Bearings Content is now found directly on the CWB Web Site
With the improvements to the CWB website, it is now possible for blog content to be posted directly to http://www.cwb.org We’ll see you there.
New Research at CWB Could Save Museums Tens of Thousands of Dollars As they Preserve Large Objects….Such as a Boat
Federal Grant to CWB Developing New Photogrammetry techniques
that will be shared with all Museums
(Seattle,WA) With funding from a competitively won federal grant, The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle has launched a research project that could dramatically reduce the cost of tracking the shapes of large objects in a museum collection as they change over time. Knowing when an artifact is changing shape is critical for a museum so it can step in and take steps to stop the damage. That is especially true with large objects because often by the time a change in shape is perceptible to the human eye irreparable damage has already been done.
For CWB the large objects to be preserved are among the 150 the historic sailboats, row boats, steam and electric launches in its collection that document the classic small craft designs of the northwest. But there are 17,500 museums and 123,000 libraries in the U.S. that will have access to the new techniques developed by CWB that they can use to help document and preserve objects in their collections.
With the grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, CWB’s Fleet Manager Kyle Hunter has been working with a group of experts in vessel documentation to use digital photography and computer aided design software to develop more cost effective ways to document a boats shape. “Today techniques to capture a boat’s shape often require laser scanners that can cost a museum $100,000 or more,” said Hunter. “Using common photography and relatively simple software the cost of creating a digital model of a boat can be brought down to just a few hundred dollars if you have a decent camera and a quick computer.” The models that Hunter has created from the CWB collection are of a high enough level of accuracy that it could be submitted to the Library of Congress’s engineering database. Using laser based techniques could have cost many thousands of dollars to create the same model.
Software can recognizes the details in the overlapping photographs. Once aligned, the program will build a dense point cloud. This point cloud has over 18 million points.
The research is still under way, but clearly the early results have been positive.
Hunter and the experts he’s brought together in Seattle have been able to use a digital camera to make detailed photo sets of boats shot from many angles. Computer software can take those photos and detect the lines and edges and quickly convert the photos into accurate 3D wire frame models on a computer. Once that computer model is documented, another photo scan of the boat can be done at any time and the two models compared. The computer can instantly show the curator how and where the boat shape has changed. That’s critical to know so a curator can decide if it’s time to jump in with additional steps to stop the change in the boat’s shape.
Comparing two scans. Weight was added in bow of boat on second scan. Change in hull shape from added weight clearly visible in Red.
CWB’s small boat collection offers an ideal test of the technology as the museum has had a longtime program to document the shape of its historic boats, and that earlier data can be used now to test these new techniques. Working with partner maritime heritage organizations such as Northwest Seaport, and the historic records division of the National Park Service, CWB tests can be run comparing these new results to existing methods of gathering similar data.
The impact of this research could be significant, according to David Cockey, President of the Museum Small Craft Association. Cockey traveled to CWB in Seattle earlier this year to participate in a training session on the new technology. “Many museums with small boats have to deal with boats in storage and that fact that and there are some boats you can’t take into the collection”, said Cockey. “This new technology helps those museums capture the information in those boats and preserve it for the future.”
One appealing aspect of this new technique that has researchers excited is that, because it begins with taking digital photographs, it is easy to start quickly. Historians only need to learn the techniques of how to take the photo sets needed using a mid-priced digital camera. (CWB used a Canon G-1, which costs about $600). The data does not need to be processed immediately. As long has you have the archive of photographs it’s possible to do the processing at any time. And it is possible to use photographs taken many years ago to document boats that may no longer exist. The team from Northwest Seaport that is helping CWB in the research had taken detailed photographs in the past of the cabin on the historic schooner Wawona, which was dismantled in 2009. Using the new techniques developed through the CWB research the team has been able to use those old photos to create a detailed computer model of the Wawona cabin even though the boat is long gone.
That ability to jumpstart preservation of boats, before it’s too late, is what prompted Eric Hervol a former museum shipwright now with Western Washington University to come to the CWB training session earlier this year. “With these techniques, even if we can’t save all of these vessels we can capture what they are now….and capture the history before it literally rots away outside somewhere,” said Hervol.
