Back to Boat-Building

Working on the as-of-yet-unnamed boat.

I took Rob's boat-building class, Lang on the Hudson, last spring for two reasons: 1. During one Inprint closing during the fall semester, Rob showed Peter, Alex and I pictures of his rowing trip around 2. Because it was my last semester at Lang, I wanted to take a fun, interesting class.

Ever since, I've been hooked. Rob's running the class again and I try to help out whenever I can. In addition to another Whitehall gig through Lang on the Hudson, Rob & Co. built a canoe; both projects of which I've had my hands in.

While I'm horrible at the technical aspects of boat-building (figuring out how to cut a slab of wood in order to fit the mast and have that piece fit in a comfortable seat at the same time), I'm great at following directions. There's something wholly satisfying about cutting, "painting" & "peanut-buttering" (applying epoxy), planing, etc. and having it all work out together in the form of a completed boat. And, even better: nothing beats finally being out on the water in the finished product. I still remember how I felt when I first rowed in the Quixotic last year.

It's also a nice way to amp myself up for rowing season, which I've missed so much. Hopefully, if it all works out with the Hudson River Trust, rowing begins next Tuesday, April 22 at 5 p.m. (not exactly sure about the time) at Pier 40 at the west end of Houston Street. With rowing comes camping, and that's what it takes to make me happy.


Clamping the fiberglass cloth to the canoe.