Commuter
Name/Title
CommuterEntry/Object ID
2014.006Description
30' 1941 Gar Wood Commuter Named for the original owners, Hazel and Pike Moon, "HaPike" was purchased new in October of 1941 and shipped by rail from Michigan to Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. Prepositioned by Pike to either buy a nice two-story home or a beautiful boat, Hazel opted for the Gar Wood. HaPike spent many summers cruising on the lake before she fell into disuse. Pike's son Bud eventually sold the boat to Laurie and Anita Dowsett who set out to completely restore HaPike to her original condition. She received a new transom, new aft deck, new fore deck, new bottom and new combings. The hull sides, cabin and all the interior was saved and refinished. The newly restored boat debuted at the 2007 Tahoe Boat Show to much acclaim, taking home the "First in Class" and "Most Elegant" awards. Of the thirteen Gar Wood commuters originally built it's the only one in existence today and the only one that was delivered to a private individual. The rest were delivered to the military in 1941 and 1942. In 1941 the model was priced between $6,260-10,960 when the average annual salary was roughly $2,000. HaPike is powered by her original 840Ci Flathead V12 Scripps engine that reaches speeds up to 40mph. "Oh, as an aside, the correct name of the Garwood Commuter is Happening, (pronounced Ha. Peeky) that should be acknowledged as when Laurie acquired the boat it was rotting derelict in Sandpoint Idaho. I know the original owners family as I live in Sandpoint. The Moon family has neither the interest or resources to restore the boat. Laurie who I met in Hawaii and subsequently sailed with for many years, as a member of an extensive and distinguished Hawaiian family, loved the restoration and care of wood boats? He spent the better part of a million dollas restoring the boat. The Hapike was originally brought to Anchor Jensen for the restoration. Anchor built the Slo Mo hydroplane in Seattle. I had apprenticed as a boatbuilder with Anchor. When Laurie died I called Anita and offered to help her divest of the three boats she now owned. I spent two years calling and talking to Gar Wood afficionados with the the net result being an offer close to $ 500,000. She did not care for the person making the offer and it was decided to donate the boat, which had won the Lake Tahoe boat show to a deserving organization. I bought one of their boats and one remains. Obviously ABM has become a benefactor of the Dowsett families generosity. I have not been to the museum and would hope that this boat, at very least, would be on display? I regularly see Woody Boater postings showing some of ABM's acquisitions. The point of this lengthy note is to help fill in some blank spaces that obviously exist." Respectfully, Michael RancourtCollection
BoatsAcquisition
Accession
2014.006Source or Donor
Dowsett, AnitaAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Dowsett, AnitaMade/Created
Date made
1941Dimensions
Length
30 ftDimension Notes
Width: 8.8333333333 ftLocation
*Don Doebler Collections Storage Facility
*Cleveland E. Dodge Memorial Launch Building