Sexton’s Chandlery doesn’t coast on legacy. But clues to the shop’s long ancestry—and the lineage of chandleries in general—hide among the barometers and paint varnish. A picture of a past owner, Major General Gene Katke, in full regalia, hangs on the screw-nail wall. A model ship, recently donated from the Maritime Museum, hints at the long ties Portland has to the waters.
Shop runners Spencer McCuddy and Joe Johnson share these ties. Spencer’s grandfather turned a motor shop into a series of marinas. Spencer familiarized himself with the lakes of Portland through waterskiing tournaments. He can’t remember a time when his family wasn’t involved in boating. Joe’s grandfather ran a commercial fishery in Alaska, where he made acquaintance with merits of life on the water: money and adventure. He puts it simply: “I really like the adventure of it and, you know, being able to visit beautiful places and do cool things.”
Purchasing items from an ordinary boat shop is far less romantic than any adventure on the water, but one can still find hints of the same thrill. Customers are able to imagine crossing Puget Sound while staring at a variety of boat paints. For decades, Sexton’s Chandlery has connected the upkeep of ships to the eventfully attractive waters of the Pacific Northwest. “For 50-plus years, we have created trusted vendors and people we work with,” says McCuddy. “It’s pretty true that if we don’t have it, we can usually find it.”
No matter the era, hospitality makes for good business. I stuck around after my interview to overhear a conversation between staff and three o’clock regulars. There’s a real warmth to the talk, which must attract as many customers as the considerate discounts. Sailors are notorious for jargon that confuses landlubbers, but the advice was clear and comprehensive, despite the technical subject. Johnson mentions that he enjoys this aspect of the job most. “You know, we work with people who have like-minded interests and hobbies,” he says. “Boats are a frustrating hole in the water—you know what I mean? The margin for error is thin. So, I know how much this helps.” Hospitality is another legacy of any decent chandlery. You can imagine how these stores eased sailors back into general sociability after a six-month passage at sea.
Demand for hardtack and limes, once past staples of any boat shop, have fallen as of late. But there will always be money in ship repair. Sexton’s Chandlery is particularly suited to this constant need, thanks to a large boatyard next to the store. The adjacent space handles long-term boat maintenance and restoration. One example is a stately, 80’ sailboat, Gem, crafted by Lumar, that was recently finished this year. Sexton’s Chandlery clients have a thorough understanding of this complex process. “It’s all very highly regulated—there are just a lot of different standards,” says McCuddy.
Sexton’s Chandlery puts boats out to sea for profit and puts boats inside glass bottles for weekend fun. The past year has seen a wider variety of customers contribute to their business. “Antiques have been somewhat new for us,” says Johnson. “We didn’t take a lot of that in previous years.” Recently, the store has supplied nautical kitsch for local seafood eateries. Chronometers and sextants, no longer needed for longitude calculations, are still found here, both as tribute and decoration.
Some customers seek out guidance that goes beyond the shoreline. “We’re always able to offer things people might not find at a regular hardware store—and at good prices, too,” says McCuddy. The stainless-steel fasteners that work well in sailboats, for example, don’t rust in the soggy garden beds of western Oregon. Customers can get everything they need to build a seaworthy boat or deck-out a beach house with traditional nautical decor. There’s a commonality among the variety of customers served here. Johson says that the shop is “catered toward the pleasure of being outside.”
Modernization is always under way. Sexton’s Chandlery now has a new website and an online ordering system. McCuddy, as manager, keeps his eye on the future—towards the summer, when the big rush comes in, and towards the year ahead, when he hopes to build more community with other local boaters and marinas. There’ll be stories to hear and share, parts to sell, and more water to explore.
Sexton’s Chandlery
Address: 303 NE Tomahawk Island Dr., Portland, OR 97217
Phone: (503) 289-9358
Website: https://sextonsmarine.com/
