Retired WVU professor spent five years building canal boat
By Gabriella Brown
Newsroom@DominionPost.com
Retired WVU professor Joe Mix said woodworking has always been a hobby, but his most recent project was more ambitious than any before it.
For the past five years, Joe has been hand-building a canal boat in his garage. After years of determination, his boat launched from the docks for the first time in late spring.
“It is more than a boat,” said Sean Walters, Joe’s son-in-law. “It represents character, integrity, perseverance. It represents memories that will last a lifetime, so it is very special.”
Joe started working on the boat two years before retiring. He said he had previously built a rowboat, a wooden kayak and various pieces of furniture, but this project was by far the biggest.
To build the boat, Joe purchased building plans from a World War II nautical engineer in Seattle, Wash. He used mahogany plywood from Canada and hand-coated it with fiberglass. He said the plans were detailed and difficult to understand at first, but by studying and modifying them a bit, he was able to build the boat from scratch.
“It was the biggest boat I could get in the garage,” Joe said. “I built the hull upside down. Then, my son-in-law got like 15 people over from his church. We flipped it over, put it back in the garage and I was able to finish the top side.”
The name of the boat, Herb, chosen as a tribute to his late father-in-law, is painted in bold letters across the back. Inside, there is a kitchen with a sink and stovetop, a sleeping area, a dining area that converts into an extra bed, a bathroom and storage areas.
A small, six-horsepower engine is used to propel the boat forward up to about six mph. Up to seven people can fit, or a max weight of just over 1,000 pounds.
Since its maiden voyage, the navy, white and black hand-painted canal boat has grabbed people’s attention in four states and traveled as far as the Statue of Liberty.
“We have had four generations on the boat,” said Becky Walters, Joe’s daughter. “The boat was able to bring us all together.”
Since completing the project, Joe has taken family members on day-trips around Cheat Lake in Monongalia County and Deep Creek Lake in Maryland.
On an overnight trip to Pittsburgh, Joe traveled through a system of locks before reaching the city.
On his longest excursion yet, Joe, his son Ryan Mix and his daughter-in-law Janine Mix traveled for three days to the Hudson River and New York City.
During their trip to New York City, Joe said it was not entirely smooth sailing. At one point, waves created by a large passing boat caused the canal boat to nearly tipped over.
Once they reached the Statue of Liberty, he said they ran into a bit of trouble when he was unable to get the engine to start.
Joe said although they were following protocols and using maps to know where they were permitted to be, it was still a stressful situation.
“My son was flying a drone around, I thought we were going to get arrested,” Joe said. “[Police] can see that the boat is registered in West Virginia, it’s a home-made wooden boat, they were going to think we were up to no good.”
Joe said thankfully, they were soon able to get the engine started and complete their trip without any trouble. The boat is also equipped with oars and a sail to ensure Joe always has a way to keep the boat moving.
Once returning home, Ryan put together a video with the drone footage as a memory from the trip.
Joe said although the project is complete, he plans to keep improving it. Eventually, he said he wants to upgrade to an electric motor, and possibly incorporate solar panels.
After a summer of fun and making memories with his family, Joe said he was already looking forward to next boating season. He said he plans to take on the Erie Canal and part of the Missouri River.
Sean said seeing Joe in his element has been a rewarding experience, and he is looking forward to watching Joe take even more excursions next year.
“I feel like it just represents hope,” Sean said. “It embodies the spirit of a true West Virginian. They just don’t give up.”
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