A Model Representation of the Barbara-Lee Sternwheeler
How
ard Howe, an 87-year-old retiree who is a member of the Tampa Bay Ship Model Society, joined us for lunch onboard the Barbara-Lee back in April of last year. The cruise cemented his decision to create his own model of the Barbara-Lee, and he will bring it onboard the May 31 lunch cruise to highlight the finished product. Built at 1/48th scale, Howard used photos and blueprints of the Barbara-Lee to faithfully reconstruct her. What should have been a 9-month project took longer than expected as Howard dealt with flooding after two hurricanes in 2024, Helene and Milton, which impacted his home and set him back several months. We look forward to having the model of Barbara-Lee reside in Sanford at the St Johns Rivership Company after Howard’s presentation.
An interview with Howard about his life experience can be found below.
Navigating a Life of Boats, Passion, and Precision: An Interview with Retired Boat Captain Howard Howe
From navigating the high seas to crafting intricate scale model boats, Howard Howe has spent a lifetime on — and around — the water. In this exclusive interview, we dive into his journey from the U.S. Air Force and Honeywell engineering labs to the tranquil satisfaction of scale modeling and maritime adventures.
Q: Tell us about your background and how boating became such a central part of your life.
Howard Howe: I graduated with a degree in electronics engineering from the University of Florida. After that, I served in the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. My professional career took me to Honeywell in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I eventually became a Facility Manager. After 33 years, I retired to pursue new adventures — many of them on the water.
Boating, scuba diving, and spearfishing have always been passions of mine. I took Power Squadron classes, earned my Navigator rating, and even learned how to use a sextant. Later, I earned my Coast Guard Captain’s License and started taking diving friends on trips to the Bahamas and the Dry Tortugas.
Q: When did the serious boating adventures begin?
Howard Howe: The real adventures started when I met my second wife, Linda — she also had her Captain’s License! We began moving boats for Marlow Marine and private owners. Our trips took us up and down the East Coast from Florida to Maine, across the Gulf of Mexico to 
Texas, and even once to Alaska. Linda was the captain of an all-female trip to Cuba, navigating around the west end of the island. It was a pretty inspiring time. Sorrowfully, Linda passed away following an extended battle with a bacterial Lung infection known as NTM in 2020.
Linda in the Captain’s Chair at Hilton Head Marina
Q: How did you get into scale model boating?
Howard Howe: At one point, I owned a 24-foot Stamas outboard dive boat. Later, Linda and I bought a 28-foot Albin with a diesel engine, which also got us involved
with the Florida Albin Association. That’s when the idea struck — I wanted to build a model of our Albin boat. There were no kits for it, so I modified a lobster boat model kit since Albin boats are based on a similar hull design.
That first model launched a whole new hobby — one that’s been a big part of my retirement. I’ve now built 16 boat models, most of them equipped with remote control components. Some were built as gifts for boat owners; others were tributes to vessels I’ve had personal ties with.
Q: Was there a particularly meaningful model you’ve built?
Howard Howe: Yes, one very personal project was an 86-foot Army tugboat. My father was a welder on that boat back in 1944 in DeLand, Florida. Sadly, he died of pneumonia when I was six years old. I built a scale model of that tugboat and donated it to the DeLand Museum, where the original tugboat is now waiting in the St Johns River for a final location before being converted to a National Monument.
Q: Your most recent project involved the Barbara-Lee sternwheeler. What inspired that?
Howard Howe: I had never been on a sternwheeler until just last year. A luncheon cruise aboard the Barbara-Lee with my son Wayne and his partner Lynnette sparked my interest. We took plenty of measurements and pictures during the trip. With help from the Rivership Company owner, Michelle Wyatt, who provided historical details, I crafted a scale model using a Chaperon kit as the base. That model is now completed and awaiting display.
Q: What has this journey meant to you?
Howard Howe: It’s been deeply fulfilling. From full-scale boating adventures to the careful precision of modeling, it’s all connected by a lifelong love for the sea. These boats — real and miniature — carry the stories of where I’ve been, the people I’ve shared them with, and the memories we’ve made along the way.