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History of the Project
Leland was born in Gloucester, MA which at one time was the number one fishing port in the country. He grew up on the rivers of West Gloucester in the early 40’s. From the age of three, he went clamming with his father on their small boat. As a teenager, he fished off the docks at Gloucester Harbor and worked as an apprentice ship’s carpenter and apprentice ship’s rigger. Being around the docks and the fisherman of Gloucester, Leland developed an affinity for the fisherman’s life even thought he never fished commercially himself. He became acutely aware of the difficulty and expense of maintaining a fishing vessel of any size.
But… he needed the right boat. It just so happened that early one morning Leland observed Dan Temko, Pillar Point’s Harbor Master, and his patrol officers towing a very beautiful, long wooden-hulled Monterey fishing vessel over to the headwall to start the process of condemning and beaching her. Her name was IRENE.
In fact,” Leland adds, “The Coast Guard is now using the IRENE as a teaching platform to instruct their students in wooden boat restoration and inspection.” The IRENE is a wonder in and of herself. Built in 1927, she served the Bettencourt family for 75 years and three generations. Over the last 5 years, she served three other owners until December 2006 when Leland & Cecily placed her into the care of the non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization they named the Pillar Point Educational Fund.
.......................................................................................................................................................................... © Copyright 2007. Project Irene. All Rights Reserved. Empowered by Atawe Design |
At
Pillar Point Harbor, Leland observed that even though fishing was already
one of the most difficult, challenging and life-threatening occupations,
it was now made even more difficult by growing government regulations.
After looking at the condition of many of the commercial fishing vessels
at Pillar Point Harbor, it became clear to Leland that the necessities
of day-to-day life left very little money available for major repairs
on their boats. Certainly, there would be even less money available for
extended educational opportunities for their children or themselves. 
After
sailing with his wife, Cecily, in their own boat, the 65’ schooner
FRANK EDMUND, up the coast from San Diego, Leland knew first hand that
other harbors supported tour boats and that those operations made a very
good living. “Pillar Point Harbor,” he said, “ draws
people from all around the San Francisco area because the fisherman are
allowed to sell what they have caught directly off their boats, just as
they did in Gloucester ‘in the good old days!’ While at the
harbor, people could include a tour of the harbor by boat to see the famous
Maverick’s surfing grounds to the north, and the luxury hotel Ritz
to the south.” It seemed to him that a harbor tour boat in the beautiful
and historical Pillar Point Harbor, was a”no brainer,” for
a place to operate a harbor touring boat. 
The
idea came to Leland to combine the needs of the harbor (for a tour boat)
along with the needs of the families of fisherman (for educational funding).
Leland
approached Dan with his idea and asked him to delay her condemnation until
he could research its feasibility. As a shipwright, he felt qualified
to do the first inspection of her structural integrity. Upon his inspection
of her timbers, he found her to be in good structural condition below
the waterline with most of her decay having taken place at the deck-line.
Next, he called the United States Coast Guard to request an inspection.
“Jokingly, (I think) they asked me, at one point if I wouldn’t
rather use a fiberglass boat instead,” Leland said with a chuckle.
“But, they made their inspection, laid out all of their rules, regulations,
codes and standards necessary to carry the paying public and gave us their
OK to continue. So far, we have met and surpassed all the required regulations.
