BA: Obviously with these campaigns as a leader – you are right, the parallels are very similar – you don’t get to participate unless you get the funding. It is very easy for people to overlook that. You have to work very hard to get the money – not necessarily the biggest budget but enough to get to the startline. You have to get the right strategy and that is really the make or break right there. After that it is all about problem solving, dealing with people and whatever issues arise, logistics and, yes, capsizes – these things keep coming at you fast, but that is the nature of high-level sport. SH: And finally – what keeps you awake at night? BA:Well, I have two kids under the age of six! A lot of plates spinning, with a lot going on and a lot to manage in a lot of areas. But I am fortunate that I manage stress pretty well and so I sleep pretty well! Blue Robinson
USA Master craftsmen
In a time when plastic is fantastic it is heartening to find a haven of traditional, home-built master craftsmanship. Paul Baskett, owner of the Old Town Boatworks in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, specialises in the care and feeding of wood-built boats, an activity he refers to as ‘yachting husbandry’. Old Town places a strong emphasis on quality and craftsmanship in yacht building, refits, repairs and joinery (along with some seasonal maintenance). The heritage is well-embedded in the local culture – Lunenburg is a World Heritage site recognised for its colonial history that since the late 18th century produced rum runners and other fast sailing ships for the Atlantic and Caribbean trade, including the famous Grand Banks fishing schooner Bluenose, launched in 1921. Bluenose was a perennial champion of the International Fisher- man’s Cup, held among the fastest fishing schooners of the US and Canadian fleets, with an emphasis on innovation and design. Bluenose was wrecked in 1946, but a replica Bluenose II was built in 1963 and serves as a tall ship ambassador and training vessel. She is currently at Old Town getting a refit. Baskett is not just a wooden boat aficionado but has racing her- itage in his own right. He competitively raced and coached repre- senting Canada in the 470 class, then shifted to boatbuilding with training at the Landing School and a few years spent at Spirit Yachts in the UK. He credits developing his own shipwright heritage from Spirit founder Sean McMillan: ‘The emphasis at Spirit was a passion for beauty, performance and no-compromise quality of build. These are the principles we embrace at Old Town, and after 10 years I feel fortunate to have built a crew that shares the same philosophy.’ Many Old Town employees are young newcomers to the trade, with 40 per cent women. All are hands-on as apprentice shipwrights and finishers, many with their passions derived from their own inter- ests in boats. While some have had formal training in course work, Baskett says he will hire those who may be light on credentials but strong on values of teamwork, co-operation and passion for the trade. He also has endless enthusiasm for his team and a zeal for establishing a sustainable career in a very specialised trade. For Baskett working with wooden boats is an overlooked appre- ciation for craftsmanship in a material that is versatile, sustainable and practical to work with. ‘Wood is the ultimate material: a renew- able resource that if properly maintained has little if any effect on ecosystems throughout its lifespan of use in a boat. You can get started for an investment of about $5,000 in a planer, bandsaw and table saw. This is not a heavy industry – it is a sustainable investment in people and their skills to work with a quite amazing material.’ Baskett is upbeat about the sustainable future of wood boat- building as well, pointing out this too is in the heritage of Nova Scotia. The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron is the oldest yacht club in the Americas, founded in 1837, and apparently in its charter is provision for funding a local fleet of boats of local design and build. Besides Bluenose II, Old Town continues to attract prestige jobs, including a rebuild of the 60ft 1956 Alden schooner Yankee Girl and a new build: the Uffa Fox-designed cold-moulded cedar power skiff Ankle Deep. An interesting project that should be ready by summer to start life as all wood boats should: with elegance, speed and comfort. Dobbs Davis
SEAHORSE 35
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