But boats won’t be the only objects tested. To ensure the new techniques are usable across different museums with different kinds of collections, CWB is required to run test on something that doesn’t float. Hunter has chosen to use the technique to document the design and shape of the Tlingit Honor Pole at CWB. The pole was carved by high school students in the Alaskan village of Klawock and installed at CWB in 2005 as a way of saying thank for a 40-foot cedar canoe that was carved at CWB and gifted to the village.
Photoscan on Left, LIDAR scan on Right. Center heatmap comparison, where red shows variations, shows only minor differences despite much higher cost for LIDAR process
The scan of the Honor Pole at CWB was a success, and shows the technique can be used to produce accurate models of similar objects at a much lower cost, again in comparison to laser scanning. The success of that test has already caught the interest of experts working to preserve native monumental carving. Hunter will present preliminary findings of the research this July at the Tribal Conference on the Preservation and Conservation of Totem and Honor Poles. They are not the only group interested. Hunter has already presented on the technique being developed at CWB to the Northwest Archeology Conference annual meeting and the Council of American Maritime Museums national conference in April. He will also present in June to the Washington Museum Association’s annual meeting and the Society for Historical Archeology has invited Hunter to present at its next international conference in January of 2015.
The new techniques for photogrammetry being developed by CWB are designed to help in preservation, but Hunter is already thinking about other ways to use this technology. CWB has a fleet of 8 Blanchard Junior Knockabout sailboats built by the Blanchard Boat Company from 1933 to the mid-1950s. “Because these new techniques are so inexpensive and easy to do we would be able to scan the entire fleet, and compare boats build in 1930 with those built the 1950s and document how the boatwrights at Blanchard tweaked the design of the boat over the decades in response to customer demands and changes in technology”, said Hunter.
Two Blanchard Jr. Knockabouts scanned by CWB will allow the team to compare changes in design from early boats in the 1930s to later construction in the 1950s.
CWB expects to wrap up this research project in by the end of the year with a final report to IMLS detailing the merits of this new camera based photogrammetry, its strengths and weaknesses, how it compares to the more expensive alternatives, and how to make it accessible to organizations.. It’s then the research will be ready to be shared even more broadly with other museums in the US and around the world.
Team scanning a Northwest Seaport boat while it was still in the water….to see if they could get photo data set without taking a boat out of the water.
Detailed photo data from scan of “Twilight” while she was still in the water.
CWB is Proud to Partner with other Puget Sound Museums for Inaugural “Museum Week Northwest” Opening Friday
If you’re in town over the next week, you need to check out Museum Week Northwest, #MWNW14. The Center for Wooden Boats and more than 50 other local museums are working together to help you find out about all the wonderful places you can visit in our area. And we’re al trying to make it super easy and affordable to check out new museums you haven’t been to. Details are below in a news release.
Yours,
CWB Staff.
DISCOVERS THE AMAZING MUSEUMS ALL AROUND YOU AT MUSEUM WEEK NORTHWEST, MAY 16TH THROUGH 23RD
Museum Week Northwest Celebration includes two-for-one admissions at many museums
Tuesday May 13, 2014 Seattle, WA – A new poll of the Puget Sound area museums that have come together to create “Museum Week Northwest”, opening Friday and running May 16-23, shows combined these 56 museums have almost seven million annual visitors, and together they pour almost $207 million dollars into the local economy every year with spending on exhibits, staffing, facilities, and other costs.
The poll also found that the almost ten thousand volunteers and employees of these institutions combine to host 1.34 million school children every year for visits and educational field trips.
“These new poll numbers make it very clear just how important the museums in the Puget Sound region are to our community as educational beacons, but also as economic drivers for tourism,” said Doug King, President and CEO of the Museum of Flight in Seattle and chair of the local host committee for the American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting that also opens this weekend in Seattle. “AAM members are coming here in part to see the innovation and creativity taking place in our museums, and we think they’ll be impressed with what they find.”
