Re: [bolger] Wooden Boat magazine photo tribute
| I was contacted by WB a few weeks ago and asked if "Walkure" could be included in an upcoming tribute to Phil. I got the impression that one entire issue of "Launchings" will be exclusively devoted to Bolger boats. Also, as much as we would like to be there, Walkure will not be able to make it to the memorial. She's on the hard in Virginia for some major repair/refit work. --- OnFri, 8/21/09, Susanne@...<philbolger@...>wrote: |
Susanne
Hi
My name is Howard I own Blueberry (the book Blueberry a Boat of the Connecticut Shoreline fame and featured in books and magazine articles). I have signed on to this group and hope I am not too late to send along a few photos of what I consider to be one of Phils most beautiful works.
I can be reached atprof_rice@...
I am also going to try to reach you via email.
Blueberry not only looks great, she has proven to be one fine blue water cruiser.
Best,
Howard
Hi
My name is Howard I own Blueberry (the book Blueberry a Boat of the Connecticut Shoreline fame and featured in books and magazine articles). I have signed on to this group and hope I am not too late to send along a few photos of what I consider to be one of Phils most beautiful works.
I can be reached atprof_rice@...
I am also going to try to reach you via email.
Blueberry not only looks great, she has proven to be one fine blue water cruiser.
Best,
Howard
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Susanne@..." <philbolger@...> wrote:
>
> Hear, hear. Well said, Mason. These issues - sustainable fishing craft, sustainable emerging economies waterborne transportation, community-based pre- and post-colonial tree-plantings for future boat-building/fine-carpentry-usage - only get more pressient.
>
> WoodenBoat through Carl Cramer and Scott Bell has just recently expressed support in using their website to announce the Memorial Event. This should start early next week.
>
> I have first names accumulating here - with and without boats. But a Yahoo Groups-based effort would be most welcome indeed, in part to let each other know whom you will see here in a month and which boats. I would still like a direct confirmation to philbolger@... anyway. Thanks Mason and to you all. Susanne Altenburger
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: mason smith
> To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 5:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [bolger] Wooden Boat magazine photo tribute
>
>
>
> David, and all,
>
> I too want to believe that WoodenBoat will be coming up with something more in honor of Phil. The one strong advocate I know of that he has, or had, there, is Mike O'Brien, but Mike's less active nowadays if not completely retired. I have some other contacts there from old stories I've done, including the Birdwatcher piece, but I've antagonized some of the editors and think they don't want to hear much from me. I've urged that WB could do more to help find funding for a prototype of Cayuco for the Honduras Biosphere Reserve, and to publicize Phil's and Susanne's efforts and ideas about sustainable fishing and boatbuilding in ports like Gloucester. These efforts really consumed Phil and Susanne for several years (they're very much the reason for various people's difficulty getting plans and other service from PB&F during those years) and I am sorry to say that I believe the general lack of appreciation and understing of these heartfelt efforts contributed to the good man's despair. I found recenty that WB was unaware of the coming gathering in Gloucester; and by the way, shall we start a thread here for the single purpose of saying "I'm coming," and thus developing a list of boats and people? Is there something such already that I'm unaware of? -=--Mason
>
Mason just mentioned WOODENBOAT's effort on
Phil's. And that magazine has frequently been very supportive of
PCB. It has usually been a respectful and friendly two-way affair,
since without boat-designs, any type boating journalism would get stale
soon. The missing topics mentioned earlier will have to be covered
eventually.
There are glaring exceptions though - predictably. I just retrieved from the mailbox CRUISING WORLD's piece, the only piece, on Phil Bolger's 57 years of design work ever. As one would expect, after taking from me serious time, photos and line-art of 'representative designs Mr. Bill Springer (Senior Editor) indulged in a 1/3-page note with one of my photos of Phil aboard WHALEWATCHER (not mentioned!); ahh those dreadful editorial constraints. Good thing that we can read instead three fully-illustrated pages on (wait here it comes!!) "NMEA 2000 Wind Sensors: Promise That's Partially Fulfilled"; 'partially fulfilled' really tugs on your heart-strings... A consistent ending to decades of carefully protected ignorance on what actually might make for a good 'Cruiser' - beyond what advertisers allow, offering rehash after rehash of deep-draft, one-season-only, at times surprisingly fragile, and often conceptually remarkably incoherent examples of under-thinking and over-selling. CW's Jeremy Geary years ago shared with us that his experience in a 4'6" draft cruiser on the ICW offers significant insights on the virtues of 'Shallow Draft'.
No wonder that Phil declined to ever connect any completed cruiser and owner to CW; those good folks might not understand how AS-29 or ROMP should be be allowed to thought of, never mind be taken to sea... They sure would not know how actually handle these types to best advantage; who needs their giddy snickering about those silly 'folding masts' and 'off-center-boards' in print. Come to think of it, who would keep a collection of CW or SAIL in the attic for generations anyway ?? Phil grabbed and kept his share of RUDDER, YACHTING etc. with issues from the 1890s because there was a lot to be learned and then moved beyond from. While these CW or SAIL sailors have many more cruising miles on their back than Phil and I combined (that would be easy) the mere thought of BIRDWATCHER's attributes and thus capabilities might induce irrepairable and thus expensive mental anguish.
