Brian Roebke photo
The Stjarna of De Pere was rescued earlier this year after almost 20 years of non-use, only to be reconditioned for veterans to get on the sailboat starting in the spring.
By Brian Roebke
Editor
A sailboat that was sitting outside in Door County, not operating, and decaying for almost 20 years has come to life and will serve United States veterans starting next boating system out of Green Bay.
The Patriot Racing Project is a veterans peer-supported mental health organization.
“We achieve a peer-supported environment through the sport of sailboat racing,” Jack Gage said.
It’s an opportunity for veterans to get together in a friendly but competitive environment to get them working together as a team like they did when they were in the military.
“We get these guys together and they work together and they can confide in each other and they enjoy and experience on these classic vessels where it’s a symbol of tradition and pride,” he said. “You can equate it almost to a military uniform.”
Every single detail needs to be attended to and also every single function of the boat requires a hand to work on so everyone has a purpose.
“The symbol of tradition and pride will make them proud to sail with us,” Gage said.
The boat is currently being restored after being outside in the elements for about 17 years without any care. Restoration began a year ago and was brought by truck to the South Bay Marina in Green Bay on Aug. 23, where it went inside for further restoration work.
“It was a little unfortunate but we grabbed her before she was too far gone. She was donated to us,” Gage said.
They had many grants and donations from people who believe in the project and they’ve been able to fund the restoration thus far.
“This boat is particularly important to us because come to find out that all three owners that sailed her from when she was built in 1953 were all veteran families,” Gage said.
The first owner was World War II veteran Dr. Robert Rose, who was an Army Air Corps flight surgeon, followed by Don Zeller from Green Bay, who trained troops in non-warfare in the Army, and the last owner to sail the boat was Dale Demske, a Navy sailor aboard a destroyer in Vietnam.
The fourth owner never sailed the boat, but eventually sold it to this organization.
“That’s also part of the project being that you find peace after you experience through sailing. All these three families found peace after their experience through the sport of sailing,” Gage said.
The outside of the boat is finished but the cabin needs to be fitted out. They have heated storage at South Bay, so they will finish the restoration this fall and winter and have her ready to drop in the water in spring.
The boat, built by Roland Schmeizer of Chilton, is named Stjarna of De Pere.
Information about veterans getting on the sailboat will be available in the spring.