Capt. Carl Chase with his model the R/V Westward in his Maine workshop.

A model of the R/V Westward, built by SEA Captain Carl Chase in 1980, has been restored and returned to the Woods Hole campus.

The model was built as a training tool to teach SEA Semester students about sail setting and striking and was used in class for many years.  Now Carl has completed the model’s “38-year refit” on the same workbench in his shop where he originally built it!

Carl Chase was a full-time SEA Captain and Nautical Science faculty from W-51 (1980) through W-87 (1986) for at least 11 semesters.  He also sailed as chief mate on W-37 and on several other cruises.

The model is true to the R/V Westward as the vessel was configured prior to its 1988 rebuild.  The hydrowinch, for example, represents the original winch that came off WHOI’s original sailing research vessel the R/V Atlantis. The lab, with port and starboard doors, and engine room scuttle also match the original SEA configuration.  The R/V Westward sailed with this deck design from class W-1 through W-99.

The model will be installed in a special case and displayed in the Madden Center where it will continue to inform and inspire our students.

Thank you, Carl, for building and restoring this wonderful model!