Ahoy...Boat Builders!

[Nate Carey]

...with more than 11,000 active members on this forum, you'd think we'd have more boat builders...or at least some wanna bees...

[Peter Pedisich]

...with more than 11,000 active members on this forum, you'd think we'd have more boat builders...or at least some wanna bees...

Nate,

Hi, I dream of being a wooden boat builder. Until that day I'm trapped in an office building doing CAD drawings and project management

I check in here every day and am building a wood model/rc sailboat to get my feet wet.

Too many years ago (I was 19 once) I was a captain for a ferry boat company and ran an old wooden boat and I can't wait to get my feet on the deck again of the creaking, wavy timbers. But this time I'd rather avoid the bay water rushing in at the bow stem post while underway!

I enjoy your posts, wish this section had more traffic.

Pete

[Nate Carey]

Pete, thank you for helping me break the silence.

I too stare at the glow of my computer most days...wanting the bell to ring (figure of speech) so I can go to my shop and work on a Kingfisher rowing shell that's about 85% complete.

I'd like to hear more about your adventures as a ferry Captain. Is the ferry the one in the photo? ...and maybe a photo or two of that rc sailboat. Nate

[Peter Pedisich]

Nate,

Yes the one in the photos is one of the boats I ran, The Fire Island Maid.
It was slow, with a 6-cylinder Gray diesel and single screw with forward and reverse. Reverse was best for those times when the engine stalling was just what you were hoping for, and the wind would carry you frightfully towards a gleaming, 50' expensive yacht.
The hull had the unfortunate characteristic of conforming to the shape of the waves, as opposed to much preferable other way around!
I'm sure you understand that there is not much that frightens a 19 year old boy, but this boat caused me a good bit of anxiety. No radar, just a giant old spherical compass in a wood box that we would sit just ahead of the wheel. In the fog, you were on your own. At least the Great South Bay has a sandy bottom, I don't know how you folks do it up there with all the rocky bits
The other boat was a PT boat from the war, not sure if it was an Elco or Higgins. 20' or so was sawn off the stern to get it to 60', and two Detroit Diesel 8-71's dropped into her. It would get up on a plane nicely. Spin 360 in her own length, and handle like a '76 Eldorado.
Both were to carry freight, not passengers.
To hand a boat like this to a 18-19 year old boy may sound like madness now, but back then it was just the best job around!

Pete

[Nate Carey]

...conforming to the shape of the waves, as opposed to much preferable other way around!

Pete, well said! I too have been on such craft...a couple of my own design and construction. I've learned a lot since then...or have I?

The ferries you describe; sounds like Rube Goldberg was the naval architect.

A close friend and neighbor of mine grew up in Mamaroneck and was "launch boy" at the MYC for most of his teen years...at age 56, he wishes he was still there working for tips.

My experience with Long Island is limited to several visits to another friend's home in Montauk...and fishing with him and his dad in their Bertram.

[Peter Pedisich]

Nate,

When I begin construction of my rc sailboat (plywood) I'll take some pics and post them here.
Have you made small scale models of your boats?
I'd be interested in any tips!

Thanks,

Pete

[Mac McQuinn]

Nate & Peter,
Yes, lets stir up some dialog on this forum! I've been doing furniture for about 16 years and boats for about 11 years. I could not figure how to get a 5' wide boat out of a 4' wide opening coming out of my basement workshop so I decided to go all boat and moved everything out of the basement and I'm currently minimizing my tool collection to allow the future building of various craft in the 2 car garage attached to my house.

I've shared workspace with a couple other boatbuilders in the past and have built or co-built 3 stripper canoes, 1 S&G kayak, 3 S&G duck boats & a 14'-6" Canoe yawl that was unfortunately not totally completed. I ran a Boatbuilder's show in MI for small boats for a couple years about 10 years ago and met some great people with the same interests. In the past I've enjoyed building furniture, especially Craftsman style although just could not get as excited as building a boat and running your hands over a well contoured hull.....The whole idea of transporting yourself & friends in something you build really won me over.

I've posted recently on building a shallow water, purpose built skiff for using the endless waterways near my house and hopefully can get started soon on that. I have a Grand Child due in July and we need to do some exploring.....

Mac

[Nate Carey]

Now we're talk'n Mac! Kids and boats are a "natural"...but alas my son (now 35) was into football and basketball and my daughter loves her animals (off to vet school in August)...and I cured my wife of the wooden boat disease by taking her through "one hell of a thunder storm" under sail 25 years ago.

[John Bailey]

I haven't built many, but I sure do dream. I started out about ten years by rebuilding an Alberg 30.

Port.jpg

I know, it's not a wood boat, but because it was one of the older models, 1964, it had plenty of teak and other wood on the inside and needed lots of work.

I needed a dinghy and so:

Dingy rebuild bottom.jpg

I built a dinghy. Next, I started a 15' Ian Oughtred "Whilly Boat."

Dry fit 3rd strake, ready for epoxy.jpg

I took a job a little over a year ago that keeps me busy about 12 hours a day and work on the sailboat came to a stop. I don't have pictures, but hanging from my shop's rafters are the moulds and strongback of an 18 ft. kayak.

All that, and I just acquired the project of a life time.

Port side.JPG

I plan to restore this William Atkin's design (so I'm told) 27' cruising sailboat. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'll learn.

I would love to see other projects. I know they're out there.

John

[Jim Kountz]

Well I am a wanna be boat builder. I have dreamed for years about building a boat. I go back and forth between a simple canoe or rowboat all the way up to a larger boat with sleeping quarters and the works. The wife says Im crazy and that I have too many others projects to do already but Im still researching it.
We should do a community build like the Morris Chair Project. We could all build a small boat??
That would fire this forum up Im sure!!

[Neal Schlee]

Here's a Tolman Jumbo 22 I built 4 years ago, recently sold it and am starting to build a new boat. A larger modified Tolman design, 27' LOA x 8'6" Beam. I've been CNC cutting kits for the Tolman's for 5 years and plan to offer kits on the new model.

Neal Schlee
Skiffkits LLC
Lasertech Alaska

[Gary Kvasnicka]

It is nice to know that I am not the only one with this disease. Three years ago I built a 18' kayak. I recently started on a 15'6" kayak with my daughter. I want to build a canoe next, my son wants a rowing scull, and I have been trying to figure out how to build a 19'6" Ocean Pointer in my small shop. The city won't let me enlarge the shop, so I will have to talk the LOML into moving....fat chance It's a good thing that dreaming about building a bigger boat is fun too.

Neal,
A Tolman has been on my list since I first saw one. I hope to start one when I retire in 15-20 years.

[John Bailey]

Me thinks we need more pics!!!

John

[Nate Carey]

Fantastic...boats and boat dreams from Atlantic to Great Lakes to Pacific. I've got to do something about getting into digital photography so I can attach photos...anyway I do enjoy seeing everyone's boats, wooden or otherwise.

John, that Bill Atkin boat looks like a project and a half!

One of my favorite designers Phil Bolger (age 81) took his own life last Sunday. A full life centered on boats... http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/09/...lger/index.htm
Several months ago I had a lengthy (too lengthy; must have cost her a fortune) telephone conversation with Phil's wife Susanne about Phil's design "Champlain". Susanne will continue their work, not skipping a beat.

[Bill Ryall]

I lurk here mostly, but am an amateur boatbuilder. Have almost finished a simple ply-and-goop skiff. I also volunteer as a boat builder for The Compass Project, a Portland, Maine non-profit that mentors at-risk youth thru boatbuilding and rowing programs. www.compassproject.org