|
Not living large, But loving it.
I’m uncomfortable saying this: I enjoy designing small
boats. I’m uncomfortable only because I don’t really think of 40 to 60,
or even bigger boats as being all that “small”. Still, look through many
yachting publications, if it’s under a 100-feet it better be
hellaciously fast and outrageously expensive. If it’s bigger than
100-feet it better be huge. The crew: a uniformed battalion of
bikini-clad boat ornaments would be nice. The owner: the look just one
step away from a GQ fashion spread. Has anyone noticed the ever-growing
number of gold chains since disco died?
Really, I am happiest when I’m designing what can lovingly be described
as “mom and pop boats”. For me the size is not as important as the fact
that it is, or can be, operated by a couple. The simple reason is that
these are the boats most likely to really get used. Sure, a crewed
vessel may suit some, but I seriously think that that’s more like
vacationing on a cruise ship, albeit a very small one. You join the boat
when it gets there. You drive it under the watchful eye of Hans. It may
be fun, but is that really boating?
For me much of the joy comes from the privacy (also read serenity), the
personal involvement, and to a great extent the demands on
self-reliance. That does not suggest the need to survive on hardtack or
understand the importance of citrus to stave off scurvy. I simply mean
that for me, and many of the folks I work with, crossing a lake or a
sound, or making a simple waypoint after a few hours offshore can be as
big a rush as crossing oceans. After all, it’s not about the size of the
vessel or the size of the challenge. It is about the amount of enjoyment
it brings.
But that’s just my opinion.
|
