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EAGLE HARBOR -- It is not often someone says they made their dreams come true. Buzz Johnson, who has been in the construction business for most of his life, is one of those lucky ones. Johnson built a 38-foot steel-hulled trawler boat in his backyard. Every inch of the boat had to be nailed, welded, caulked, and painted by himself. It him five years, but finally, on a beautiful Saturday in Eagle Harbor, Kathy Ann was christened at a large party of friends and family.
Johnson said he had long wanted to build a boat, but “business and a growing family came first.” His father, Elmer Johnson, was well known for his canvas canoes. Those canoes were more than recreational canoes; they were works of art. The elder Johnson was known locally for his many fine kitchen cabinets. Buzz learned his craftsmanship from his talented father. But he did not want to make canoes; he wanted to make a boat for the lake. He searched until he came upon sketches by a master boat builder, the well-known Dudley Dix, a Master Boat Designer. It was his plans that he would bring to life, and Kathy Ann became a reality.
Building the boat was about much more than … well … building a boat. Buzz said by building the Kathy Ann, he developed the technical aspects of boat building, but also the human drama of a local boy dreaming big.
Buzz is of Finnish-Swedish descent and shares fond memories of his early years growing up in Traprock Valley. He recalls sauna nights, his grandfather’s strawberries and his tractor. Those early experiences helped shape his dreams and inspired him to think big. They gave him the confidence and perseverance that would eventually enable him to build a steel-hulled 38-foot trawler. And the confidence to write about his adventure. The result is “Building the Kathy Ann, My Lake Superior Boat Project.”
The book is 93 pages long, featuring photos, technical drawings, and comments on the boat’s progress. It also depicts the challenges of finding and installing the mechanical components required for this monumental task. The book is a blend that will not disappoint those interested in the technical aspect of the project as well as those interested in the local panorama of memories, of growing up in the Upper Peninsula. There is something for everyone.
Robert “Buzz” Johnson's “Building Kathy Ann, My Lake Superior Boat Project,” is published by Modern History Press, Ann Arbor. The book can be found on Amazon and in many local bookstores.