“There’s no doubt that Seattle is a leader in innovation based on our active and vibrant museum community. I’m pleased that the significant economic impact of these learning organizations is being presented in a collaborative way that showcases the abundance that we have here in the Pacific Northwest,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
In conjunction with the AAM Conference, local museums large and small have created “Museum Week Northwest”, what they hope will become an annual event to highlight the diversity, excellence, and innovation in local museums.
SPECIAL OFFERS
During Museum Week Northwest, 56 of Western Washington’s museums have special 2-for-1 admission or other special programs for guests.
WEBSITE
Notable museums participating include the Seattle, Bellevue and Tacoma Art Museums, Pacific Science Center, The Center for Wooden Boats & Northwest Seaport, The Museum of Glass, The Museum of Flight, Experience Music Project, The LeMay Car Museum, the Northwest African American Museum, Edmonds Historical Museum, and many, many more. Producing partner Visit Seattle has created a special Museum Week Northwest website at www.museumweeknw.com where the full list of events, offer and discounts can be found.
SMARTPHONE APP
With so many special offers, museum lectures, and presentations to keep track of organizers are also collaborating with a Seattle software company that has a free smartphone application designed to make it easier for you to find out what’s going on at all the different museums. The STQRY (Pronounced “story”) app is free and available on iPhones, Android, and Windows phones, and even translates information into the language of the phone (more than 60 languages), helping make museums even more accessible. You can also access the information in the mobile phone application on the web at www.stqry.com/mwnw.
COMPLETE LIST OF MUSEUMS WITH SPECIAL OFFERS:
The following organizations are participating in Museum Week Northwest, May 16-23, 2014, with Buy-One-Get-One Free admission offers, or special public programs. Complete information, including terms and conditions, can be found at www.museumweeknw.com.
| Bainbridge Island Historical Museum |
| Bainbridge Island Museum of Art |
| Bellevue Arts MuseumBill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center |
| Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture |
| The Center for Wooden Boats |
| Children’s Museum of Tacoma |
| Daybreak Star Indian Cultural CenterDuwamish Longhouse |
| Edmonds Historical Museum |
| EMP Museum |
| Flying Heritage CollectionFoss Waterway Seaport Frye Art Museum |
| Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour |
| Hands On Children’s Museum |
| Harbor History Museum |
| Henry Art Gallery |
| The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum |
| Jack Straw Cultural Center | Jack Straw New Media Gallery |
| Job Carr Cabin Museum |
| Kids Discovery Museum |
| Kitsap County Historical Society & Museum |
| Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park |
| LeMay – America’s Car Museum |
| Living Computer Museum |
| Milepost 31 |
| Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) |
| Museum of Communications |
| The Museum of Flight |
| Museum of Glass |
| Naval Undersea Museum |
| Nordic Heritage Museum |
| Northwest African American Museum |
| Northwest Railway Museum |
| Northwest Seaport |
| Olympic Sculpture Park |
| Pacific Science Center |
| The Pioneer Association of The State of Washington |
| Puget Sound Navy Museum |
| Queen Anne Historical Society |
| Renton History Museum |
| Seattle Art Museum |
| Seattle Asian Art MuseumSeattle Office of Arts & Culture |
| Shoreline Historical Museum |
| Spark Museum of Electrical Invention |
| Steamer Virginia V Foundation |
| Tacoma Art MuseumUniversity of Washington Museology Graduate Program |
| USS Turner Joy Museum ShipWhatcom Museum
White River Valley Historical Museum & Mary Olson Farm |
| Washington State History Museum |
AAM CONFERENCE
This is the first time in 20 years that the American Alliance of Museums has been in Seattle for its annual meeting. The AAM Annual meeting May 18-21 is the largest gathering of museum professionals in the world, bringing together 5,000 museum professionals from all 50 states and more than 50 countries. It will run concurrently with Museum Week Northwest at the Washington State Convention and Visitors Center.
