On Saturday morning in winter/spring, an other-wise normal guy named George puts on his boat-building hat as project manager for Box of Rain’s ‘Boat-Building by the Bay’ off-season, youth-oriented boat-building collective. ‘Otherwise normal’ because building wood boats can be habit-forming! My role since program inception in 2009 extends behind scenes to shop set-up, materials procurement, and organization of each group boat-building session. I worked in boat and ship construction for a time before entering college. Presently I work during the week for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center on the Rhode River in Edgewater, MD. Employed there for 15-years, I’ve traveled all over the world helping conduct scientific research on marine invasive species. ‘Invasive species’ is a slight misnomer because they tend only to invade when we offer convenient pathways, things like free rides on or in the hulls of big ships. So… invasive species are mostly our own fault! But that doesn’t mean we still don’t study them and try to learn how to prevent the problem...
Boat-Building by the Bay is blessed with motivated, open-minded, talented, and interested youth, excellent and cheerful volunteer instructor/mentors, and the diverse talents and community base provided by Box of rain Foundation staff. Our motto of ‘Teamwork, Character, Respect’ sums up our approach to interaction and instruction during sessions. Developing everyone’s cooperative and interactive skills is perhaps more key than fostering a testable understanding of geometry and math in relation to the manufacture of boats… Anyway, that’s how I see priorities in our small program today.
Going forward in 2011 we’ll meet on the first and second Saturday morning of the month through April and maybe into May. The interested are encouraged to swing by, visit, meet us and check progress. Classes are at the Annapolis Sailing School this year. The project is the fourteen-foot ‘Kaholo’ stand-up-paddle-board kit, provided by Chesapeake Light Craft. It is not so big as the fine seventeen-foot dory we made last year; however, it requires equal craftsmanship and care to reach a level of finish that will dazzle! Moreover, we hope it will be a HOT ticket during the spring fundraiser and auction! Already the young builders have assembled the hull panels to each other and to the thwart-ship frames. It was necessary to line everything up to a tee before tightening copper-wire ‘stitches’ that hold the shape while the epoxy does it’s stuff. Careful work, performed in a true spirit of teamwork! The next few sessions will be equally exciting, as additional framework is added, joints are further supported by epoxy-work, and the deck is attached. Later in the spring we’ll work on the finish, aiming for the special glow of an all over natural clear coat of many coats of varnish.
I heartily thank all BBbtB participants whether young or not-so-young!
