Hagerty - The Music Man

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The MUSIC man MILLENNIAL No ordinary

MICHAEL ALLEN CONNECTS MAKING MUSIC AND RESTORING OLD BOATS HAGERTY’S FIRST EDUCATIONAL GRANT RECIPIENT SHARES HIS SECRET FOR SUCCESS the queen of the museum’s fleet and a National Historic Landmark. As part of a team of apprentices shipbuildJoseph, owner ofand Classic & Exotic Service in Troy, ing masters, Allen is currently tacklingled theto massive job of move. Voss was soon Michigan, a cross-country The RPM Founrebuilding the Lockwood’s hull, a nine-log bottom from madeBentleys to working on everything Packards. dation accelerThe RPM FoundaIn December, Vossthe struck out on his own, and his from locally harvested pine timbers to replicate original. ates the growth tion accelerates the Cross Action Classics now open “Once the hull’s complete next summer, we’llismove on for business in growth of the of the next White Lake, Michigan. to replacing thenext planking, house-tops, cabin, and mast,” generation of autogeneration of From farm to fabricator at the he says. “The RPM grant is allowing me kid to get paid while I Midwest’s premier motive restoration automotive and restorer of American and European classics, and now an learn from real masters of the boatbuilding trade.” and preservation marine restoraentrepreneur in a hobby he loves, Voss admits his incredAllen is still unsure if he’ll leave Maryland after the craftsmen through tion and presible in success without His advice?

25-month project is complete 2018. came He could takemuch his of a plan. scholarships, formal ervation crafts“If youmaritime have a good work or ethic andmen the right shipbuilding museum training and experience mentor- to another through take thingsgiven will pay off,” he says. “At ship.

Learn more do restorations at aatprivatepeople yard. But henotice, also hasn’t scholarships, least, that’s what has worked for me.” formal training rpm.foundation. up his musical dreams. and mentorship.

“I still play guitar—jazz, rock, and, recently, a lot of Learn more at classic country and folk. But I could also be happy building rpm.foundation. boats. There’s definitely a similarity: Both arts require a creAfter hours Josh enjoys work-

ativeing mindset, and both are processes that require out-ofon the Duesenberg Model J he thinking co-owns with the-box and Butch the ability to improvise.” —Bob Butz Kamphausen.

PHOTO: JOSE ROSADO PHOTO: JOSH SCOTT

MICHAEL ALLEN dreamed of becoming a rock star, not a Generation boatbuilder.(those But THE MILLENNIAL boats ubiquitous in the historic born were between 1981 and 1997) often seaside townrap of Barrington, Rhode and gets a bad for being coddled soft. When comes cars, studies Island, whereithe grewto up, so Allen had say they have less boating interest adventures. in driving, plenty of boyhood let“My alone getting their hands dirty father always had small fishing under the hood.for Not Josh Voss. and powerboats exploring the “Growing up onaround a farm Narraganin Washington, harbor and coves I got my driver’s license when I was 14,” sett Bay,” he says.

“Then when I was the 29-year-old says.

“My firstand car Iwas a a twelve,” he adds, “my dad built 1973twelve-foot Plymouth Valiant that Iskiff.” bought from little plywood myThe grandfather for awas dollar.” experience fun but Allen, as a boy, Voss gained valuable nowEven 26, didn’t consider boatbuilding in was making oldinto engines run. asexperience a career. “I really music,” “My father used to bring home old alterhe says. “In 2008, I enrolled in a music nators and carburetors that we would and business/arts program at the rebuild together around the kitchen table.”

University of Maine at Farmington, In keeping the old Valiant road, with the idea of becomingona the concert Voss rebuilt the carburetor, replaced the organizer and promoter.” valves and ported the intake in addition Allen graduated in 2012, but not to rebuilding thewith transmission.

He also before interning the nonprofit developed a love for the process.

WaterFire Providence, which consists of What he didn’t have was a plan for a series of nearly 100 bonfires blazing how to earn a living after graduation. just above the surface of the city’s riv“In my junior year, 2004, I met Buck ers, illuminating nearly a mile of public Kamphausen of RM Auctions, after spaces. The fires are seen by millions of three of my friends and I decided to visitors both on shore and by boat. restore a 1928 Ford Model A and run it He was part of a production team in the Great Race.” Kamphausen asked that prepped and made modifications the boys if they would be interested to boats visitors used when touring the in detailing his car. Something about sculpture. The experience stuck with him, Voss’ work stood out. and “I in went 2015 to hework sought more formal for a Buck, who then education in boatbuilding—an encouraged me to apply to theintensive, RPM nine-month school—at Foundationboatbuilding (then called the Hagerty the Carpenter’s Boat Shop in Pemaquid, Foundation) for a scholarship.”

Maine.

“When I finished and in 2016, job Voss was accepted useda the opportunity arose at the Chesapeake money — $36,000 — to attend WyoBay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Tech in Laramie, Wyoming, an accelerMaryland—a two-year shipwright apated, year-long associate degree proprenticeship.

The RPM Foundation gram. Voss graduated debt-free with a underwrote most of the degree in business andinternship.” a certificate in The restoration of the historic 1889 Street Rod and Custom Fabrication. bugeye Edna E. Lockwood began While working for Kamphausen, last year. The 53.5-foot oysterwith shipBrian is another chance encounter,

Learn more about the Edna E. Lockwood and follow its progress at ednalockwood.org.

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