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75% of the funds are pledged!
WE ARE CURRENTLY FUNDRAISING FOR
THE LAST 25%!
We need $100k to bridge the gap.​

WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR
Preserving the story:- we have been archiving historical artifacts, photos, artwork, and recording people's oral histories.

Awareness building:- At least 4 front page articles plus news coverage in papers like SF Chronicle Marin I.J, the Marinscope and Channel 2 News.

Educating:- We have created a 45 minute documentary plus a historical slideshow An exhibit telling the 9 lives of the Charles Van Damme has been shown at Studio 333, Maritime Day, the Bay Model and The Marin County Fair.

Building community: The ferry inspired the creation of 2 Sausalito 4th July parade floats - both winning first place.
Joe Tate wrote a song about the ferry especially for this.
People made artwork especially for the exhibit.
We found the families of the ferry boat owners and Juanita joined in our events when she was alive.

Promoting the waterfront. Local boat builders and boat building schools will collaborate and contribute materials, labor and skills in the restoration of the artifacts.

Renewing pride in the Marin County Waterfront.
We have submitted proposals to the county for the preservation of the artifacts and gathered funds and many names of supporters for this cause with an ongoing petition.

We are in discussion to place a state recognized marker at Waldo Point harbor denoting the site of historical and cultural importance.

Let's celebrate the Charles Van Damme Ferry by returning the restored artifacts back to the park!
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Rendering of what the exhibit will look like in the park

About our Project

SAVE: We successfully saved the 100yr old artifacts from demolition.

RESTORE: We are currently raising funds to restore the artifacts.
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EXHIBIT: We have formal approval & permits from Waldo Point Harbor and the County of Marin for the Charles Van Damme Ferry exhibit to be built in the new State mandated park at Waldo Point Harbor.
Save  |  Restore |  Exibit

Built in 1916 as the first ferry between Marin & Pt. Richmond, the Charles Van Damme has a rich history & a compelling story to tell.  
She spent 40 years as a working ferry & 25 years as the social hub of the Waldo Point waterfront. She appeared in several feature films and was a unique magnet for the rich & famous, the up & coming AND EVEN the down & out.  
During her lifetime she had many incarnations, as 3 different restaurants, as an art & dance studio plus as an all night music venue & hang out for people like Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin, David Crosby & members of the Grateful Dead. The Ferry resided in the Gates Co-Op area at Gate Six Rd, Sausalito, now
​re-developed into the Waldo Point Park
Juanita Musson launched her legendary Juanita’s restaurant there, feeding rich and poor and stirring up controversy galore.  Writers, painters, poets, sculptors, dancers and musicians moved to the Sausalito waterfront houseboat community looking to live and create alongside and on the great old beached Ferry.
In 1983 the ferry was demolished leaving just the paddlewheel & smoke stack.  But through the determined efforts of local citizens, the original paddle wheel, smokestack and other artifacts were saved. .
Our group, the Charles Van Damme Ferry Project, a sub-committee of our non-profit sponsor, The Richardson’s Bay Maritime Association (RBMA), is now embarking on the final phases of our effort to create a public home for the vessel’s paddle wheel and smokestack. 
 
This permanent display will be located where the ferryboat last stood at Gate 5 Road in the Waldo Point Harbor Park in Sausalito.  Surrounding the display will be signage depicting the Charles Van Damme’s unique history, educating & inspiring a new generation of fans to maritime and artistic culture.
We have secured and stored the wheel, stack and artifacts. We have an approved location, detailed architectural and structural plans plus acceptable bids from skilled builders and acquired all the required permits to begin this project. We have gathered images & historical evidence to support her stories

The RBMA has pledges for 75% of the $400k needed to complete the project. They are currently fundraising for the last 25%. 
 
Donors gifting $5k or more have the opportunity for their names to be immortalized along with the Charles Van Damme Ferry’s artifacts on the public exhibit.

The location of the landmark will be Waldo Point Harbor, one of the most famous houseboat communities in the world.  Even now, with little public or tour bus parking, hundreds of people come every day to see the unique and colorful Sausalito houseboats they have heard so much about.
 
The Charles Van Damme Ferry Exhibit will furnish another important piece of Sausalito’s history for local residents and visitors.  Reminding all of us of our unique city and surrounding area, it will pay respect to a bygone maritime era and the ongoing waterfront life surrounding the arts and creative pursuits.
 
By celebrating this hub of transport and creativity, we will encourage residents and visitors to continue the fantastic creative spirit of the Sausalito waterfront.  The Charles Van Damme Ferry once again will serve as an important cultural icon.

We hope you will join us in supporting this exciting project! 
Your tax deductible donation will enable the RBMA to share over 100 years of local waterfront history as a public display, inspiring generations to come.  

RESOURCE CENTER

Useful links and downloads

The project's origin story in a 3 minute video

Our project description in a 1 minute video

Our project description in 3 downloadable slides
And a PDF describing our project

THE 9 LIVES OF THE CHARLES VAN DAMME FERRY
The story of a much loved ferry boat spanning over 100 years

Click to see mini documentary telling the story of the ferry and out project to save it.
Film of the 2007 Jam filmed by the late Jonah Nickolds
Photos from our last event at Waldo Point Park