WoodenBoat Show News
Issue #3 — early May 2008
It's finally starting to look a bit like Spring here in New England, and that means it's time to get boats ready for the Boat Show! Local boatyards are humming with activity, and we are busy here too, putting together a great show for you! Have you made your plans yet? Tickets are going fast!
I Built It Myself!
Our Readers Make Us Proud
Tom, please tell us why we offer skills demonstrations at the WoodenBoat Show?
In our March/April 2008 issue of WoodenBoat we extended an invitation to readers to bring their home-built boats to the WoodenBoat Show to share their work with other like-minded individuals. We are pleased to say that in the past month, 25 folks have sent us photos of boats they’d like to bring to the Show to share with all of you! There’s a wide range of designers (Herreshoff, Joel White, Thomas J. Hill) and types (kayaks, peapods, skiffs and a sloop), and we’d like to share a couple of examples here. To see more, go to the WoodenBoat Show site. Even better, come to Mystic Seaport and see them in person!
See all the great boats our readers are bringing to the Show here...
Second Annual Film Fest
Last year we had a very interesting and successful Film Series that ran all three days of the Show. This year we have an equally riveting group of videos planned. Here's what you can see this year:
- “Alone in the Wilderness” — a fascinating look at one man's solitary and self-sufficient experience in Alaska.
- “Devil Boat - The Saga of PT 658” — the restoration story of PT boat by Portland, Oregon PT veterans.
- “Building of the St. Rosalie” — a documentary of the building of a large commercial fishing boat after WWII.
- “Downeast Lobsterman” — a chronicle of Maine lobstering in the 1950’s.
- “Peapods of the Maine Coast” — twelve interview on the construction, history, anecdotes and technical information on this well-known double-ended boat from Penobscot Bay.
In addition to these colorful videos, there will be a presentation by authors Philip Shelton and Amy Wood of their book “World Voyagers” which details their circumnavigation in their 42 foot wooden cutter “Iwalani.” Live vicariously through their three-year adventure!
Featured Exhibitor: Sea Fever Gear
A love of the sea and the environment inspired Sea Fever Gear’s unique, hand-crafted products made from recycled sails. “We felt at odds, being so passionate about an environmentally friendly activity like sailing, and then turning around and sending the old sails to sit in the landfill,” explains Penny Haughtwout, co-founder of Sea Fever Gear.
Penny and her partner started with an old sail from the family’s boat, and quickly got busy creating everything from bags to spinnaker jackets, one sail at a time. "We've even gotten a few from America’s Cup boats and other racing legends. But our favorite is using a customer’s sail and transforming their memories into gear they can share with their family and crew. That captures the essence of why we’re in this business.”
“Coming to Mystic Seaport for this year’s WoodenBoat Show is like coming full circle,” Penny continues. “My ancestors were ship builders; sailing’s in my blood. My parents had a great respect for the sea and used sailing to teach us everything from teamwork to history. Cruising to Mystic Seaport and climbing aboard these magnificent old ships was a big part of those lessons. Now I’m back with my own company — partly inspired by this magical place — at a venue that celebrates classic boats and memories. I hope to pass along some of that spirit while raising awareness about the environment. It’s not a bad gig and I think my parents would be proud.”
Limited Exhibit Space Available
There are still a number of tent booths, land spaces and in-water docks for you to choose from. All wooden boats, products, and services for the wooden boat and boatbuilding market are invited to participate!
To learn more about exhibiting, please contact
Kate Holden at:
E:
T: 207-359-4651
or
Ray Clark at:
E:
T: 401-247-4922
Multihull Pioneer Dinner Update
There are still plenty of tickets left for the special Saturday evening dinner to honor multihull pioneers. For more information on the speakers (Jim Brown, Meade Gougeon, Walter Green, Dick Newick and James Wharram), and the dinner go here.
Plan to Stay the Weekend
Make sure you have plenty of time to board the boats, visit the exhibitor displays, learn expert boatbuilding skills at the demonstrations, view the films and enjoy all of Mystic Seaport’s great family-friendly activities, including:
- Cruising the Mystic River on Sabino
- Exploring a re-created 19th century village
- Shopping for maritime art
- Learning about celestial navigation at the Planetarium dome
In the next few weeks...
We’ll be finalizing exhibitor lists, highlighting more Mystic Seaport activities, and giving you up-to-date information on the youth boatbuilding activities planned for the Show. We have the final schedule for the Demonstrations posted on the website.
Thanks,
Your Friends at WoodenBoat