SHAVINGS October-November,
V o l u m e 2, Number 5 WINTER PROJECTS NEED VOLUNTEERS
coverage
of
our
annual
boat
1980 show.
The C e n t e r i s p u t t i n g o u t o u r a n n u a l Autumn c a l l f o r v o l u n t e e r s . Two b o a t shows a r e c o m i n g t o town i n January: The N a t i o n a l Wooden B o a t Show, a t S e a t t l e C e n t e r , and t h e S e a t t l e B o a t Show, a t t h e K i n g d o m e , t h e l a t t e r one o f t h e m a j o r shows n a t i o n a l l y . CWB has been g i v e n b o o t h s p a c e i n e a c h , a great o p p o r t u n i t y to gather new members, g a i n s u p p o r t , and s p r e a d t h e good word a b o u t wood.
Give C o l l e e n or Dick a c a l l . B e t t e r y e t , come t o t h e G e n e r a l E l e c t i o n m e e t i n g , November 2 1 , v o t e o n o f f i c e r s and t r u s t e e s , and f i n d o u t what y o u c a n do t o a i d CWB d e v e l o p m e n t .
P l a n n i n g our d i s p l a y s w i l l r e q u i r e h e l p - - l o t s o f i t . And w e ' l l need p e o p l e i n t h e b o o t h s t o answer questions.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING F r i d a y , November 2 1
W e have n o s h o r t a g e o f p r o j e c t s . I f you a r e n ' t u p t o b o o t h - m i n d i n g , perhaps you'd l i k e t o l e a r n t h e i n s and o u t s o f g e t t i n g g r a n t s . The M a i n P u b l i c L i b r a r y i s o f f e r i n g c o u r s e s i n g r a n t w r i t i n g and grant resources. You c o u l d become our g r a n t e x p e r t ! P e r h a p s y o u ' r e a n a r c h i v i s t , and c o u l d h e l p s e t u p a scheme f o r keeping t r a c k of our donated b o a t s and m e m o r a b i l i a . Our c o l l e c t i o n grows a l m o s t d a i l y .
I f none o f t h e a b o v e i n t e r e s t y o u , w e have d o z e n s o f o t h e r needs, from boat r e p a i r t o s i g n p a i n t i n g , a l l a w a i t i n g the touch of a v o l u n t e e r hand.
The November t h i r d F r i d a y m e e t i n g w i l l i n c l u d e the t h i r d annual e l e c t i o n o f o f f i c e r s and t r u s t e e s o f CWB. The E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e w i l l submit a s l a t e ; a d d i t i o n a l n o m i n a t i o n s may be made f r o m t h e floor. The p r o g r a m November 21 w i l l be a p r e s e n t a t i o n and d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e b o o k , PETER PUGET, w i t h R o b e r t Wing, a u t h o r , and Ben Dennis, p u b l i s h e r .
P e r h a p s y o u have f u n d - r a i s i n g s k i l l s , o r c o u l d spend t i m e keepi n g l o c a l p o l i t i c i a n s aware o f u s and o u r p r o g r e s s .
Our s p e a k e r f o r J a n u a r y w i l l b e B i l l Modrell. B i l l has b e e n a b u i l d e r , p e r h a p s b e s t known f o r Jay Benford's "Sunrise," designer, and i n s t r u c t o r .
Do y o u know how t o t a l k t o m e d i a people? Now i s t h e t i m e t o c o n t a c t them, t o make them a w a r e o f CWB, and t o e n l i s t them f o r
B i l l w i l l t a l k about the b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s o f s m a l l boat d e s i g n , w i t h s p e c i a l emphasis o n the builder's viewpoint.
