Scenes from a Boat-Building, 01/04/12

David Ryan

David Ryan is a boat builder and USCG licensed master captain. He is the owner of Sailing Montauk and skipper of Montauk''s charter sailing catamaran MON TIKI You can follow him on Twitter @CaptDavidRyan

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5 Responses

  1. Jonathan says:

    I never thought I would enjoy reading about a boat being built. Thanks, David.Report

  2. Jason Kuznicki says:

    May I just say that this is awe-inspiring?  Have you sent it to BoingBoing?Report

  3. Rufus F. says:

    It’s pretty exciting for me too- I just wish I lived closer than 11 hours from Montauk so I could hang out and watch.Report

  4. dexter says:

    I won’t speak for Mr. Ryan, but most of the carpenters I know don’t really like to have people hanging around and watching.  I do have myself immortalized by having five seconds in a tourism commercial pretending to play a trumpet and was stunned by the number of watchers so Mr. Ryan may be used to them.  What amazes me is having to make cuts within a millimeter with materials that expand and contract.  A millimeter is less the a fine pencil line.  Whether it is playing a guitar, writing a sentence or cutting a straight line, I do appreciate skill.Report

  5. David Ryan says:

    @Jonathan

    In documentary filmmaking, there is a certain species of high regard that is held for filmmakers that can make fascinating movies about seemingly archane and/or mundane subject matter. Fast, Cheap and Out of Control is an example of just such a film/filmmaker.

    Of course I never had that sort of filmmaking elan, and had to stick to intrinsically interesting subject-matter: sex, death, love, and God.

    @Jason

    We have not begun our promotional campaign in ernest. The current MonTikiMontauk.com site is a simple WordPress blog I put together to start organizing material. Once my designer wife reorganized/re-skins, we’ll begin our push. I hope everyone here at the league will pitch in to help us get the word out!

    @Rufus

    My investment in the $300 proportional epoxy pump means there are no spectators. Come on down and we’ll put you to work!

    @dexter

    In fact, the saw in that shot was a blade the width of a pencil line, and it’s not that big a struggle to cut to that level of accuracy. Like anything else, practice, and knowing that it’s even possible goes a long way. And anyway, epoxy is what’s known as a “gap-filling” glue. With the right additives, it can easily make up for 1/8th of an inch, more than enough for even the most ham-fisted wood-butcher!

    Thanks all for your kind words. The biggest part of the job is staying psyched. Thanks for keeping me psyched!Report