I feel I haven’t so much been working on OB over the past couple of weeks as gently communing with her. I know it’s hokum but I’ve always anthropomorphised my boat. Of inanimate objects I have known she is by far the most lively. And while stripping the varnish back to wood or uncovering voids (or a cracked epoxy fillet hiding soggy wood!!) I’ve been forced to consider the build quality.
She’s the first boat I’ve ever built and it shows. I have no problem with this however, and nor does OB. It was a steep and slippery learning curve.
I learnt a lot over the six-month build and with the experience I gained I’m more qualified to effect good repairs. This awareness of my greater skill has led me to speculate on other boats. (Though not around OB, obviously. Don’t want to offend her.) There are some real beauties out there and hopefully I’ll be around for long enough to give one or two a try.
For the moment though my situation hasn’t changed since I jotted down the brief that led me to build OB. And, given that brief, I still haven’t been able to find a more suitable craft. Well, not until Gavin Atkin reworked the drawings and produced the Light Trow Mark 2.
I’ve had a sneak preview of the drawings and can see that with more built-in buoyancy, self-draining mast steps and stitch and glue construction she’ll be even more suited to easy building and effective cruising. I gather that Gav is going to release the plans soon and for free in Water Craft magazine and at intheboatshed.net. They’re well worth a serious perusal… There’s a lot of fun to be had with a boat like this and now that the Light Trow is a proven design I expect it will gain the following it deserves.
4 comments:
OB is a beauty, and a great partner. The "communing" is very appropriate.
Now, even better would be if your cranky neighbor could "commune" with someone who could endow him with rvrn a tiny morsel of good cheer.
rvrn is a word puzzle for even
Tricky things neighbours; sometimes you need their help or forbearance, sometimes they need yours. In between times they sometimes forget that simple truth, even when what they're complaining about is hardly a hardship for them. I guess what they probably really fear is that your half-fixed boat will remain half-repaired on the lawn forever - so maybe you should show them your weblog. In the meantime, you have my sympathy!
G
I should also explain that the plans won't appear in Water Craft - but there will be a one-page article. I will however publish the plans to coincide with the article.
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