I once knew a writer who, after saying beautiful things about the sea,
passed through a Pacific hurricane, and he became a changed man.— JOSHUA SLOCUM
This boat building, this endeavor we do, this dream we dream, this doubt we doubt brings with it a human face. Or, so it seems. Indeed, in some unexplainable and mysterious way, a part of us goes into the very boat we build, a part of us so much in fact, that we cannot distinguish between ourselves and the boat our hands and heart have wrought. We sometimes talk about our boat as if the boat were alive, a living entity like ourselves, with distinct personality and life. Indeed, even the tradition of a captain going down with his ship seems more than mere tradition. Both go into a watery grave together. Clearly, there is something here beyond economic necessity, or even honor— something that eludes us. And yet, whether captain or builder, the devotion is the same. A part of us is in the very boat we sail.
Yet, when captain and builder are the same person, the feelings of such devotion become even more intense. In fact, we defend the boat as we would our very soul and life. Any criticism of her is a criticism of us, a personal affront. And, it matters not how constructive the intent of the words, any word against her cuts us deeply, and we bleed. The rigging which intertwines wood and sail binds us to her. This is no escaping her, no ignoring her, no denying her.
Even small boats evoke such feelings of deep loyalty. Length of water line does not matter here. The boat is ours just as the adventure is ours. Whether we sail on the open seas, or on the quiet waters of a small lake, it matters not. The thrill is same; the adventure, just as memorable; the moments, just as precious.
In this issue of Gaff Rig are such stories
of which life is made, stories of human interest, stories of men and the
boats they build. Something there is about a boat and the adventures she
bequeaths to us. Here, then, are the stories of boats and of the men who
build them.
Back Yard Yacht Builders
A non-commercial association of amateur boat-builder enthusiasts.
All our wooden boats are Stevenson designs.