Dear Warren,Warren Kaplan wrote: Larry,
Certainly a revelation that brings revulsion to the reader. I wonder how "widespread" these substandard boat building practice have become? Is this just happening with new builders who have opened for business since 1990? Maybe not since Sea Ray is an old line boat that "used" to be thought of as a quality product. But then again "Mr. SeaRay" may have sold the company to a conglomerate that is just interested in the bottom line. So Sea Ray today isn't the Sea Ray of old.
But what about quality boat builders. Hinckley, Morris Yachts and what about Robinhood Marine? Surely there are still some that have "old fashion pride" in producing quality. If you look at the literature (or website) or other ads for these companies they often tell you exactly what the construction materials and specs are for their hulls, decks, etc. I find it hard to believe that some of these really old line high quality companies would risk their reputations, and reputations that command a premium price when buying new, on such practices. I, too, often look at Mr Pascoe's reviews but I think this time he gives the impression that ALL boat builders build their new boats that way. I sure hope not.
What does bother me is this. I, like many of you I suspect, get a multitude of sailing magazines and publications each month. Invariably there is a section entitled something like "New Boat Review". There, some marine architects/sailboat mavens/circumnavigators and the like review new boats. I know these publications depend heavily on these builders for advertising dollars but did you EVER read even one sentence that you could probably hole the hull if a broom handle accidently hit the topsides? I've read comments like, "the bunks could be longer or the engine access is impossible" but never once a criticism of the structural integrity of a boat. The Gods of Commerce rule all I guess.
In any event, Sine Qua Non is the winner in all this. I will redouble my efforts to keep this irreplacable Cape Dory jewel in A-1 Shape. We Cape Dory captains are a very lucky few!
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27 #166, of that quality year 1980
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY
I agree completely with your comments. In my business I get to work on boats of all ages and types of construction. Many of my customers with newer boats feel good about getting ten years out of a fitting before having to replace it. My own personal boat, the one on the home page of my web site, was built at Herreshoff Mfg. Co. in September of 1920. Most of my fittings are original and are still fine.
Last Spring I was asked to make all new fittings for a twenty foot cat boat. The original fittings were still working but the owner thought that they were looking tired. Many had some scratches and dings. He asked me to use his original fittings as models and make him all new ones. My point is that the boat and here fittings were made in 1892. Neither the owner nor I saw anything unusual in the fact that the 109 year old boat and her fittings were still functional. In the process I also developed the tooling for some of the most beautiful fittings that you have ever seen.
It would have been cheaper and easier for this boat's owner to simply go to a marine mega store and by new stainless steel fittings. Fortunately he appreciated the grace and aesthetics of the 1890's designs and had me reproduce them.
Since the Cape Dory line of boats have classic hull shapes I now have many CD owners that are in the process of getting rid of the modern day fittings of aluminum, plastic and stainless steel that were used on their boats and replacing them with the beautiful hardware of a century ago.
Roger W.
Bristol Bronze
401-625-5224
info@bristolbronze.com