A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTER FOR WOODEN BOATS 277 0 W e s t l a k e A v e . N. S e a t t l e WA 98109
S e a t t l e ' s Summer day was O c t o b e r f o u r t h , t h i s y e a r , j u s t i n t i m e f o r CWB's Autumn R e g a t t a , and b e t t e r t h a n 100 members and f r i e n d s w e r e there. They b r o u g h t more t h a n 2 5 b o a t s , 1 9 o f them i n t h e l a r g e s t rowing race in Regatta h i s t o r y . Two o u t r i g g e r t y p e s were t h e r e , a 16' B j o r k e d a l s b o a t , C h a m b e r l a i n g u n n i n g d o r i e s , L e n t i n i d e s i g n s , Gardner d e s i g n s , John Hartsock d e s i g n s . T h e r e w a s n ' t enough w i n d f o r the s a i l b o a t s (or f o r the k i t e s o f the S e a t t l e K i t e F e s t i v a l , which s h a r e d G a s w o r k s P a r k s w i t h CWB), and t h e r o w i n g r e s u l t s a r e h i g h l y c o n j e c t u r a l , b u t i n t h a t w e a t h e r , who w o r r i e d much? Here, Dick Wagner and B r i o n T o s s g e t r e a d y f o r a B j o r k e d a l s - W h i t e b e a r t u g - o f - w a r . S I T E -- SLOW GETS SLOWER P r o g r e s s on o b t a i n i n g a p e r m i t t o u s e Waterway 4 , o n L a k e U n i o n , has t e m p o r a r i l y s t o p p e d . The S t a t e Department o f N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s i s h o l d i n g u s up. They f e e l t h a t w a t e r w a y s must be k e p t open t o p r o v i d e a c c e s s t o w a t e r by neighboring p r o p e r t i e s . When we s u b m i t t e d o u r a p p l i c a t i o n , s i x months ago, i t i n c l u d e d endorsements of our p r o p o s a l from t h e n e i g h b o r i n g p r o p e r t y owners. DNR a s k e d t h e C i t y t o draw u p c r i t e r i a under which waterway p e r m i t s would be g r a n t e d . The C i t y c o m p l i e d , and s u b m i t t e d t h e s e c r i t e r i a t o DNR. Under these g u i d e l i n e s , our p r o p o s a l 2
w o u l d be a p p r o v e d . DNR has n o t y e t responded t o the C i t y ' s proposal. On t h e o t h e r h a n d , DNR has approved a p r o p o s a l by B o e i n g to b u i l d a d o c k on a w a t e r w a y on E l l i o t t Bay, f o r use o f B o e i n g h y d r o f o i l boats. W e need y o u r a s s i s t a n c e . Every member s h o u l d w r i t e DNR, a s k i n g a p p r o v a l of our p r o p o s a l . We w o u l d make t h e w a t e r w a y a warm, i n v i t i n g p l a c e where the p u b l i c c o u l d r e a c h t h e l a k e s h o r e and s e e , l e a r n a b o u t , and j u s t f o o l around w i t h h e r i t a g e s m a l l c r a f t
From
the
Director
J u s t t h e o t h e r day we g o t a c a l l f r o m member J o h n R o c h e l l e , o f Thibodaux, L o u i s i a n a , about the taped i n t e r v i e w s he is conducting with the p a t r i a r c h b o a t b u i l d e r s of his state. John's project is exciting. He is r e c o r d i n g our heritage. I t ' s w e l l known, we hope, t h a t many wooden b o a t w r i g h t s s t i l l u s e the t r a d i t i o n a l s k i l l s . S o what i s s o s p e c i a l about the o l d timers? T h e r e ' s a fundamental d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n them and t o d a y ' s b o a t builders. Now, m o s t b u i l d e r s work in a vacuum, w i t h o u t t h e c o n t i n u i t y o f a n o l d - s t y l e shop where s e v e r a l g e n e r a t i o n s o f b u i l d e r s work t o g e t h e r . Because the s e n i o r craftsmen a r e n ' t a r o u n d , t e a c h i n g b y p r e c e p t and e x a m p l e , t o d a y ' s b u i l d e r s must r e l y o n t h e i r copy o f C h a p e l l e and t h e W o o d c r a f t S u p p l y C a t a l o g . And t h e a n s w e r s a r e n ' t a l l t h e r e . A vast resource of maritime h e r i tage i n f o r m a t i o n s t i l l e x i s t s - i n L o u i s i a n a , here i n the Northwest, i n e v e r y w a t e r f r o n t town i n North America: the o l d masters, the ones John i s c a t c h i n g o n t a p e . These are the r e a l a r t i c l e s , the b o a t w r i g h t s who a p p r e n t i c e d i n t h e i r t e e n s , then worked f o r another f i f t y years or so. T h e y made a h a r d l i v i n g a t t h e i r c r a f t s - -b u i l d i n g , rigging, caulking, sailmaking. They b u i l t and r e p a i r e d the s h i p s , b a r k s , b r i g s , and s c h o o n e r s w e ' l l n e v e r s e e again.
