Andrew and Antone Skansie
In the winter of 1929, Mitchell Skansie informed his brother Andrew that his shipyard had a generous supply of excellent lumber. After negotiations, construction started and was complete in time for the summer fishing season. The name of the new vessel, Avalon, was the suggestion of Andrew's daughter, Jeroma.
Andrew skippered the Avalon in 1929, chartered her for herring in 1930, then ran her again until he retired after the 1934 season. He then had several people operate the boat. In 1940, Nick Mosich was scheduled to skipper the boat but at the last minute had to decline.
Mosich suggested Andrew's son, Antone. Antone had worked as a crewman on the boat and remembers well the prospect of becoming skipper:
"I didn't sleep for three nights after that. It wasn't easy to start out then: no power in the seine skiffs, no reels, no power blocks, no fathometer, no radar. Was I ready for this responsibility? I'd find out soon enough. After a few days I began feeling more confident...but I do remember when we left the harbor for fishing, my dad was standing on the dock with tears in his eyes, seeing us kids take the boat out. I knew he was worried."
Antone's brothers Vincie and Peter were with him and he soon proved to be a top-notch skipper. He continued to skipper the vessel until his brothers retired in 1987. The Skansies sold the Avalon in 1990. In 1995, it was still operating as a seiner out of Bellingham.