Is Steve Redmond Dead ?

[Steve Paskey]

As many of you know, plans are no longer available for the many great boats designed by Steve Redmond (Whisp, Tetra, Bluegill, Elver, etc.), and Redmond apparently hasn't been seen or heard from in years.

This leads me to wonder: is he dead?

I searched the online Social Security Death Index for people who might be Steve Redmond, and found several possibilities. Below is the info for people who were born after 1930 and before 1960.

Does anyone out there happen to know Redmond's full name (Steve, Steven, or Stephen), date of birth, or even his approximate age?

Steve Paskey

============
Stephen W. Redmond
Born 2 July 1942, died March 2000, SSN issued in NY

SL Redmond
Born 5 Sept 1949, died Oct. 1991, SSN issued in SC

SJ Redmond
Born 19 Oct 1938, died Jan. 1994, SSN issued in IL

SA Redmond
Born 30 June 1953, died Feb. 1989, SSN issued in TN

[TomRobb]

This is getting more serious than "Where's Waldo!"

[Keith Wilson]

I'm pretty sure he was alive in the early '90s - say '93 or so, because he, (or someone who claimed to be Steve Redmond - never can tell on the 'net) used to post to the rec.boatbuilding newsgroup. I don't even know if that's still going; possibly a post there would get some results? I'll look.

[ishmael]

Yas yas, hard to know what became of the Redmond. Could be dead, could be hiding, could be he's changed his name to Roxanne, and is working Vegas.

I spoke to him briefly also. His booth was right across from the MMM's, I want to say 1983, WB show in Mystic. Whisp premiered!!! We were in a tent, and he had a nicely polished example, fully rigged, sitting on three large drink cups, like you'd get from the Tasty Freeze. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 12-03-2002, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[bob goeckel]

check with elvis in kalamazooooo!

[Steve Paskey]

hey, enough with the Kalamazoo jokes. I lived there when I was a kid, and it's where I learned to sail.

[bob goeckel]

hi steve, i live up in flint. sorry about the jokes but if you people had kept elvis from visiting so much in the last few years this wouln't have to happen. kalamazoo must be a nice place why else would a dead person want to visit so much. whoops, sorry i didn't mean that he's really dead!

+ the missing mr. redmond. LOL

[ 12-03-2002, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: bob goeckel ]

[Steve Lansdowne]

His name as listed on the Whisp plans is Stephen Redmond.

[Steve Lansdowne]

Steve Redmond is back in business sellign plans. Who woulda thunk it? www.sredmond.com

[Art Read]

... and only fourty "visits" to his site so far! Bet we start reading a lot more inguires about his stuff here soon though...

[John Gearing]

Up to 111 now. Glad to see him back.

[Steve Paskey]

Okay, so call me an irrepressible cynic, but how would we know that it's really Steve Redmond, and not somebody hoping to make a few bucks by posing as Redmond?

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see anything on the site that couldn't have been put together by someone with a set of Whisp plans and some old magazine articles. The copy could have been written by anyone who knows something about Redmond and Whisp.

I'm reminded of an old New Yorker cartoon: Two hounds in front of a computer. One says to the other: "On the internet, no one knows you're a dog."

[ 01-11-2003, 09:27 PM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Steve Redmond]

The reports of my death are greatly exagerated.

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Welcome to the Forum Steve. It's nice to see you here. I was just thinking, "well he's got a web site, so he's got a computer, so maybe he'll show up here someday" and here you are. Or maybe the other Steve is right and you aren't you but some kind of imposter. But how do we know if the other Steve is really Steve.
Steve

PS -- How about the true story of why your plans were unavailable for so long?
Oh yeah, nice boats

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Whenever I think that people who own wooden boats are fairly normal I just visit this place and find threads like this.

[ken mcclure]

Originally posted by Steve Redmond:
The reports of my death are greatly exagerated.

Hang around here for a bit. You may start posting those reports yourself!!!

