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Captain/Author Parker slaves away
by candlelight on his antique laptop.
Born in Brooklyn New York in 1956, Neal Evan Parker started sailing the waters of New England as a teenager. Encouraged by early mentors Neal became devoted to traditional sailing craft. He spent many years building ship models as well as working on full sized sailing vessels.
Neal became a licensed captain by age 20. Since then he has skippered over a dozen schooners and traditional craft. In 1986 Captain Parker purchased and restored the 67-foot schooner Wendameen. Dedicating four years to her restoration, he placed the Wendameen into the Maine Windjammer business from 1990 to 2004.
After completion of the Wendameen, Captain Parker took up building and restoring ship models professionally for clients ranging from private collectors to galleries and museums.
Captain Parker has also turned author in recent years. He realized publication of his third book this past winter with more writing projects in the works.
In April 2005 after a run of almost 20 years Capt Neal Parker sold his beloved schooner Wendameen. He is now devoting his time to ship model work, writing and being a full time father.
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Spring 2005 Restored the 38' Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Little Mamie.
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Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Little Mamie
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The Schooner Wendameen
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1994 - Present Professional ship model building and restoration for collectors, galleries and museums including Art of the Sea Gallery (The Old Post Office Gallery) and BlueJacket Shipcrafters. Exhibit designer and display artist for model ship exhibit at the Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport Maine in 1999.
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Capt. Parker at work in his shop
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1987 Summer Captain of the 42' Friendship Sloop Irene, (built 1902) chartering on Penobscot Bay.
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The Irene
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1987 Autumn Captain of the 78' schooner Sylvina W. Beal, (built 1911) chartering from Portland, Maine.
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Schooner Sylvina W. Beal
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1985 - 1986 Owner/Captain of the 84' Thames River Sailing Barge Ethel, built in Harwich England in 1894.
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Sailing Barge Ethel
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1983 - 1986 Owner/Captain of the 42' sloop Francy engaged in charters and sail training in New York Harbor.
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The Sloop Francy
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1984 Winter Captain/business manager of the 84' charter schooner Charlotte Anne of Fort Myers, Florida.
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The Charlotte Anne
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1981 - 1983 Captain/business manager of the 56' skipjack Mamie A. Mister (built 1910) engaged in charters and sail training in New York Harbor.
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The skipjack Mamie A. Mister
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1980 Captain of the 67' schooner Stephen Taber, (built 1871) on charters from Camden, Maine.
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The schooner Stephen Taber
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1979 Captain of the 45' schooner Mistress on charters from Camden Maine.
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Aboard the Schooner Mistress in Camden
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1978 Captain/manager of the 60' schooner Richard Robbins Sr. (built 1902) from Rockland, Maine to Lake Champlain, New York.
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Schooner Richard Robbins Sr. fitting out at the
North End Shipyard, early Spring 1978.
My first job as captain and my first car, a 1969 Impala
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1977 Spring/Summer First Mate on schooner Lewis R. French (built 1871).
1976 - 1977 Winter Directed vessel restoration for the Down Jersey Historical Society of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
1976 Winter Apprenticed at the North End Shipyard in Rockland, Maine.
Summer First mate on the schooner Stephen Taber.
1973 and earlier First Mate and deckhand aboard various historic craft, including the schooner Pioneer, sloop Clearwater, sloop Aka, skipjack Mamie A. Mister and brigantine Pathfinder.
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Deckhand on the Schooner Pioneer in 1973
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The Pioneer at Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn New York.
Right after I took this picture I went up the mast for the first time. Going up was easy, but I was like a cat in a tree and it took me four hours to come down. The figure on the stern is Rick O'Shea. He taught me how to build ship models.
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