A crowd packed onto the docks on Petersburg’s north harbor near a bright white seiner on May 6. In big block letters, the name Symphony was printed across her bow and in script lettering above the cabin.
The community was there to celebrate the 80th birthday of the storied fishing vessel, who had spent time as a seiner, long liner, crabber, and shrimper. The Symphony has only had four captains in her lifetime.
Sue Paulsen began the festivities by taking the microphone. Paulsen is the daughter of the Symphony’s first owner, Gordon Jensen. Each captain has been Norwegian-American, which meant it was fitting to celebrate the ship’s birthday during Petersburg’s annual Little Norway Festival.
“In Norway, there are two very important birthdays, 50 and 80,” Paulsen explained. “So we had to do 80, because I don’t think I’m going to be here for 100!”
Her father commissioned the Symphony from a shipyard in Ballard, Washington in 1946. When the Symphony was completed, she cost $39,000. She was the largest boat in Petersburg’s fleet at the time.
Local historian Don Nelson was in Petersburg when the Symphony arrived.
“I was standing on a public dock with everybody else in town,” he said. “It was greatly expected — a brand new boat, the flagship of the fleet.”
Nelson said this was a time before Alaska’s ferry system, so basketball teams would travel by fishing boat to get to their competitions. He said he has fond memories of traveling between communities on the Symphony.
And, he remembers how well the Symphony fished.
“They never failed to bring in his 58,000 pounds every trip, give or take a few 1000,” he said.
Paulsen said she spent 20 happy years on the boat with her father.
“We went to old canneries, and bought lumber when they were taking the cannery down,” she said. “We went to Seattle — it took four days and four nights — and one time the City of Petersburg chartered her to go to Seattle and get food during a shipping strike.”
Jensen eventually sold the Symphony to Ed Fuglvog, who later sold it to Audi Mathisen. The boat has been in the Mathisen family for over 50 years.
Lenore Mathisen is Audi’s daughter, and she remembered when her father first bought the boat.
“We thought she was huge when we first walked in the galley!” she said. “And now it’s a smaller boat for the fleet, but we still love her.”
Sig Mathisen is one of Audi’s sons. He said it takes a significant amount of work to keep a wooden boat sailing.
“Southeast Alaska is not conducive to long-lasting wood endeavors. Nature is pretty good at reclamation here,” he said. “It takes near constant oversight, sanding, painting, oiling, machine work, modernizing shipyard projects. The list is long.”
Wayne Mathisen, also Audi’s son, is the current captain of the Symphony. He’s been finishing since he was a kid, and has been captain for over 30 years.
He said some of his best memories of the Symphony are with his dad. He said one of his favorites was crabbing Audi in 1986, right after he’d recovered from quadruple bypass surgery. There were a lot of boats chasing each other around that February, but they’d finally found a good spot.
“We were getting 30 to 40 to the pot, and nobody was wise to it,” he said. “We ended up filling the entire hole all the way to the top with king crab, and they were crawling out the hole.”
Wayne said it’s a lot easier for fishermen to go with a fiberglass or aluminum boat these days, but he’s committed to keeping the Symphony in good working order. The boat is hauled out multiple times a year to keep it in good shape.
“Every piece can be replaced. It’s a giant puzzle with many pieces,” he said. “It’s a challenge, but challenge accepted.”
The current motor is a 1961 Caterpillar D343. That’s the second motor the boat has ever had.
The boat has been the Mathisen family’s labor of love for a long time, and it’s still out fishing. Right now, Wayne’s crew are entirely family members. They’d just returned from long-lining for halibut.
“It’s been an honor to take over for my dad and the other two owners, Gordon and Ed were great men,” he said. “Still have their hand prints on the steering wheel, which will remain unfinished as long as I’m around.”
The party ended, as all good birthday parties do, with lots of cake and singing. Local musician Alec McMurren adapted an original song to fit the occasion.
“This boat’s been ‘round for 80 years, it’s sure to sail for 80 more!” McMurren sang. “With her fine lines, and fine captain too, she’s sure a vessel to adore!”