SAVING A HERITAGE w i t h o n l y f e l l o w c r a f t s m e n and s e a g u l l s f o r company. They f o r g e d t o o l s when t h e y n e e d e d them. T h e y knew t h e t r i c k s o f the trade t h a t o n l y a l i f e t i m e of experience can t e a c h . The CWB h a s b e e n f o r t u n a t e t o h a v e some o f them i n o u r s e m i n a r s , w o r k s h o p s , and m o n t h l y meetings. W e ' r e a i m i n g t o soak u p more o f t h e i r i n f o r m a t i o n i n the f u t u r e , recognizing i t s i m p o r t a n c e , and d o i n g o u r b e s t to spread it around.
Maybe we c a n do e v e n m o r e . M a y b e , WHEN w e g e t o u r s i t e , WHEN we d e v e l o p i t , a n d WHEN we g e t our shop g o i n g , w e ' l l b e able to get today's b o a t b u i l d e r s together, working on j o i n t projects. Then, as in the o l d d a y s , they c a n swap t e c h n i q u e s , t e a c h e a c h o t h e r t h e i r s p e c i a l ways o f d o i n g t h i n g s , share the long t e c h n i c a l t a l k s around the shop s t o v e . We might be a b l e to r e c r e a t e the former community o f c r a f t s m e n and, in so d o i n g , p r o v i d e a modern d i v i d e n d o n t h i s i n h e r i tance of wealth.
They b u i l t b o a t s o n l o n e l y b e a c h e s w i t h w h i p s a w and a d z e ,
3
Tool Making
S e m i n a r LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS
V i s i t o r s a t l a s t Summer's Boat Show may r e c a l l member Deb Harrington's display of tools h e m a n u f a c t u r e s f r o m r e c y c l e d and inexpensive materials. Covering a broad spectrum of a p p l i c a t i o n s , t h e t o o l s i n t h a t d i s p l a y were but the t i p of the i c e b e r g , as s e v e r a l CWB members d i s c o v e r e d recently.
N e i l A l l e n , Dave C o x , N e a l F r i d l e y , R i p K n o t , Rowland M e s s e r , C a r o l i n e S c h i n k e , Lance T a y l o r , Chuck V i l l a , and P a u l Harrington attended an informal one day s e m i n a r o n t o o l m a k i n g i n D e b ' s Vashon I s l a n d shop, September 27. D u r i n g t h e day a t t e n d e e s had t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o l e a r n i n a hands-on environment, c r e a t i n g f o r themselves a wide v a r i e t y of tools.
Deb m a i n t a i n s t h a t a l i t t l e i n g e n u i t y and w i l l i n g n e s s t o take the time to develop b a s i c tool-making s k i l l s w i l l enable a l m o s t a n y o n e t o b u i l d h i s own h a n d a n d power t o o l s , a t a f r a c t i o n o f t h e i r normal c o s t . His workshop c e r t a i n l y proves h i s point. Occupying the e n t i r e ground l e v e l o f h i s home, D e b ' s shop is t h e most c o m p l e t e I e v e r have s e e n . Chock f u l l o f t o o l s , a l a r g e p e r c e n t a g e made b y t h e i r owner, t h e shop i s c a p a b l e o f any w o o d w o r k i n g o p e r a t i o n , a s w e l l a s most any m e t a l w o r k i n g one w o u l d want t o d o . Properly d e s c r i b i n g t h e shop w o u l d t a k e more room t h a t w e h a v e i n SHAVINGS; a book c o u l d be w r i t t e n about i t . Just to i l l u s t r a t e Deb's message, I would l i k e to d e s c r i b e the f r u i t s of my fumble-fingered efforts that day: a s m a l l p l a n e , the i r o n made f r o m a n o l d f i l e , t h e b o d y o f m a d r o n a wood t h a t s t a r t e d t h e d a y i n t h e wood p i l e , a n d a c a r v e r ' s m a l l e t made f r o m a chunk o f a l d e r , a l s o from t h e wood p i l e .
