RECREATION: PLYWOOD WONDER (no. 18)

Plywood Wonder – Thunderbird

The boatbuilding industry, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, shifted again in the early 1950s with the introduction of new technology and materials, such as plywood. In the early 1950s, the Douglas Fir Plywood Association (DFPA) decided to market their plywood to Northwest boatbuilders, approaching naval architects throughout the region to design boats utilizing plywood. Seattle-native naval architect Ben Seaborn accepted the challenge. Previously known for his fast racing boat designs and his engineer’s mind, Seaborn developed a v-shaped hull form which allowed for the stiffness of multilayered plywood.  While Seaborn designed the 26-foot plywood speedster Thunderbird, Ed Hoppen of the Eddon Boat Company in Gig Harbor developed the construction methods to bend the plywood in a way that would float, bringing the design to fruition.[1] The Thunderbird class sailboat soared in popularity with over 1,200 constructed world-wide.[2]