It’s Back to the 40s for FHA Tour

Ed Lopez and Julie Durbin welcome Tour PR Coordinators Felicity Kirsch and Paul Winward (l. to r.) aboard the Fairy Tale on West Pier. Fashioned from a surplus lifeboat hull, the home will be featured on this year’s tour  |  photo and post by Larry Clinton

“Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea” . . . The September 30 Floating Homes Tour will be a time-warp visit back to the 1940s, commemorating the 75th anniversary of Marinship, the WWII shipyard that gave rise to our community.

Themed “Homefront on the Waterfront,” the Tour will feature fifteen unique floating homes, including a selection built from WWII surplus. Other attractions will include 40s vehicles and music, exhibits by local artists and authors, plus food and drink for purchase.

Yellow Ferry Harbor will showcase a big band DJ and jitterbug dancers. A live band will be playing on the roof of 60 Issaquah. And Radio Sausalito’s Jonathan Westerling will spin 40s platters as part of the free music lineup on the Green.

Visitors and volunteers are encouraged to join the fun by coming in 40s-style clothing.

Many Volunteer Positions Still Open

The Tour Committee expresses its thanks to the more than 100 early birds who have already signed up to help with the Tour. Many positions are still open, including docents, ramp monitors, and traffic directors. The biggest needs are a few strong men and women for set-up, trash collection, and cleanup after the volunteer party. Volunteers work a three-hour shift, and are entitled to take the tour for free. There’s also a volunteer appreciation party immediately after the Tour. If you’ve volunteered before, you know what a rewarding experience it is helping folks discover our community. If you haven’t volunteered before, come give it a try! Everyone is welcome, so let your friends and family know about this unique opportunity. View the various job descriptions and sign up here. The sooner you sign up, the better your chance of getting the job and time slot you prefer. If you need help signing up, contact Volunteer Coordinator Kay Horne.

As always, the Tour is the largest source of funding for the FHA, supporting services such as CERT training, new shopping carts, and our annual meeting and membership party.

Partial proceeds also benefit the Friends of the Marin City Library, Sausalito Village, and other local nonprofits.