Donohue joins CBMM as Rosie Parks project manager

Master shipwright and rigger Mark Donohue of Mantoloking, NJ has been named Rosie Parks project manager for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, MD.

As project manager, Donohue is responsible for restoring the 1955 skipjack Rosie Parks in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation. Donohue will also coordinate the public interpretation of the work, along with managing a corps of shipwrights, apprentices, and volunteers working with the historic restoration project.

Donohue is a previous CBMM shipwright and rigger apprentice, working from 2002 to 2004 on maintaining the museum’s fleet of historic Chesapeake vessels, and restoration work on the 1909 log-bottomed crab dredger, Old Point. Since then, Donohue’s experience includes work with the Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation, Sea Island Boatworks, Independence Seaport Museum, and Coastal Heritage Alliance.

“It’s good to have Mark back,” commented CBMM’s Assistant Curator of Watercraft Richard Scofield. “He has the skills we need to complete the project and we’re anxious to see Rosie back in the water.”

Built by Bronza Parks of Wingate, MD, the Rosie Parks is one of the least altered historic skipjacks in existence, making her one of the best examples for interpretation of the fleet’s work. Funded through philanthropic support, the restoration project takes place in full public view, with the historic skipjack scheduled to be re-launched November 2 during CBMM’s OysterFest. More information about the project can be found at www.cbmm.org