David Kasanof Crossing the Bar

[MW Jones]

Crossing the Bar: David Kasanof, May 4, 2021
If you ever lived aboard or rebuilt a classic wooden boat then David’s “From the Fo’c’s’le” was the first think you read when WoodenBoat came. His writing reflected our lives and induced laughter in every article, and was somehow reassuring to know that you were not alone in your quixotic quest.

[Jim Ledger]

Fair Winds, David, and thank you for many a laugh over the years.

I have no doubt that Content will be waiting on her mooring.

Jim

[johngsandusky]

Yep, I remember.

[Dan McCosh]

"If the piece you cut doesn't fit, try the part you cut off."

[Rich Jones]

The guy was a real hoot.
When he was writing, it was indeed the first thing I'd read with every new issue.
I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

The shim falling out of the deck beam to shelf joint. The original shim, put there by the original builders before the First World War…

Oh yes, indeed, the page that I always read first.

Fair winds, David Kasanof, whom I never met but whom I thought of as a kindred spirit.

If Woodenboat were to anthologise his columns, I’d buy the book.

[WX]

The first thing I would read.

[Canoeyawl]

Yes, the very first thing...
The imperfect join with 'the shim' was a masterpiece. I so looked forward to reading his opines on life with a wooden boat. A large, heavy unpowered one
and struggles and transition from frozen, snow bound winters to warmer climes.
(And Maynards 'matter of detail' was the next highlight, followed by the waterfront news and the classifieds back when you could still buy a new make and break engine, or a Stuart-Turner)
Fair winds David

[StevenBauer]

The shim falling out of the deck beam to shelf joint. The original shim, put there by the original builders before the First World War…

Oh yes, indeed, the page that I always read first.

Fair winds, David Kasanof, whom I never met but whom I thought of as a kindred spirit.

If Woodenboat were to anthologise his columns, I’d buy the book.

Me, too.

[MW Jones]

From the Fo'c's'le by David Kasanof
Published by Sheridan House 1997

not a complete collection but 60 of his columns

[WX]

The shim falling out of the deck beam to shelf joint. The original shim, put there by the original builders before the First World War…

Oh yes, indeed, the page that I always read first.

Fair winds, David Kasanof, whom I never met but whom I thought of as a kindred spirit.

If Woodenboat were to anthologise his columns, I’d buy the book.

Seems it's been done.

For years David Kasanof's "Fo'c's'le" column has entertained the readers of WoodenBoat magazine with its unique blend of humor and insight into the sailing lifestyle. In this collection of over fifty selected pieces readers will recognize their boats, their fellow sailors and themselves. Here are some of Kasanof's observations: On boat interiors: "Marine stuff doesn't work as well as land stuff because marine stuff is just a toy version of the corresponding land stuff"; on the weather: "First, buy a barometer that has an anchor or sailboat design somewhere on it"; on wooden boats: "People who sail old wooden boats are never young. Even if they were young when they took to wooden boats, they aged fast."
This book is guaranteed to make "Fo'c's'le" fans out of new readers and is the perfect way for Kasanof aficionados to catch up on those essays they may have missed. It is a book so filled with lighthearted humor that even the crustiest of old salts will burst out laughing. Illustrations by R. Gorski complement the text and offer plenty of laughs of their own

https://www.amazon.com.au/Focsle-Dav.../dp/1574090348

[gazzer]

Sad news. I wholeheartedly enjoyed his columns.

[John Meachen]

I was struck by the thought that his description of trudging to the shower block in the marina in a Connecticut winter should be read by all putative liveaboards.He deserved to warm up in Florida in his sunset years.

[Ian McColgin]

From 1980 on I was a liveaboard starting on a seventy year old schooler. In Hyannis. So his columns sang to me.

[Canoeyawl]

A day ashore...
"Two hours ago my southern belle was stepping off a bowsprit, and I was blighting the rest of my life with an infelicitous choice of words"

[Garret]

The guy was a real hoot.
When he was writing, it was indeed the first thing I'd read with every new issue.
I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

Exactly this. He was a wonderful writer.

[Thad Van Gilder]

He wanted me to come down to Florida to look at and potentially adopt his bristol channel cutter.

[Canoeyawl]

I often wonder what became of it?

[nedL]

I read this, ...... my condolences. I too completely enjoyed his writings.