Save a Classic Vessel!

Orina is a 62 foot North Sea Trawler built by Southern Marine Shipyard of Malahide, Ireland. Her classic lines, heavy construction and sturdy seaworthiness make her capable of navigating the roughest waters on the planet.

Orina is owned by Captain Joseph Bettis, retired professor and author of “Inside the Inside Passage.” Joseph operated Orina each summer for many years from her home port in Washington State’s San Juan Islands to Southeastern Alaska and back. He maintained her in beautiful condition and refurbished many of her systems and interior spaces. Orina is his home and his legacy.

In late summer of 2018, Joseph suffered a debilitating stroke aboard Orina in a remote cove in northern British Columbia. He was airlifted to Bellingham, Washington and spent the next two years recovering so that he could return to Orina, his home. He now lives aboard in Friday Harbor but no longer has the physical ability to operate the boat or to do the routine maintenance tasks that are necessary for a classic wooden vessel to survive.

Catastrophic medical expenses and dramatic increases in material and labor costs have now made it impossible for Joseph to keep up with the boat’s required maintenance on his fixed income. Orina’s mechanical systems are in good shape, but the exterior paint has deteriorated significantly, to the point that the boat is in danger of being beset by rot, which will eventually make her unrestorable. Joseph is asking for help to pay the cost of repainting the boat so that his home may remain afloat, and so this beautiful classic vessel does not fall further into disrepair.