In my last posting I said I had a big project to work on before I got back to making miniatures.
Here she is, let me introduce you to "Pixil" short for word pixilated meaning whimsical and touched in the head by pixies (fairies). Pixilated is probably a very apt descriptive adjective for anyone who makes miniatures or wooden boats ;-).
For the last several weeks I have been having a working vacation in a historic turn of the century workshop located on the waterfront in the little town of Port Hadlock. Pixil was built in 1993 by the North West School of Wooden Boat Building. The school was very kind and let me bring her into their building while I did a paint and varnish job on her.
The boat was built to 1950s plans created by the famous designers John and William Atkins. The design is named "Teach". It is a very good design for teaching boat building with lapstrake planking above the waterline and carvel below the waterline.
Now you might think, yuck I would not want to spend my vacation scraping off old varnish and putting on new. But the truth is there are a great many around the world who would be very envious of my chance to work at the school and be around all the various activities with a group that is seriously devoted to preserving the craft of wooden boat building.
Tonight I am sitting in the boat in Port Townsend, Washinton at the Wooden Boat Festival. Port Townsend is just up the road from the boat school. Port Townsend is one of four historic registered Victorian era seaports in the USA. Great place to come for a vacation!
People from all over the world come here to see this Wooden Boat Festival. The guest lecture at the boat school this morning was by a boat builder from New Zealand. I have come to the festival many times over the years but this is my first time to have a boat in the festival. It is now dark but people are still all around me, a band is playing right in front of me, next to me is a man snuggled into the cockpit of his boat reading a book. We are land docked on trailers but there are many boats in the water that are tied up to the docks.
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10 comments:
Beautiful little boat. Is she yours?
Something different but it sure sounds like fun mixed with hard work, isn't it always like that in any case. I love the sea and sailing, unfortunately the sea is very far from me.
I am so glad there are people who are keeping alive the traditional boats and boatbuilding! Thankyou for sharing your wonderful adventure, love your 'Pixil'.
Beautiful photos!
Hugs
Yes Josje she is my boat. But I am hoping to sell her. Not easy to find buyers for boats in the current economy.
What a beautiful vessel! Reminds me of some of the old, wooden boats of my childhood on Lake Minnetonka.
Vivo en ciudad marinera y me encanta la navegación tanto de vela como de motor, espero disfruteis de vuestro hobby, es maravilloso.
Un abrazo
maite
Beautiful boat and I am pleased that you are helping to keep the tradition of wooden boats going. I have a dear friend who loves them as well and sails one of his own here in Australia. Maybe you might do one in miniature now vbg?
Sandie
I have the build plans to this little boat, but I would like to know the displacement( not listed anywhere ) I know for small vessels such as this the displacement is often irrelevant, but I would love to know anyway.
Anonymous, sorry but I have no clue what the displacement is.
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