Restoring Our Fly-Fishing Boat

Biltmore’s wooden boat has seen countless fly-fishing lessons and guide trips on the estate, as well as plenty of guests admiring its iconic beauty in the Lagoon. After 10 years of solid use, it was time for some restoration.

Though preservation projects are no stranger to Biltmore, our Construction Trades Department had never specifically worked on a wooden boat before. But Jason Pleva, a Carpenter on Biltmore’s Construction Staff, and Tim Hawkins, a painter at Biltmore, were eager for the challenge – a project that took about 50 hours total.

The first task was to vacuum out sand and mud that had built up over the years. Then, the floor was scrubbed clean and some of the interior floor boards were replaced. The entire boat and its components were then sanded at Biltmore’s Carpenter Shop, and taken to our old farm garage to apply the marine varnish with no dust and debris floating in the air.

“I did enjoy the project and was very proud of the final result. It's not every day one finds himself in a position doing something he loves to the degree that work doesn't really seem like work,” said Tim.

This project is just one of the many examples of Biltmore employees making a difference every day to preserve our estate and ensure the level of gracious hospitality inspired by George Vanderbilt. Thank you to Tim, Jason, and the entire Construction Trades Department for all of their hard work!