William H. Barker, thanks for my life with boats…
When asked to give some thought to someone who was a big influence on my involvement with boats, I immediately thought of Howard Chapelle and John Gardner. While much of what I have learned has been lifted from their prolific writings, I may not have been led to them without the influence of my mother’s brother, Uncle Bill.
Bill Barker grew up sailing in Westport, Massachusetts. I have a 1920’s advertisement for Wamsutta Yacht Duck with a picture of Bill and his brother Jack sailing their F.L.Tripp skiff BLACK JACK. When a bit older, the brothers sailed a small schooner named SUGGLER. These were exciting names to the young of the next generation. There was some pirate blood in Uncle Bill.
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Eddie Sheufelt says:
Hi Harry, Eddie from Nubian here. A voice from the past, we met cruising in 89-90 in the Pacific. I’m still with Eileen and still into boats. Rebuilding a Benford Ladybug 32 for Alaska cruising. Love the space you have put together.
Andrew Shemella says:
I took the 2 day course in wooded boatbuilding at Mystic and John Gardner was the instructor. How lucky was that! I went on to build a the 14′ Marblehead Skiff, which was probably the ugliest rendition of that design ever created. But thanks to John, I did it and learned a lot more than boatbuilding.
Geoff Kerr says:
I got to shake John Gardner’s hand back in my youth as well…as a baby Coast Guard officer who happened to be stationed on a ship in New London I was lucky enough to be the closest available applicant when a last minute cancellation made a slot available in one of his three day weekend boatbulding classes. It was like entering the Cave of Wonders! What a wonderful, unassuming teacher he was!