A couple of the most enjoyable stories – for me, as a writer – have been about people who build their own boats and go cruising.
PassageMaker Magazine has published two of mine on DIY boat building: one was about an airline jet engine mechanic who built a 26-foot wood cruiser in his yard and the second focused on a California vineyard owner who welded a 62-foot steel yacht in a farm shed.
A third such story is in the works. I attended the launch ceremony months ago and am waiting for the final few jobs to be completed before going aboard for a grand tour and sea trial.
Now, I have a new assignment: to moderate a panel discussion on do-it-yourself boat building for PassageMaker Magazine’s TrawlerFest in Poulsbo, Washington June 8. I write better than I talk, so it’s going to be challenging.
It will be more about inspiration, persistence, doggedness, and – finally – accomplishment than about bending planks, welding steel and installing engines. It will be about living the dream.
And there’s another issue: How does a guy tell his wife he can’t join her for a social event because he’s going to be up to his eyebrows in the boat project?
Finishing a job on the boat brings great satisfaction to me, whether it’s installing new electronics or changing the impeller on a seawater pump. I can’t imagine how immensely satisfying it would be to cast off in a boat built with my own hands. I will be asking each to share that feeling, to describe the itch that sent them down the DIY path and to tell us how they remained dedicated and focused over years of work. One last question will be: Would you do it again?
Panelists will be: Rich and Jackie Hanenburg of Puyallup, Washington, whose HoHum was featured in PMM in September, 2006 and Sally Hass and Dan Walsh, whose Spirit of Balto is moored in Tacoma, Washington and just about ready for my visit with camera and notebook..
Both boats will be at the marina in Poulsbo for TrawlerFest.
Lee Simpson, who built Sonata in that farm shed in California, may be able to join us. The boat will be in Ketchikan that day, but he’s offered to leave his wife, Diane, and friends in charge and to fly south to join the panel. Sonata also was featured in PMM in September, 2006.
A special contributor will be Sam Devlin, owner of Devlin Designing Boat Works near Olympia, Washington. He builds stitch-and-glue rowing, sail and power boats to 45 feet for clients, but he also provides construction plans for DIY dreamers. Sam is an unusual boat builder – he goes cruising often and frequently leads a small fleet to Southeast Alaska. So he knows both sides of the story – the dream to build and the joy of cruising.
My effort will be but one of many seminars at TrawlerFest in Poulsbo. Come join us. Details may be found at www.trawlerfest.com/poulsbo.