. He was soon to leave his violin for mould lofts, buzzing saws, howling shapers, whining band saws, and all of the rest of the picture that goes to make up boat building as it is today. In 1920 he built his first cruiser, a 42-foot craft.(in his Back Yard-Anchor was 2) He left Victoria in 1922 and returned to Seattle, not yet in the boat building business, but nevertheless longing to build boats. But let Jensen tell his own storv front here on: Idling against a work bench In his plant, and cutting shavings from a stick of fir, he said: "One day a friend of mine asked me to build him a 30- foot cruiser, in my spare time. Before things ended, a friend of his wanted me to build him a boat too, so that in a short while I had a place about three miles from water, with two 45-foot cruisers and one 30 footer under construction." The shop was well crowded, and between his regular business and his new boat building efforts, Jensen found that his time was well occupied. "Later I decided that if I was going to build boats, I'd better have a regular place on the water, so when I got another order, for a 36 footer, I bought 100 feet of waterfront property near the University of Washington campus, on Portage Bay, Seattle. That's the present place," he explained. The keen edged knife In his hands curled shavings from the stick. Then Tony went on: "I set up my place, a combined yard and five-room apartment in 1927, Then two fellows bought an interest in the shipyard, so it became Jensen Motor Boat Corporation, as it is today. The fight has been a hard one, with many difficulties, but I have made out. thanks to my many good friends. Following the incorporation of the firm, my wife and I bought out the other two stockholders, and now we are the sole owners." Tony Finished. He stopped whittling the stick momentarily. What boats have you built, Tony? he was asked. Oh I've built quite a few. There was the Veronica II, a 30 footer; The Carolina, a 45 footer; the Katherine, another 45 footer; the Perigrina, a 36' footer; another one was the Vagabond, 27 feet long; the 52'-foot Averilla; Phantom, a 36 footer, also Blitzen, a 19 footer: the Ellida, a 36' the 28' Falcon and now you have just finished the Cadrew an 80 foot vessel- to be continued This article written around 1932 |