[Nathaniel G. Herreshoff]

Delighted that you could join us, Mr. Redmond. I know how you feel -- rumor has it that I've been dead for more than half a century.

[ 01-12-2003, 06:29 PM: Message edited by: Nathaniel G. Herreshoff ]

[Steve Redmond]

Nat, great to hear from you. Why the move to Pittsburgh?

[ishmael]

Thanks for Whisp Steve. Fine little boat.

[ken mcclure]

Nat's in Massachusetts. I'm in Pittsburgh. Unless he's coming to laugh lettuce through his nose at my boatbuilding project....

[Steve Redmond]

You're welcome, Ishmael.

[L. Francis Herreshoff]

Ishmael: I'm fond of Elver myself. Nice little double-ender for someone who'd like something smaller than Rozinante.

Hey dad: Even I thought you were dead. Heck, I wrote a book about you. Where have you been?

[ 01-12-2003, 07:31 PM: Message edited by: L. Francis Herreshoff ]

[ishmael]

What honor; what chills all of you send up my spine: to be in the cyber-spirit-company of these illustrious ones, departed and not.

In case you couldn't tell Steve, there are a bunch of people who are REALLY glad you are back from where you disappeared to, AND that your plans are available again. I wish I had a hundred dollars for every request for plans that has flown by here in the last two and half years, for a Whisp or an Elver [img]smile.gif[/img]

Anything new you care to give us a peak at? Hmm?

Three cheers for the ressurrected Steve Redmond...Hip Hip...

Best,

Jack

[garland reese]

YaaaaaaHooooooo! oh....sorry, HooRaaaaaay!

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

It's winter. The teak dust and epoxy fumes have done their job. Captain Ahab and Starbuck will appear next.

I want to build a whisp....I like to row.

[adampet]

Somone brought a whisp to one of our Cape Cod Viking messabouts. I didn't get a chance to row it, but it looked sweet. Welcome Steve.

I had to put the splatter shield up for the Herreshoff boys

[Steve Redmond]

Thanks again Ishmael. With regard to talking about my designs, this is of course a friendly non-promoional forum for and by WoodenBoat readers so I feel a little awkward going much further.

It was however impossible to resist contributing to a thread speculating about my departure from this planet. I enjoyed that.

It does feel odd to see how much interest there is again. I thought the boats were pretty well forgotten. I went to a wooden boat show a few years back, as a civilian, and talked with some of the exhibitors, none of whom recognized my name or those of the boats. I even visited the Lake Champlain maritime museum exhibit this year, formerly the Rice Lumberyard, I think, where I once bought materials for boats when I had a shop on Pine Street in Burlington. Talked with a builder/guide, but we were clearly from different times. I was amazed to see how far things had come since I had been there last, with epoxy on my sneakers, explaining to the guy at the counter why I wanted to look through the stacks. "You build what?"

--Steve

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Good usable designs stand the test of time Mr Redmond

[ishmael]

Well, Steve, you can't do this, but I can.

Another post of Steve's website.

http://www.sredmond.com/

-----------------------------------------

So what ya been up to? What new boat ideas for the web site? If any. Maybe you're just back, and don't know how the boats fit in...that's fine too.

If I'd designed only Whisp, I'd feel I'd accomplished sumpthin' in the realm of boats. [img]smile.gif[/img]

But enough of this aw shucks complimentary bushwa.

I trust your eye is still looking, and sharp.

You will have much to give, and find here.

Salud,

Jack

[Steve Paskey]

Hello Steve: I hope you'll accept my sincere apologies for that initial outburst of skepticism. (The internet can be a strange place, and things are not always what they seem.)

The Herreshoffs likewise apologize for their impertinence.

But seriously, I am, like others, delighted to see you here. I hang out both here and on various boat-related Yahoo groups, and it's remarkable how often your boats -- Whisp especially -- come up in the course of conversation.

The rule against self-promotion notwithstanding, I don't think anyone will object if you keep us posted when plans for Elver or other designs become available. I'm quite interested in Elver -- all I've seen are a few tantalizing photos.

