The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Boatyard Program Manager, Dan Sutherland, died of apparent heart failure on Saturday, Feb. 18th.
A member of the Museum staff since 2007, Dan was known as one of the finest lapstrake boatbuilders in the country. A 4th generation boatbuilder, Dan’s grandfather, Ernest Sutherland, taught him the skills that he shared with musuem visitors and students at the Apprentice for A Day program. He was known at the Museum as a kind and steady presence. He always stopped to reach out to visitors walking through the boat shop, and invited them to step inside, touch and feel the wooden boats. He always made time to teach and share with others.
He lived a quiet, simple life. Over the years, Dan’s blue volvo station wagon could be seen driving up and down the east coast, in and out of St. Michaels, with gorgeous, handbuilt wooden boats on top, traveling to and from small craft festivals.
His family members share one of Daniel’s favorite quotes, describing the passion & joy he had for his work: “There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats” ~ Kenneth Graham, “The Wind in the Willows”
The Spy shares sympathy with the family and friends of Dan Sutherland and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum family, for this very great loss.