Gene “Whitey” Wadsworth came north to Alaska from Idaho, homesteading in Seldovia around 1945, and fished the Sea Scout. Ray was born there in 1946 and grew up in the boat fishing business. Ray has spent the rest of his life designing and building fishing boats, running them, spotting fish from the air, and inventing gear when the existing gear was not good enough. Doug grew up in that work, and is preparing to build the next hull.
Gene “Whitey” Wadsworth, 1915–2009
Orphaned as an Idaho farm boy, then a Navy veteran, then homesteading in Seldovia Alaska,1945. He built three log cabins in Seldovia, and commercially fished salmon on the Sea Scout and the Mormon from 1950 till 1980. His 1960 film of the run into Seldovia — later narrated by Whitey himself is on the Stories page. His book is The Tales of “Whitey” Wadsworth (see books). Below are Whitey and Ray pitching fish (with pews), in about 1960.
Ray Wadsworth, born 1946
Born in Seldovia, served in the US Coast Guard, and later built and fished the Liahona seiners. He built Order of Magnitude, the turbine-and-jet herring boat that made 50 mph and was featured on the cover of National Fisherman and many other publications. He founded Kodiak Marine Construction and later invented the TBRS pinbone removal system. Fisherman, boat builder and fish spotter. Ray still fishes and tenders in Kodiak and Bristol Bay. His book is Airplanes, Boats, and Blessings. Pictured below with his dad Whitey.
This is the third generation, Doug grew up in the fishery, and still helps work Ray’s 70-foot steel boat in the summer, and is building a dual-purpose boat of his own, for tendering and possibly guest trips on the shoulders and in August–September. He keeps the family record on this site. Pictured to the left with some of the 4th generation - and of course there are many other grandchildren crew, not pictured.
Ray owns some of the property on the slough where he grew up from about 4 years old - and where Whitey had his boat grid. Ray and various kids and grandkids recently built a dock and are now adding a sitka spruce tool shed on it.