My Mentor...Paul Johnson

[wizbang 13]

[johngsandusky]

Is that an upcoming film? Theaters, tv, streaming?

[wizbang 13]

Yes. A lady french film maker met him a few years ago and is making,or made a film about him. This is all I've seen of it. Never met the film maker and I do not know much about the film. Johnson would never let a man get that close to him.
This short is a pretty bleak peek at the man. I hope the film lightens up a bit.
My wife just wrote an article about Johnson for Classic Boat, Jan paints a better picture of a man that helped hundreds of people to have a good boat over his lifetime.
I worked with Paul 40 years ago when I was 25 and he was 40.
bruce.

[johngsandusky]

Cool. Keep us updated.

[wizbang 13]

https://www.cruisingworld.com/chat-s...daOuEmkwwmmh-4

[lupussonic]

Shame, I don't dare accept all the privacy agreements / cookies etc.. but will wait patiently to see the full length film.

[skaraborgcraft]

Please bump the thread when its released. I hope hes getting something out of it.

[entrenous71]

like the trailer and the synopsis; btw it's a slovak production (not french). stillwork in progress with expected release end 2020.

[wizbang 13]

https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/...9eTdaTkGnkkhPw

[FF]

I am looking forward to see it. Frank
www.oarandsail.nl

[johngsandusky]

Yes, looks intriguing. I showed my wife the shot of him on deck and told her "That's me in twenty years"

[wizbang 13]

How Johnson is still among the breathing is a mystery.

[lupussonic]

Sounds like he is from the UK?

[Hwyl]

He is.

[Decourcy]

Reminds me of Allan Farrell. In looks and lifestyle and attraction to young ladies at least...

[Gordon Bartlett]

Is this the same Paul Johnson who was an acquaintance of Bernard Moitessier and made ocean passages in a 19' boat named Venus?

[wizbang 13]

Is this the same Paul Johnson who was an acquaintance of Bernard Moitessier and made ocean passages in a 19' boat named Venus?

um yup. He hung out with Henry Wakelam then as well.

[Gordon Bartlett]

Henry Wakelam sounded like a fun guy to hang out with. The shenanigans of Moitessier and Henry Wakelam in their early sailing days made for some of the most memorable boat-related stories I've read.

[wizbang 13]

Paul passed away today in Carriacou.

[Hugh MacD]

The legend will continue. Fair winds.

[Mike-in-Suffolk]

Sorry to hear this.
Is there anywhere on the Interwebthingy that has collected together his designs?

[wizbang 13]

Sorry to hear this.
Is there anywhere on the Interwebthingy that has collected together his designs?

I have a thread called Building my 34’Venus somewhere here. I published the offsets and plans for the 34 and 28 ,with his permission, on that thread.
bruce

[John B]

Sorry to hear it. I remember how upset I was when someone who mentored me died, I considered him a good friend.

[Breakaway]

RIP

Condolences for the loss of your friend, Bruce.

Kevin

[Gordon Bartlett]

Sorry to hear of his passing, and sorry for your loss, Bruce.

[wizbang 13]

The man drank two bottles of rum a day for 50 years.

[Larks]

I add my condolences Bruce. Looks like the movie was due to be released yesterday....?

[wizbang 13]

smallest t boat to cross the Atlantic at the time .here in Bermuda

[wizbang 13]

[TR]

I collected some snippets from here and there and made a 3D model of Johnson's V42 ketch. 42'4" overall, 36'4" on the waterline with 14' beam and 6' draft. Displacement is 45,000 lbs with half that in ballast, she would be a stiff old thing.

Capture2.jpgV42form2.jpgV42lines.jpg

[Graham Cox]

Do you know that Paul died about three weeks ago on Carricou Island, in the West Indies, where Cherub had been moored in Tyrell Bay for some years? I have not seen any obituaries apart from a mention of his passing by Tad Roberts on his website and on Facebook. Friends who own one of his ketches confirmed it, saying he fell seriously ill about six weeks before he died but refused to go the hospital for the first month. He arranged his own funeral and wake, with no religious ceremony and lots of rum. Vale an extraordinary voyager and boatbuilder. That film trailer is certainly bleak. I emailed the filmmakers and they said the film was stuck in post-production because of COVID. I did not like it at all, it seemed to focus entirely on his flaws. God help me if anyone focussed on mine.

[wizbang 13]

Do you know that Paul died about three weeks ago on Carricou Island, in the West Indies, where Cherub had been moored in Tyrell Bay for some years? I have not seen any obituaries apart from a mention of his passing by Tad Roberts on his website and on Facebook. Friends who own one of his ketches confirmed it, saying he fell seriously ill about six weeks before he died but refused to go the hospital for the first month. He arranged his own funeral and wake, with no religious ceremony and lots of rum. Vale an extraordinary voyager and boatbuilder. That film trailer is certainly bleak. I emailed the filmmakers and they said the film was stuck in post-production because of COVID. I did not like it at all, it seemed to focus entirely on his flaws. God help me if anyone focussed on mine.

See post #19.
bruce

[Graham Cox]

See post #19.
bruce

My apologies, I forgot to scroll back. Back in 1970, when I was an 18 year old in Durban, South Africa, I wrote to Paul wanting to buy plans for the 28 ft Venus, after seeing Paul's article in Practical Boat Owner, I think, but never heard back. I have close friends who spent time with him in the South Pacific. Two of them have one of his wonderful paintings. One of those friends, Lars, has a 46ft Venus (expanded with Paul's permission) on the Brisbane River here in Australia. I've seen pictures of your boat too and admired her. Paul came from an era of ocean cruising when many of the people involved were extraordinary characters. I was lucky to know and sail with some of them in my youth, including Curt Ashford, who built and sailed large timber schooners. I sailed from NZ to Tahiti with him on Ishmael in 1980, and his last schooner was called Ratbag. I am not sure if he met Paul but spoke highly of him, a rare thing for Curt. They would have got along famously, as they both loved gaff rig, women and rum, and hated rules. Curt believed that all boats should be schooners, but said that Paul's boats were backwards schooners. It is an old joke but was intended as the highest compliment. Here are photos of Lars' Venus, Nanook, and Ratbag. DSCF7203.jpgRatbag in NZ.jpg

[wizbang 13]

The film about him “ The Sailor” , just won a grand prize Documentary at Rhode Island Film Festival.

[Yeadon]

Looking forward to watching this film.