Article by Dave Zeiger
“‘Oo are your INFLUENCES?”
—From the movie The Commitments
In the movie, The Commitments, a soul band is to be formed. Prospective applicants are met at the door with the single question— ‘Oo are your INFLUENCES?. One by one we are treated to their answers (or lack thereof). What is it gets you through the door? The right influences, of course.
DIY boatbuilding is kinda like that.
There’re a lot of influences out there. I’ll assume you have the good sense to avoid the bad ones (those who say you can’t, shouldn’t, won’t). The good ones are left, and giants they are. But we’re looking for those among these giants who can get us through the door.
When I first became interested in sailing, I devoured everything Lynn and Larry Pardey had written about their adventures on SERAFFYN. She’s a 24’7” Lyle Hess designed marvel, based on British Pilot Cutters, and which they built themselves.
Philosophically, Lynn and Larry are still among my major influences. But it took me years to shake the Lyle Hess/Pilot Cutter influence. Not that his designs don’t jam Mustang Sally on my heartstrings. They do (oh, they do!). But Larry, in particular, brought advanced boatwright skills to the door... skills I did not and do not possess. I dreamed of that perfect boat, but it lay at the far end of arm’s reach.
Deep draft; complex, tight and reverse curves; well shaped sails... with these influences, given time, I might have eventually pushed my way through. But it would have taken years learning the skills, acquiring the means. If I had started younger, maybe. But, at 30, I was late to the gate... time to be sailing.
Influenced by Anke (a woman of great good sense), we “settled” for a meantime, sailing-lifeboat conversion. We could afford it and afford to risk a few learner’s bumps and scrapes. Best of all, we could sail it from day one. Her generous owner took us on trust while we paid her off (flippin’ pizza, pullin’ weeds).
During these first years of baby-steps onto the water, encounters with the GLOUCESTER GULL introduced us to other designs by Phil Bolger. Hmm. Square Boats. Hmph. Compared to the Hess cutters of my dreams, they’re homely suckers. But their relative simplicity is apparent at a glance. Shoal draft, most of ‘em. Sail pretty well, too. Hmm.
And once I started looking, I began to find them in all the right places... out there.
Many Alaskan workboats are pretty square, too... influences at the back of my mind. Power scows, bow-pickers, landing craft, barges. They have their own rough kind of good looks, craggy and competent. Square boats fit right in, up here.
A thoroughbred horse in parade dress is a beautiful creature; a workhorse in working harness is handsome in another way—and practical to boot. I began to moderate my sweet tooth for the gracious line, and acquire a taste for handsome is as handsome does.
In fits and starts, I became influenced by advocates of simple hulls with simple interiors, rigs and gear. I acquired a taste for boats within my reach. Boats whose paint we’d dare to scratch. Whose trim we could afford to dent. Soon we were sailing on a boat built entirely by ourselves. After I let go my dream of perfection, that door finally stood wide open to us.
After twenty and change years of sailing, I’ve got more choices. I’ve acquired skills along the way. Jack of all trades, master of none, to be sure, but mastery enough. Means is still an open question. I find myself dreaming curves and building square.
In The Commitments as in boat-building—here is another, essential ingredient that gets you through that door. Passion. Without it, the right influences are so much empty erudition. We Armchair Sailors will never emerge from our Barcaloungers without the passion to put down the books, blogs and ‘zines, pick up tools and take our best shot, whether the boat be curvy or square.
Passion alone won’t produce the perfect boat, but perfection has yet to launch a single one.
What? You still here?? •SCA•
Glad to see Bolger recognized! We built and used four of his designs (all of which we still own - with kids & grandkids still using them 50 years later…). Simple, practical and straightforward to build with his simple, encouraging words. One built in the great and sovereign state of Texas, one while marooned in the middle of the great American desert and two while exploring rivers and bays of Florida, ‘Jersey, central NY and now the harbors and sounds of Connecticut. They’ve never let us down. Plus, most importantly, we’ve had (and do) have a lot of fun along the way!
I've been a fan of your square boat designs and your writing for years, Dave. Glad you're still at.