P r o j e c t s i n the works t h a t day i n c l u d e d p l a n e s , draw k n i v e s , c h i s e l s , d r i f t punches, c a u l k i n g i r o n s , a d i s k s a n d e r , and more. All day l o n g the g r i n d e r s r a n , t h e f o r g e r o a r e d , power saws s h a p e d p a r t s , t h e l a t h e spewed c h i p s , and t h e d r i l l p r e s s punched h o l e s , w h i l e others c h i s e l e d out p l a n e b o d i e s a n d s a n d e d wooden parts for their projects. As P e t e C u l l e r would have s a i d , " I t was g r a n d . ! "
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They b o t h work w e l l , and t h e t o t a l c o s t was $ 0 . 5 0 . That's right, fifty cents. Dave Cox
Editorial
MORE ON FINDING THE CHANNEL
The o t h e r d a y my w i f e jumped up from her r e a d i n g and, p o i n t i n g to a paragraph, s a i d , "There, read t h a t . " I t was a n a c c o u n t o f two women, m a r o o n e d i n a f i e l d , watching a foxhunt. "They were h e l d i n a t h r a l l o f fear. . . a f r a i d that a hunting c r o p ought r e a l l y t o b e c a l l e d a h u n t i n g w h i p , or a r i d i n g c r o p , or a r i d i n g whip, or a c r o p , or a w h i p , or a s w i t c h , o r God knows w h a t : terrified by the 100,000 taboos w h i c h were s o i r r a t i o n a l a s t o make i t h o p e l e s s t o b e s e n s i b l e a b o u t them a n d s o numerous a s t o make i t h o p e l e s s t o remember t h e n w i t h out being s e n s i b l e . . . . " " T h a t ' s how I f e e l at a CWB m e e t i n g , s o m e t i m e s , " she s a i d , and r e t u r n e d t o h e r b o o k . Well, s h i p m a t e s , h e r comment s t u n g . That a l l the n a u t i c a l v o c a b u l a r y I ' d s p e n t s o many y e a r s o f s t u d y and p r a c t i c e a c q u i r i n g was somehow a b a r r i e r t o h e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g and e n j o y m e n t o f b o a t s , had n e v e r o c c u r r e d t o me. A week l a t e r , a n o t h e r member t o l d me t h a t h e ' d b r o u g h t a f r i e n d to the r e g a t t a , a s e r i o u s w o o d w o r k e r , a c r a f t s m a n , and a l o v e r of well-made t h i n g s . After a few h o u r s , t h e v i s i t o r c o r n e r ed h i s host and, in an undertone, s a i d , "Dave, the boats are g r e a t , b u t d o y o u h a v e some b o o k s t o r e c o m m e n d , o r maybe a d i c t i o n ary? I d o n ' t u n d e r s t a n d what people are t a l k i n g about." P u t t i n g t h e two i n c i d e n t s a l o n g s i d e one a n o t h e r , I s u d d e n l y r e a l i z e d t h a t we might be c u t t i n g o u r s e l v e s o f f from a l a r g e g r o u p o f p o t e n t i a l members
just
when w e
need
them m o s t .
Now, I ' m t h e l a s t p e r s o n t o advocate abandoning the t r a d i t i o n a l v o c a b u l a r y of the s e a . B u t I am o p p o s e d to u s i n g what lawyers c a l l "terms of a r t " to exclude or i n t i m i d a t e people who h a v e , a s t h e i r o n l y s h o r t coming, the f a c t that they d o n ' t know a r a b b e t f r o m a groove or a s h e e r l i n e from the curve of the c a p r a i l . Even w i t h o u t meaning t o , w e ' r e a l l g u i l t y o f the " o n e - u p " a t t i t u d e now and t h e n .
