Wooden Boats: In Pursuit of the Perfect Craft at an American Boatyard - Michael Rudman
This is a true and fun-to-read account of the art of wooden boat building in the late 20th century. The author spent time working in one of the very few boatyards left in America where craftsmen still build boats by-hand. As a result, he supplies the reader with the colorful details that can only be garnered from first-hand experience.
The story meanders from present-day through some history of boats and men’s relationship with them. Personal tales of the builders’ experiences bring the book to life. (I particularly enjoyed the tale of Nat Benjamin’s trip from Malta through the Mediterranean on the Tappan Zee.) A small dose of philosophy and plenty of colorful characters make it an interesting read.
The major part of the book focuses on the boat yard owned by Nat Benjamin and Ross Gannon in Martha’s Vineyard. Much is said about the process of building the boats themselves, as well as the people involved. All types of individuals inhabit the yard - from ‘boatstruck’ dreamers to ex-cons. Every one has a part and all of them are interesting.
The author does a fairly good job describing many of the processes involved in the design and construction of a wooden boat. Drawings and photos help the reader understand and envision the actual setting. My only qualm with the book is the use of some nautical terminology that, to my mind, wasn’t fully understandable. I didn’t always have a good idea of what the author was referring to when he’d mention some tool, technique or other technical detail. (A very minor gripe. It’s a great book.)
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Joe Pescatello is an author, an avid sailor and commercial software developer. Visit http://UncleBobsAttic.com for a sample of his work. You can reach him at joe-p@unclebobsattic.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Pescatello |
Author: Joseph Pescatello