Steve, Nathaniel, and L. Francis

[ 01-13-2003, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: Steve Paskey ]

[Keith Wilson]

Steve, I'm very glad you're still around, also pleased that that plans for your boats aren't going to disappear.

Don't be surprised at the interest in your boats, particularly Whisp. Every now and then, a designer just hits it exactly right, and produces a boat design that is really memorable. It doesn't have to be large, complex, particularly innovative, or even work better than hundreds of similar boats. These boats have something very difficult to define that makes them stand out; they look like the essence of how that type of boat should look. Whisp is like that.

I'm going to break my normal pattern and order plans for a boat I probably won't build in the immediate future, just to encourage you. And in the future, if you decide you don't want to bother with selling plans, please, please don't just stick 'em in a drawer somewhere - find someone who'll handle the paperwork, give 'em to a museum, whatever. They're too good just to bury. The world needs more good boats.

[Steve Redmond]

No,no, not impertinence. I enjoyed the skepticism about the real Steve Redmond. I wasn't offended at all. Likewise even the attempts in another thread somewhere to measure Whisp and create an alternate set of plans by builders, though probably I shouldn't say that. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm just glad to have this kind of friendship extended. I received an email about how Whisp changed someone's life. That's a remarkable thing to read.

Since there has been a repeated question about Elver plans, maybe it is permissible to answer. The masters are in fragile shape after 24 years. They also require a large roll-feed Diazo process machine to reprint. There is a large main drawing with a full scale master curve for the boat. The older Diazo machines are getting a little scarce these days, as the xerographic process is taking over for blueprints. Unfortunately, the new big copy machines only take fixed sheet sizes. I do have a lead on a place with a roll feed Diazo, not too far away, and I'll be visiting there today. I won't post plan availability here, because again, this is probably stretching the intent of the forum, but you can check the website.

--Steve

[Wayne Williams]

Originally posted by Steve Redmond:
Since there has been a repeated question about Elver plans, maybe it is permissible to answer. The masters are in fragile shape after 24 years. They also require a large roll-feed Diazo process machine to reprint. There is a large main drawing with a full scale master curve for the boat. The older Diazo machines are getting a little scarce these days, as the xerographic process is taking over for blueprints. Unfortunately, the new big copy machines only take fixed sheet sizes. I do have a lead on a place with a roll feed Diazo, not too far away, and I'll be visiting there today. I won't post plan availability here, because again, this is probably stretching the intent of the forum, but you can check the website.

--Steve

Steve, if I can offer a suggestion...We have one of those old diazo machines here at the office. I think it's been here since the firm was founded. Chattanooga's probably not convenient for you tho'.

If the originals are really as delicate as you suggest the print machine will eventually eat them. It's a matter of when not if. That said most repro shops are going digital. You should be able to get the originals scanned and recorded on a CD for nominal cost. There is very little loss of resolution from the original if it's done right and you can put the original tracings up to preserve. The great thing is that there is zero loss of resolution from the disc to blackline prints and the process is infinitely repeatable with no damage to the original.

WW

[Hwyl]

Mr. Redmond, I finally (after years of forum voyeurism) logged on because of this string. I perused your website and there is a picture of you "aboard the houseboat Gesso". Don't leave us guessing (or even Gessoing). Please publish a picture of this houseboat, is it one of your designs? Is it a full time liveaboard. Tell me more.

[AngWood]

I agree that the excellence of designs like Whisp has been the key to continued interest. Don't forget also that Tom Hill's popular book (one of the first boatbuilding books I ever bought) features Flapjack throughout the text, and in the back has study plans of Tetra, Whisp, Bullhead, etc. I'm sure Mr. Hill is glad Mr. Redmond has re-surfaced--now he knows where to direct the numerous inquiries about the designs!

[LoonyToo]

Re:
Unfortunately, the new big copy machines only take fixed sheet sizes.