L e t ' s r e m e m b e r , seamen a n d s h i p w r i g h t s i n v e n t e d t h e s e words so they could c a r r y on h i g h l y technical conversations. Later e x p e r i e n c e d b l u e w a t e r men u s e d them t o e x c l u d e b e g i n n e r s f r o m t h e f r e e m a s o n r y o f t h o s e who c o u l d h a n d , r e e f , and s t e e r . The wooden b o a t r e v i v a l i s young. We c a n ' t a f f o r d to exclude anyone. We need a l l the h e l p we c a n g e t . To borrow an image from M a r t y L a n g l a n d , I ' d h a t e to see us in mid-channel on t h i s wondrous v o y a g e , s i n k i n g w h i l e p e o p l e were b e i n g b l o c k e d f r o m t h e pumps b e c a u s e t h e y c a l l e d t h e stem " t h e p o i n t y end."
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MONOGRAPH OR POSTER? Members who j o i n e d CWB p r i o r t o J u l y , 1980, are e n t i t l e d to a P o u l s b o B o a t m o n o g r a p h or a CWB p o s t e r , e i t h e r the Columbia R i v e r g i l l n e t t e r race o r the H a i d a dugout c a n o e . The m o n o g r a p h was r e v i e w e d b y J o h n G a r d n e r i n NATIONAL F I S H E R MAN, a n d w e ' v e r e c e i v e d o r d e r s from a l l over the U . S . , e s p e c i a l l y the E a s t C o a s t . One w r i t e r s a i d t h a t the Poulsbo looked j u s t l i k e the t h i n g f o r lobstering. (It's only simple j u s t i c e that a Northwest design should t r a v e l E a s t , in return for t h e d o r i e s , w h e r r i e s , and o t h e r E a s t e r n d e s i g n s o n P u g e t Sound waters.) The p o s t e r s a r e s u i t a b l e f o r framing. The o n l y t h i n g y o u have t o t e l l u s i s w h i c h you want. But h u r r y ; the s u p p l i e s are going f a s t !
K e t c h r i g g e d , w i t h s a i l s i n good c o n d i t i o n , t h e " W i e s e " has a GM 671 d i e s e l , h o t w a t e r h e a t i n g s y s t e m , and o t h e r g o o d i e s . T h i s v e s s e l is as rugged a c r u i s e r a s c a n b e f o u n d , and i s ready to go. Well set up for live-aboard. The a s k i n g p r i c e is $115,000, or p o s s i b l e trade. I f CWB f i n d s t h e p u r c h a s e r , " W i e s e ' s " owner w i l l d o n a t e $2,000 to the C e n t e r . F o r more i n f o r m a t i o n , 283-9166) or write to
PINE TAR,
call (206) the Center.
FOREVER!
George M a r t i n i s s k i p p e r o f the H . C . Hanson d e s i g n e d c u t t e r " S u r f Scooter," out of S i d n e y , B . C . George i s a r e a l curmudgeon about how t o t a k e c a r e o f wood b o a t s . You j u s t c a n ' t a r g u e w i t h h i m . So here is the George M a r t i n n e v e r - f a i l formula for planked deck f i n i s h , which h e s c r i b b l e d o u t , c r u m p l e d u p , and t h r e w at me when I s a i l e d p a s t t h e " S c o t e r " this F a l l : 1. 2. 3.
ON THE BLOCK The " F r i t h j o f W i e s e " i s f o r s a l e . She i s a C o l i n A r c h e r , d e s i g n #40, b u i l t f o r the Norwegian Coastal Lifesaving Service, in 1935. The " W i e s e " i s 55 x 1 7 . 5 x 1 0 ' , w i t h 2 " oak p l a n i n g and 2 " p i n e ceiling. The f r a m e s a r e 8 x 8 grown o a k , o n 8 " c e n t e r s , a l l fastened with locust *trunnels. 6
Raw l i n s e e d o i l Pine tar, 2 Tbs./ qt. o i l Red o x i d e p a i n t , 3 T b s . / qt. oil. Apply as hot as p o s s i b l e . Red o x i d e ( m e t a l p r i m e r ) i s a n ultra-violet shield. Pine tar stops fungus. Linseed o i l s t a b i l i z e s t h e wood. G e o r g e ' s decks have not l e a k e d since he started using this glob, ten years ago. His decks look r u s t y , but they are t i g h t . Dick
Wagner