Because I own and do all the work on an old, odd boat, I've struggled with its unique problems over more than two decades.
It's a fiberglass boat with a lot of wood; or a wooden boat with too much fiberglass: Take your pick.
I've learned to lie about my boat as I ask different skilled sources. The reason for this is because as a group; fiberglass boat owners are some of the most un-knowledgeable about
anything-wood (sorry
).
Conversely, wooden boat owners are for sure the most un-knowledgeable group to ask advice on
anything fiberglass.
But skilled wooden boat builders and owners have been my best source for dealing with all the wooden parts and pieces that are joined in intricate ways, and how to repair and care for them. The wood components of my boat are structural and require knowledge that isn't available except in the wooden boat world. I just don't go into the fact that my boats hull and deck are fiberglass.
And on fiberglass problems; savvy boat owners and skilled pro's are readily available online, many right here. I just stick to the fiberglass boat background and stay away from the wood aspect.
Most, likely all of the designers and builders of my boat are dead.
John Alden (holding the little girl, below), was still alive when my boat was launched in 1961(during the wood to fiberglass transition years). He had previously retired from John Alden Design in Boston Mass but no doubt followed the designs that evolved.
John Alden had the experience of years of successful boat design behind him.
I wonder what he thought? Was he a man that could accept the future of boat building, which was then fiberglass?
Or was Alden a wooden boat snob and disgusted by the gooey stuff?
I hope he was the former and glad to observe the future in his old age.
If he was the latter; maybe Alden Company's first
fibreglass hull and deck killed him, as he died shortly after the launch.
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