Steve:

Actually roll-feed copy machines do exist. They used to be used extensively for making prints of seismic data (used in oil and gas exploration). Most of that field has gone digital but I'll bet there still are some machines out there.

If it's any help let me know and I'll do some checking for you.

Hal

[Kermit]

Welcome, Steve! I'm one of those who, long ago, ordered WHISP plans from you. I was then a fourth-grade teacher, and built the craft with them as a class project. Wish I'd kept it, but economics dictated selling it off to finance the next year's boat project. I'd love to build another--which requires paying you a fee, I'm sure. More than willing. Very.

Looking forward to seeing the return of ELVER! Lovely boats, all! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Over 1800 hits on the website, and climbing. Seems to be some interest.

[ 01-14-2003, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Kermit ]

[dadadata]

Now what's all this about skiffs and sharpies? Francis, you should be *ashamed* of yourself coming up with that complicated leeboard sharpie.

A pretty boat, but neither cheap nor easy to build ... and I just asked 'im, Commodore Munroe agrees with me.

[dadadata]

All seriousness aside, the Elver is a nice little boat.

Coincidentally, HIC's ghost and I have been going through the Chapelle photo collection at the Ches Bay Maritime Museum in search of interesting small boat shots.

I took a few minutes the other day to look at some of the drawings that the museum has too and while perusing the index by boat name, saw that, get this, in the 1920s or 30s C Lowndes Johnson (a Chesapeake area designer who may or may not be well-known), borrowed a set of lines and deck layout/sail plan of George Holmes' EEL from W.P. Stephens. Holmes had sent them to Stephens, of course.

Whew. In any event, CLJ did a very careful ink tracing of the lines and they're on file in St Michaels MD. Who'd a thunk it? Maybe he was contemplating a Chesapeake Not-Log Canoe Yawl.

You can contact CBMM about copies of the plans should you have any desire to look at these wonderful drawings.

I think Steve once wrote that ELVER comes out of that tradition, adapted and made practical for American waters and trailering - things George Holmes never thought of. And it would be a nice boat for the Chesapeake.

[garland reese]

I'm thinkin' it would be a nice boat for ME and the Family

I'm looking forward to seeing more on Elver.

So, the original Eel lines can be had? I'm guessing that it is deep keeled?

[Steve Lansdowne]

Over 1900 hits thus far!

[Steve Redmond]

An elver is the young form of an eel.

Gesso is the 32' house boat Meg Hitchcock and I built in 1990 and took 1700 miles down the coast and through the middle of Florida, and up to Sarasota. Later I lived on it alone and painted, in the Peace River drainage. I became an artist for ten years.

I think maybe George Holmes was an artist, too. I think that is what Uffa Fox said when I was at the Hampton Mariner's Museum in 1976 reading a book of his that I found on the shelves.

Gesso is the white underpaint on a fresh canvas.

I would like to hear from Joe Coggins again, from that time, and if he ever does a search on the Internet perhaps it will bring him to this sentence. And Patrick Daley, too.

--Steve

[Sailman58]

Hey Craig,

Wasn't that an Elver you did the polytarp sail for a couple of years ago at MASCF?

Ron

[bob goeckel]

steve, if that wasn't you in kalamazoooooo then who was it?

[dadadata]

"
Hey Craig,
Wasn't that an Elver you did the polytarp sail for a couple of years ago at MASCF?
Ron
"

Yah. Bob Cavenagh's Elver. If we'd a had wind we coulda sailed!

For those who were not there, it was a done-whle-you-wait polytarp junk sail. An experiment.

[dadadata]

"Eel" had maybe 2' draft with the board up. It was sharp-keeled, not flat like Steve's Elver, but had a steel (bronze?) centreplate. As they called 'em. Some ofthese "canoe yawls" had a plank keel, that is, a wide flat keel piece on the bottom but not flat bottomed like a sharpie or flattie -- something like a dory, I guess.

[Kermit]

ELVER LIVES !!! See the website...