another film I won't get to make...

A significant voyage, regarding "Moral injury", and in the "Maybe it's time to sail to Alaska while I still can" department...

Speaking of Alaska, there's a George Buehler project boat on offer that is all kinds of interesting and you might want to check it out.

In all honesty, I have to admit that I found the boat interesting on a lot of levels. For starters, Buehler's Juno is the epitome of a Buehler design and a lot of folks consider it, myself included, his best work. The boat comes with an interesting history that would go a long way to being the fodder of any number of sun-downer discussions and talking points. Plus it's just a great cruising boat.

The other thing that appealed to me was simply that it would be an awesome project to take on and make a film about. It has all the elements a classic boat of sorts, an interesting history behind it, and a somewhat larger than life designer. The built in dramatic edge of a project with a ticking clock deadline would drive the narrative along full tilt boogie.

What a great film it would make...

Listening to Hurray For The Riff Raff

So it goes...

George Buehler is no longer with us...

Some evolution in thought, a summer reading list, and in the "Dumb as a sack of hammers and we are so fucked" department...

I just read in the new WoodenBoat that George Buehler passed away back in February and I'm still trying to get my head around the idea of a boat design world without him and what that means.

Melquiades the Buehler design I've always wanted to build

On one level, George was perceived by many as something of a dream merchant and not always in a good way. That said, I don't know any successful designers of sailboats who do not qualify as sellers of dreams because it just goes with the territory.

Maybe what made Buehler different is he was more of an equal opportunity dream merchant both  upfront and unapologetic that his boats were designed for folks on a budget.

Personally, I both loved and hated some of his designs and often disagreed with some of his thoughts on design and construction. Then again, I can also say that about most designers of boats I respect because no one gets it right 100% of the time and if you're not making some mistakes you're not evolving or getting better.

The bottom line is George got it right somewhat more than he got it wrong and that's a record anyone should be proud of. He was also a nice guy and never took himself too seriously.

He'll be missed.

I suspect that folks (like these) with dreams larger than their bank accounts will continue to build his boats and sail of into the sunset and, when you think of it, that's a pretty good legacy.

Listening to Glen Hansard

So it goes...

A project I'm following...

A bit of interesting reading, some possibly needful advice, and if it quacks like a duck...

A boat build you may want to follow or support.



Listening to Pat McGee

So it goes...

In the expecting great thing department..

Baby Doc passes away, the Coasties rescue an idiot, and some scary reading well worth your time...

George Buehler has a new book coming out in the next few days and I'm very much looking forward to reading it.

As in really, really looking forward to reading it.

More about it after I've had a chance to read it...

Listening to Madeleine Peyroux

So it goes...

About the one true path and boatbuilding...

A film worth watching, Krugman pointing stuff out, and just the thing for the night watch...

The other day a reader of Boat Bits wrote in to point out that two books on boat building I often recommend ("The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding" and "Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding") are not exactly on the same page about sailboat design or boatbuilding. He seemed kind of pissed about it in fact...

The thing is, he's right. They don't actually agree with each other a lot. Though, in truth, they do agree more often than not. I tend to recommend both their books because they don't agree a lot of the time and it's up to you, the reader, to realize that there is no one true answer to the designing or building a boat thing.

I like Buehler's designs and thought process and I could say the same for Parker's. That said, I don't really buy in to either of their thoughts on design or building 100% but I do think their books and designs are a great resource and building blocks to a real education on the subject.

I'm also a big fan of the late Phil Bolger and I really think his body of work is a must study as well. On the other hand, while I'm a real fan of his work, I really don't consider myself a follower of Bolger... I admire his designs but I am not about to go on a crusade and forsake all others.

The thing is, a lot of folks looking for a boat design/designer are not so much looking for a boat, they're looking for a cause/lifestyle/philosophy/doctrine/ideology/religion that they can hang their hat on.

They are looking for the one true path and that gets problematic when I recommend various designers who design radically different boats and methods of building them.

A question I hate, that I get far too often, is who is the BEST designer and what is the BEST design... Seriously, how can you answer when there are so many awesome designs, designers and any number of boats that will suit the questioners desires to a "T" if he were open-minded and willing to set preconceptions aside.

Returning to the Parker/Buehler thing, if you're set on building a Buehler boat, Parker's book will be a huge help when you build it and the same goes for someone building a Parker boat, as Buehler's book will come in very handy as well... Trust me on this.

I should also point out that there are a plethora of excellent design and boatbuilding books, most of which are pretty damn good and will teach you a lot if you pay attention. Some agree with each other and a lot don't. Maybe it's just me, but I find I learn a lot more from seeing where people diverge rather than where they come together.

Listening to It's a Beautiful Day

So it goes...

The short list revisited ... 3

OK here is where it gets a little complicated...

So far we have been looking at boats that would be suited to the purpose and easily handled by a couple.

Melquiades by George Buehler (of "Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding" fame) handles the same set of needs but does it in a different and in some ways... "Better".

Gone are all of the extra berths... Have you noticed that no one designs real stowage these days? There is a whole lot of difference between stowage and berths that you can stick/cram things under! For those of us who live on board, things like tools (and in my case camera equipment and diving gear ARE tools), gear and other things which while normal to own are just too problematic for yacht designers to consider (books, musical instruments, skis, golf clubs, bicycles or whatever) so they either are stuck on top of a berth or as I have been advised by a "NA" or two to simply leave them behind at "HOME".

Now let's reconsider the whole live aboard thing again... BOAT = HOME! Seems pretty simple to me... Not sure why certain NA's don't quite get it.
Which brings us back to "Mel" a cargo schooner with plenty of space to put stuff, a great galley/ living, area and a bedroom and head you could swing a cat in. Which is just what most live aboard cruisers actually need and all those extra berths never actually get used. However if you really needed an extra cabin the hold is big enough that it could be scaled down for a bit more accommodation.

The schooner rig makes sense as it keeps the rig manageable and as Buehler is loath to design around expensive gear all of the various hardware and suchlike can be self built or found at flea markets and consignment shops for pennies on the dollar. So while at fifty foot "Mel" is bigger than a lot of people might consider for a couple, it is a cheap fifty footer cost wise.

Of course it is not perfect, fifty foot means you are going to be anchoring out as the cost of marinas and such start eating into the important stuff (like more guitars and cat toys!) but as we never go into marinas (high priced slums) that only leaves the cost of hauling out and with its long keel I'd be just as inclined to make sure every year or so I'd sail someplace with enough tidal range and simply dispense with that particular brand of marine trades piracy!

"Mel" also looks seriously wicked (and that's a GOOD thing!)