Four By Four

     After these many years of working on boats, their design, new construction, and maintenance, I have become aware that different people want boats that possess different levels of finesse and finish. This may be for reasons of taste, utility, economics, or upkeep; there is no right or wrong here, only personal preference, and if the plain boat gets used more than the gilded one, it is by my lights the more successful boat. Having reached this conclusion, I have (perhaps arbitrarily) decided to divide my design work into four distinct groups, based on the levels of skill, time, and finish each will take to construct; and, with a concurrent consideration of the skill levels needed to use and maintain the  finished boats. I have given these four groups the distinguishing, traditional labels of: Masters, Journeyman, Apprentice, and Work Boat, which I trust will aid in providing clarity of the intent behind each design in each group.

     I have also learned over the years that there are in essence four ways by which someone (individual, group, family) will come to acquire and own a new boat built in the one-off or one-at-a-time universe.The first is to have a boat built to order by a professional builder to an agreed upon level of finish. The second is to purchase a pre-cut kit, and assemble and finish the boat yourself. Third is to build a boat for yourself in a classroom setting. And, fourth, build for yourself a boat from a set of plans (or digital files). Naturally, there will be some overlaps between these, as one may want help with parts of assembling a kit, or one may take some classes to learn how to build a boat at home. But these are the four primary ways a person may come to acquire a new, personalized boat.

     The process of deciding which approach best suits an individual must consider such factors as cost, time available to work on a project, timeline for when the boat is wanted, personal skills, intended use for the boat; and, the nature of one's personal interests; as some want a project and others want a boat. There is also the question of customization, available in every format and level, but an issue always subject to time management and the value of usefulness added to the final product.


     In separating boat designs into four levels based on finesse and finish, it goes without saying that here, too, there is some overlap and blurring of the lines. I have built simple, flat bottom skiffs with bright finished mahogany throughout (the Masters Skiff); while my father designed and built one of the finest motorboat hulls in existence, finished plain for charter fishing. But, as a general point of discussion, I will next offer my definition of the four levels in my forthcoming postings.