masterpieces
Friday, January 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 9
Recreating Watts’ wooden boat restorations are works of art BY DIANE LEUKAM | STAFF WRITER
riveau said. “We have about 20 coats of varnish on here.” Nearby, Dave Nelson worked on filing a window frame. It must be perfect before being chromed and placed on a boat. No two boats are exactly the same, but there are currently two that are as close as they get. Watts walked over to the Abby B. She has been in the shop for two-and-a-half years. She is sided with planking of African Mahogany, a tropical wood with natural oils that retard rot and bacteria, and built back with a tightness of the hull to ensure the vessel is waterproof. Caulking was added to fill any holes, followed by sanding and many layers of varnish. Like every boat, the Abby B has a story. She is a 1930 Dodge 21 1/2 ft. Hull #2, the oldest 21 1/2 foot known to exist. “These are amazing boats, extremely elaborate,” Watts said. “The Dodge brothers, Horace and John Dodge, became ill and both died within a month, probably from the Spanish Flu. They were extremely successful and were building parts for Ford and government contracts. Horace Junior, an heir, went through his money real quick. He liked boats.” The two boats were designed for Horace Junior by naval architect George Crouch. Each boat had a figurehead on the front; the Abby B’s is a sea nymph. The Emma S, Hull #83, is another 1930 Dodge and Abby’s twin; both are now owned by the same client who
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
Dave Watts is owner of Little Rock Boat Works in Rice, where he and his crew restore one-of-a-kind vintage wooden boats. The boat he leans on is the Abby B, one of two they are currently working on, that was designed in 1930 by naval architect George Crouch for an heir of the Dodge Brothers.
has named them after his twin granddaughters. Watts has had numerous clients, but basically, there are two that keep him booked up with work for years in advance. Watts will find an unusual boat, something a little out of the ordinary. If they like the boat, they purchase it with plans of restoration. Over the course of the projects, they communicate often with Watts, and take great interest in the work.
Watts page 11
All Aluminum/Stainless Steel Welding and Metal Sales. We also provided Portable Welding
Brandon Petermeier
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RICE – Ask Dave Watts what his favorite aspect of restoring vintage wooden boats is and his answer is simple: He is recreating masterpieces. He and his crew of four which includes his son, Ben, at Little Rock Boat Works in Rice, take great pride in their workmanship while bringing one-of-a-kind treasures back to their original beauty – or better. On Dec. 7, Watts talked about the art of boat restoration and the business that has been his full-time work since 1986. Walking through the facility just outside of town, the sights, sounds and smells of work and wood filled the air. Each boat that comes into the shop can take up to three years to rebuild. They are completely disassembled and put back together in a process that creates a boat with longevity far outlasting the original. They were first built to last six to eight years; after Watts is done with them, they will be treasures that last generations. By the time they are finished, the owners will have at least $300,000 into each boat. “Originally, they were mass produced in a factory,” Watts said. “They were not perfect and there is no such thing as a perfect restoration, but we try.” In one area of the shop, Wayne Carriveau worked on a shiny, beautiful boat. He paused to explain what he was doing. “I am on my third stage of buffing, taking out all the fine scratches and everything,” Car-
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