A Guest Blog from Steve Fort at Modern Welding
Stenella: Built in the 1970’s…She is a Timeless Vessel of Quality and Craftsmanship which now serves in the Wild Dolphin Project’s Research
Hi, I’m Stephen Fort. I am a retired employee with 50 years of service at Modern Welding Company, headquartered in Owensboro, KY. My working career involved the sale and manufacturing of steel underground and aboveground storage tanks, pressure vessels and special custom fabrication of metal fabricated products. (www.modweldco.com)
Modern built the catamaran Stenella superstructure in the early 1970’s in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Modern was gifted with real life craftsmen who knew how to form metal into any required shape.
As a young employee, I had the opportunity to witness the construction of the Stenella…It took 1.5 years to build the catamaran’s hulls and superstructure.
The catamaran was then shipped to Lantana, Florida, for final assembly, which included the installation of instrumentation and other ancillary outfitting to prepare the vessel for Coast Guard certification.
When the Stenella first set sail, she was named BoAnn, after the company owner’s wife and daughter.
My first trip, at the age of 26, was on the BoAnn in 1978. The catamaran took myself and 20 of my fellow salesmen up the Intracoastal Waterway to Frances Langford’s “Outrigger” restaurant near Stuart, Florida. The hum of the two large diesel engines, the coastal breezes on my face, and the sight of the setting sun beyond the ocean horizon were mesmerizing. That excursion cemented my love for the water, this vessel, and all the exciting adventures she made possible. I remember it clearly, even today.
Steve Fort Q & A
Q1: How long have you known the Wild Dolphin Project?
In 1993, I first became familiar with the Wild Dolphin Project. That was the year the BoAnn became the Stenella. I caught a glimpse of the Stenella in the documentary “In the Wild” featuring comedian Robin Williams. My interest in dolphins goes back much further. I grew up watching the adventure films “Flipper” back in 1963. I was fascinated by the bottlenose dolphin story, the tropical setting and the interaction between this mammal and the story characters. As a result, I became a certified PADI scuba diver in 1972. I enjoyed many dives at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, Florida.
Q2: How did you become involved with WDP?
I became involved with WDP because of my interest with the past construction history of the Stenella.
Q3: What is your most memorable experience with the Stenella or dolphins?
My most memorable experience with the Stenella occurred in April, 2024. I was fortunate to meet Dr. Herzing, Captain Dave, and First Mate Andrew on this visit and tour the Stenella. Forty years had passed since my last encounter with the Stenella, formerly known as the BoAnn. So many memories came rushing back as I stepped onto this magnificent ship. This encounter was a real life culmination of my interest with the ship and the dolphins studied by the Wild Dolphin Project.