Committing to Safety in the Yard
Monte Deignan - February 25th, 2025
I first became involved with Spaulding Marine Center when looking for a boatyard to paint the hull, deck, and bottom of our small sailboat, Nellie Gray. It turned out that Spaulding’s general manager, Matt—who, more than 20 years ago, had been a neighbor of mine in Sausalito’s Clipper Basin 2—knew the boat’s former owner. So, that was my initial connection. Now, I’m a Spaulding volunteer.
The folks at Spaulding took a real interest in attending to all of Nellie Gray’s deferred maintenance issues, with some great solutions to problems on an older (1968) boat.
The Spaulding crew is an eclectic mix of old-school boat workers and an enthusiastic group of fresh apprentices, with support from an engaged group of volunteers. Many of the workers are boat owners with insight into the problems and challenges inherent to classic boats, while the apprentices appear to be idealistic and a conscious counter reaction to the high-tech/corporate world. Many of the volunteers are longtime members of the maritime community, with a desire to share their historical knowledge. This unique mix is what I think makes Spaulding so special.
While volunteering at Spaulding, I’ve enjoyed using my skillset—based on 30 years of industrial safety and hazardous-materials consulting—to help maintain a safe work environment for the boatwrights and apprentices. For example, each year I conduct respirator fit testing for workers and, more frequently, hazardous material handling and spill management, stormwater runoff testing, and air-quality testing—all in an effort to help keep Spaulding on its front foot when it comes to its obligation to ensure safety, health, and environment compliance.
To me, Spaulding is a fascinating “museum workshop” that fulfills a valuable need for the maritime and historical fabric of Sausalito and, more broadly, Marin County. I have worked previously at the National Park Service’s Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco and as a consultant for Bay Ship & Yacht Co. in Alameda, but volunteering at Spaulding has been the most rewarding experience.
“My favorite memories of volunteering at Spaulding are the safety talks to both apprentices and long term workers. Most all of our safety rules have a specific reason that applies to boat work. I get to watch their faces and see when the proverbial lightbulb comes on—they get it.”
The Spaulding Marine Center relies on our generous community of volunteers and donors. If you’d like to get involved, we have several volunteer opportunities available for event staff, educational programing, and our Boatworks 101 Apprenticeship.
Emails us at education@spauldingcenter.org to get involved. We’d love to have you!
