News

Wooden Boat of the Week

This Service Is Entirely Subjective.

Its Real Name Is “My Favorite Wooden Boat Of the Week.”

I will post a new boat every Tuesday. “Because every wooden boat has a story . . .” ~ Carl Cramer
Posted on October 29, 2012 by Carl Cramer:

 

 

Pretty As a Picture & SO Lovely. The New Friendship 36

Yet another reason for me to play the lottery…

I visited Rockport Marine the other day.  They had just begun work on this new Friendship 36, designed by Ted Fontaine and his crew at the Fontaine Design Group.

Quite a transition for Rockport Marine, who had just spent three years restoring ADVENTURESS (see my entry of a couple of months ago).  As John England, project manager, said “Imagine:  We’ll be launching her in nine months.”

You can’t really tell from the rendering, but her lines are fabulous.   I was able to see the construction details.

– He likely doesn’t remember this, but I worked with Ted Fontaine back in… 1979 or so, at Ted Hood’s Little Harbor design office in Marblehead, MA.  I lasted all of three days… and decided to continue my rigging career [euphemism for "yard crew"] at Wayfarer Marine in Camden, ME.

So, here’s my point and question to you: If you’re a boatyard, of course you’d jump at the chance to restore ADVENTURESS — a once-in-a-lifetime project.  But that ties up all (or almost all) your staff and attention for three years. As a business proposition, maybe it’s better to build a gaggle of 36-footers over that same time-frame?

So — I love the Friendship 36, and can’t wait to follow her progress at Rockport Marine.

Thanks, Carl 

 

Posted in My Wooden Boat of October 2012 | Tagged Fife, Fontaine Design Group, Friendship class, Rockport Marine, wood boat | 1 Comment