About Museum Week Northwest:
Museums around Puget Sound have come together to create Museum Week Northwest May 16th to the 23rd, 2014. For eight days participating museums will celebrate the diversity, quality, and innovations of local collections with special admission offers and a range of events and presentations. Museum Week Northwest coincides with the annual conference of the American Alliance of Museums in Seattle. Attended by more than 5,000 attendees from 50+ countries, AAM’s annual meeting gathers museum professionals to learn about the latest innovations in museum design, operations, outreach, programs and collection management.
Find out more about public events at www.museumweeknw.comand more about the AAM Conference at http://www.aam–us.org
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Changes on the CWB Leadership Team
CWB’s longtime Deputy Director Eldon Tam has learned a lot about what it takes to build a new building as he has worked with The Center for Wooden Boats Board, the architects, designers, city permit departments and construction teams who are putting the final plans in place to build CWB’s new Wagner Education Center. He learned so much about construction management that he has been hired away from us; nabbed by The Burke Museum to lead the process to build them a new facility at the University of Washington.
Of course, we are disappointed to lose Eldon, but we couldn’t be happier for him personally. It is is a tremendous opportunity for him, and we understand he could not say no. We also know that CWB is still in Eldon’s bones, and he’ll be staying on as an advisor/volunteer to make sure the Ed Center is done right. His son Oliver still needs sailing lessons. And yes, Eldon will still make Baked Alaska for dessert at the CWB auction next spring.
Eldon’s departure does leave big shoes to fill at CWB. It comes at a time when growth in programs and infrastructure present new challenges for management. The board has been evaluating the long-term leadership structure and talent needed to meet these challenges. The board has decided to take a deliberate approach before moving forward with a replacement. For this reason, one of the board members has agreed to vacate her position and become Interim Chief Operating Officer. Suzanne Zonneveld has a history in business management, both in non-profit, education and commercial organizations. She has been helping Executive Director Betsy Davis with grant writing, and has served as CWB’s Board Treasurer, Chair of the Governance and Finance Committees, and has been a member of the Strategic Planning Committee. Suzanne will step into this role on May 6, ensuring CWB operations keep running without a hitch.
That should give us all a smooth summer of sailing. It’ll give the board time to make thoughtful decisions and conduct a thorough search for new leadership talent.
Free Boat Rides Mother’s Day Weekend at The Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach State Park
What have you done for your mom this year? What if you could give her the gift of your time, AND be on the water at the same time? Your friends at The Center for Wooden Boats invite you, and your mom, to join us at the 13th Annual Mother’s Day Saturday Sail Saturday May 10th at The Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach State Park.
Once again the team from CWB will show you, your mom and anyone else you bring along, why Saratoga Passage is considered one of the most beautiful places on the water in the Evergreen State. On that day, you, your mom and the rest of the family will have fun viewing classic wooden boats, building toy boats and taking a free boat ride together.
Join The Center for Wooden Boats, Washington State Parks and The Cama Beach Foundation for our 13th Annual Mothers’ Day Weekend (Saturday) Sail.
What: Mother’s Day Saturday Sail
Where: The Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach State Park
When: Saturday, May 10, 2014
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE (State Parks Daily or Annual Discover pass needed for parking)
Visitors to CWB’s Cama Beach location on May 10th will be able to try one of CWB’s Umiaqs. That’s the type of boat that has been produced by people living in Arctic latitudes for centuries and used to move large cargo or entire families. Umiaqs were traditionally built ‘skin on frame,’ literally sealskin covering a wood framework tied together with strips of hide or other line. CWB’s Umiaqs, were built by craftsmen, volunteers, and Sea Scouts, and are covered with Dacron rather than sealskin.
Another boat participating this year is the Joshua. This is a replica of Joshua Slocum’s famous boat Spray. The famed Nova Scotia born captain inspired generations of sailors when he became the first person to solo circumnavigate the globe and wrote the book “Sailing Alone Around the World” about his adventures in 1900.
As always, youth and families can build adventuresome, tiny boats together using hand tools and wooden hulls. Other onshore programs will be offered by Washington State Parks.
Special thanks to the event sponsors, including Cama Beach State Park, The Cama Beach Foundation and The Stanwood Camano News. And also thanks to the friendly volunteers and staff who make this fun event happen every year.
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