F.L. Woods Featured in Marblehead Reporter November 20, 2003 Will 'Marblehead Green' be good as gold? By William Henderson / Correspondent Thursday, November 20, 2003   -Clothing line drawing on paint with long history- Marblehead Greens, a new clothing line offered through F.L. Woods, hopes to successfully tie together two parts of the town's nautical past - a chart shop that's been a town mainstay since 1938 and the green color that helped keep the town on the yachting map. Wayne George, proprietor of F.L. Woods Nautical Instruments & Supplies, 76 Washington St., said it takes no stretch of the imagination to see how popular that color green became and how it grew to represent the town. "There's little that goes on in town to preserve its yachting history," George said. "There's no other town or community in the country with the rich yachting history that Marblehead has." And that history, he believes, can be linked to the popularity of the Marblehead green paint developed in town and used to paint and coat the bottoms of boats. The so-called "Marblehead Green," was developed by Sterns-McKay Manufacturing of Marblehead to address a significant challenge for all yachtsmen of the time, preventing marine growth on the bottoms of yachts. First introduced around 1910, Marblehead Green had a life span of some 30 to 40 years. While it was a fine anti-foulant, its color quickly led to its notoriety. According to George, its color struck a chord with naval architects. The color of was so bright underwater, a yacht's lines could be easily admired. "Today, the spirit of Marblehead Green lives on in a line of traditional canvas products designed and manufactured by F.L. Woods Nautical of Marblehead," George said. While the original paint's secret formula was a heavily guarded secret, George hopes his new line of Marblehead Green clothing remains not-so-secret. His line of clothing and accessories are prominently displayed in his store, and he will soon open his first e-commerce Web site. "There so many aspects of Marblehead's history to be proud, but Marblehead Green gives us one that celebrates our yachting supremacy," George said. After taking over F.L. Woods last year, George began to think of ways that would keep founder and original owner Fred Woods' dream and historical presence in town alive while also remaining current with the needs of an ever-changing population. According to George, Fred L. Woods Jr. had salt water and sailing in his veins from the very beginning. His father, Fred Lester Woods Sr., was an avid sailor who commissioned and owned a number of significant wooden yachts, including an Alden Schooner and an L. Francis Herreshoff designed sloop. "In 1938, Woods founded F.L. Woods Nautical Instruments & Supplies, at first in his home on Pleasant Street, in Marblehead's historic Old Town," George said. "At that time, Fred would travel to Boston in the morning to collect charts and navigation information and return to Marblehead in the afternoon to meet customers in his living room to sell the latest charts and navigation information." The business was then moved to its current Washington Street location and has remained there ever since. Woods became the first official U.S. government chart agent on the North Shore, and his shop quickly became well known in yachting circles up and down the coast. By the early 1940s, along with the Graves Yacht Yard, F. L. Woods Nautical had become an "epicenter of yachting in Marblehead." And now George would like to see his clothing and accessory line become the epicenter of fashion. Currently, he has an inventory that includes pants, shirts, hats, visors, belts and multiple types of bags. Although he would not discuss future plans, he did say that the line would expand, potentially even by next year. George compares the new clothing color to that "other" popular New England color - Nantucket red, though Marblehead's color, he said, has its place in history, and now, thanks to George, it can have its place in closets and wardrobes across the country. "I wanted to bring back the concept of Marblehead green through a line of wearables," George said. "It's a way for everyone to participate in the town's yachting history" Though the site is currently under construction, you will soon be able to visit www.marbleheadgreens.com for more information.
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