Moving Forward...........

[Northernguy59]

Here we go again :eek: ............ Comments and opinons welcome and solicited. Any traditional builders I can visit? I,m free to travel next month. Pointers on material choices, resources etc. ? Designers and designs of choice? Again at my risk I am leaving this open ended. I think it will give the replys more latitude and my last post, as nieve and open ended as it was worked great. As so many of you guys suggested, and as I had prior thoughts of, I should start on a smaller project of the same construction. What boat do you suggest? Thanks In advance.

[Dave Fleming]

Again you are sounding vague in your questions, or so it seems to me.
Any limitations on traveling distance?
Geeze ya could go the the WoodenBoat facility or the shops in Nova Scotia, Maine, Port Townsend in Washington State, Sausalito in California has a woodenboat school too.
The list is almost endless but again what are YOUR limitations?
For materials look in the Classifieds of the parent magazine for many leads.
Designers for what type of vessel? Get the WoodenBoat books with many designs of small craft...Fifty WoodenBoats-Thirty WoodenBoats-Fourty WoodenBoats etc..
The works of Chapelle have many traditional designs in them as does the Library at Mystic Seaport, there's another good place to visit if you are going to go traditional in building.
Ah, I can see it now, snow up to your arse, wind chill factor of -50, the stove glowing red and you with a nice cup of tea and a stack of books 10 feet tall with a pad across your lap and sheets of paper all over the floor covered in sketches lists. what have you. :D

[ 05-25-2002, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Northernguy59]

Vagueness has it,s virtues for extracting information........ Dave I already have books, plans, scetches etc. only differance its springtime smile.gif . I,d planned on taking a trip up the east coast of the USA and into Maritimes,Canada to talk with some builders and shops.

If I could find some guys in those areas and have somewhat of a plan for visits that would be great. I would even trade work for someone in the same situation as I. I,m open to many ideas and suggestions.Thanks

[Thad]

The Small Craft Workshop is at Mystic Seaport next weekend, June 1&2. Good local to check out, talk, and see the possibilities. Come see me in Marblehead. Then there is the WoodenBoat Show in Rockland, ME July 12-14.

[Art Read]

I can't remember if anybody mentioned the book, "Wooden Boats" by Michael Ruhlman, but it's worth a read too, and if you get as far south as Cape Cod, a ferry ride out to Martha's Vinyard to visit Gannon & Benjamin's yard in Vinyard Haven is about as good as it gets. You'd probably get to see and learn more if you can manage to arrive in the "off-season", as I suspect they get an awful lot of starry-eyed wooden boat "pilgrims" during the high season. If the book's author is any indication, they might even put you to work!

Of course there's plenty of other, great boatshops up down the New England Coast and the Maritimes. A few are even run by "forumites". I bet if you called "Woodenboat" magazine's home office in Maine, they could give a whole list of names and addresses.

[Northernguy59]

I,ve done quite a bit of research of yards in Canada and the USA and have quite a list going. Thanks for the invite Thad, I,ll take you up on that and will let you know when I,m ready to hit the road. I really liked Dave Clarkes "Winfield Lash" and his story.

Dave, Thanks for the great site and information. Please come have a cup of tea with me sometime.

Any thoughts on kiln dried lumber anyone?

[Dave Fleming]

Agreed Art, the Ruhlman book is a good read especially as it is done from a newbie's point of view. And Dale surely would benefit from a read. Those WoodenBoat books I mentioned in my earlier post have another plus. The articles by Joel White that preface the design section are almost worth the cost of the books.
IIRC, one has his advice on compling a lumber list and another on looking at boat plans.
Another book I am wont to recommend to new comers is the out of print volume from the Time Life series on Boats, " Classic Boats". John Gardner wrote some stuff for it and the drawings are very good on many details, reminds me of Sam Mannings work in Bud Macintosh's book. It's section on restoration of a Friendship sloop and a runabout are very informative as well as aanother good read.

[Northernguy59]

Here is an interesting story.

http://new-brunswick.net/Saint_John/stories/canada.html

[Thad]

a couple of years ago one day there was this little schooner on a mooring near Sea Harmony. Looked with the glasses, rowed around her, noone aboard when I was around. Winfield Lash. So, I was most pleased to see the story in WB telling more. Sweet vessel to my eye.

[Northernguy59]

Thad,

Great web site and some really nice boats you build. "Winfiled Lash" is a very sweet boat and suites my tastes. What do you think of Williams Atkins designs etc?

[Dave Fleming]

Les lived on a Magpie, a motorsailer bye Atkin albiet unfinished ie: no rigging or masts.
Nice and cozy below.
In My Opinionated Opinion, only designer I am familiar with who designs a more 'Hell for Stout' vessel is Bill Garden. The Atkin's, father and son, have done some nice small craft too, skiffs and the like.

As far as kiln dried stock is concerned best left for the uptown carpenters. Although you might get bye using it for interior joinerwork. But, I would still prefer air dried stock. Too much moisture in the air on board a boat to take any chances. On big luxury yachts in the 80 to 115 foot class we used kiln dried stock because the vessels were fully air conditioned and using anything less was a gamble. Too much money at stake in them 'toys', if ya folla.

[ 05-25-2002, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Bob Cleek]

If you are interested in "pilot cutters," (a term that really describes the work a boat was built for, rather than any specific design) you should definitely check out Laurent Giles' website (www.laurentgiles.co.uk). If you want a 40ish "pilot cutter," check out their Dyarchy design. You'll find pictures of her in Hiscock's books (Cruising Under Sail; Wandering Under Sail.) Covey Island Boatworks in Maine was building one cold molded and had a good pick on their website. Heck, order Gile's stock plans catalog and dream away! Something in there for everybody.

[reddog]

Covey Island Boatworks which,by the way,is here in Nova Scotia does indeed build a couple renditions of the BCC.They did one for the author Tom Cunliffe a few years back.They work in composite type construction.
The company owner also had an original BCC restored in Lunenburg in the 90's.Very heavilly built.
Cheers;Earl

[Northernguy59]

I Read on the Covey Island website litature that they use Spruce for the planking. I was surprized at that. They have the "WesterNman" line designed by Nigel Irens from the UK. Also they built "Tree of Life" Ted Brewer design, nice ship, shes won some races. I,ve thought about moving to Nova Scotia. I,ve talked to Nigel, he suggested I call John Steele at covey and by a set of stock plans from him on the WesterNman.

I really am drawn to the Williams Atkins designs, like "Winfield Lash" shes 38', so If I go with her, I,m paring down from what I orginally conceived.

[ 05-26-2002, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: Northernguy59 ]