That particular 'refugium of sailor's wisdom' is much larger than one would think in an age of social advances (which Phil mostly feasted on as a sign of desirable development across his life-time alone !), progressive degrees of freedom to acquire knowledge, and in which Chinese Communist Generals outcompete each other in become ultra-rich Capitalists. These private colonies/gated-communities of 'journalism' appear at times to be squatting across the majority of known publications 'real estate'.
Alas, even in WoodenBoat Founder Jon Wilson's world does one find such phenomena. Paul Lazarus' PROFESSIONAL BOATBULDER MAGAZINE featuredfor the first and indeed the last time evera design and thus a few thoughts by Phil Bolger in the 20th Anniversary Issue Aug./Sept. 2009. Between 1989 and 2009, Phil clearly has neither been 'Professional' enough for Paul nor would Phil ever have had anything to offer to Boatbuilders. Across 120 consecutive issues, not a single project of Phil Bolger's (or Friends, Inc) was worthy of the high standards of the publication, no matter what purpose, shape, propulsion, material. On the other hand, there was significant initial article space and then 'lively' back-and-forth in the Letters section about the "100-Knot Yacht" someone was trying to be learned about. Cutting edge of decadence indeed. Nothing on what $5/gal will mean for the Builders' clients, or the Builders' own cost-structure as ProBoat is fully synthetics-oriented i.e. completely hooked on high-carbon building-practices which may be a tad problematic at $120/barrel of primary chemical base for all the fine chemistry. We've always liked some of that good stuff, but only some - not 100% mad-cap dependency.
There are glaring exceptions though - predictably. I just retrieved from the mailbox CRUISING WORLD's piece, the only piece, on Phil Bolger's 57 years of design work ever. As one would expect, after taking from me serious time, photos and line-art of 'representative designs Mr. Bill Springer (Senior Editor) indulged in a 1/3-page note with one of my photos of Phil aboard WHALEWATCHER (not mentioned!); ahh those dreadful editorial constraints. Good thing that we can read instead three fully-illustrated pages on (wait here it comes!!) "NMEA 2000 Wind Sensors: Promise That's Partially Fulfilled"; 'partially fulfilled' really tugs on your heart-strings... A consistent ending to decades of carefully protected ignorance on what actually might make for a good 'Cruiser' - beyond what advertisers allow, offering rehash after rehash of deep-draft, one-season-only, at times surprisingly fragile, and often conceptually remarkably incoherent examples of under-thinking and over-selling. CW's Jeremy Geary years ago shared with us that his experience in a 4'6" draft cruiser on the ICW offers significant insights on the virtues of 'Shallow Draft'.
No wonder that Phil declined to ever connect any completed cruiser and owner to CW; those good folks might not understand how AS-29 or ROMP should be be allowed to thought of, never mind be taken to sea... They sure would not know how actually handle these types to best advantage; who needs their giddy snickering about those silly 'folding masts' and 'off-center-boards' in print. Come to think of it, who would keep a collection of CW or SAIL in the attic for generations anyway ?? Phil grabbed and kept his share of RUDDER, YACHTING etc. with issues from the 1890s because there was a lot to be learned and then moved beyond from. While these CW or SAIL sailors have many more cruising miles on their back than Phil and I combined (that would be easy) the mere thought of BIRDWATCHER's attributes and thus capabilities might induce irrepairable and thus expensive mental anguish.
That particular 'refugium of sailor's wisdom' is much larger than one would think in an age of social advances (which Phil mostly feasted on as a sign of desirable development across his life-time alone !), progressive degrees of freedom to acquire knowledge, and in which Chinese Communist Generals outcompete each other in become ultra-rich Capitalists. These private colonies/gated-communities of 'journalism' appear at times to be squatting across the majority of known publications 'real estate'.
Alas, even in WoodenBoat Founder Jon Wilson's world does one find such phenomena. Paul Lazarus' PROFESSIONAL BOATBULDER MAGAZINE featuredfor the first and indeed the last time evera design and thus a few thoughts by Phil Bolger in the 20th Anniversary Issue Aug./Sept. 2009. Between 1989 and 2009, Phil clearly has neither been 'Professional' enough for Paul nor would Phil ever have had anything to offer to Boatbuilders. Across 120 consecutive issues, not a single project of Phil Bolger's (or Friends, Inc) was worthy of the high standards of the publication, no matter what purpose, shape, propulsion, material. On the other hand, there was significant initial article space and then 'lively' back-and-forth in the Letters section about the "100-Knot Yacht" someone was trying to be learned about. Cutting edge of decadence indeed. Nothing on what $5/gal will mean for the Builders' clients, or the Builders' own cost-structure as ProBoat is fully synthetics-oriented i.e. completely hooked on high-carbon building-practices which may be a tad problematic at $120/barrel of primary chemical base for all the fine chemistry. We've always liked some of that good stuff, but only some - not 100% mad-cap dependency.
Also remember that Paul
was a fierce proponent to putting America's design- and construction-industry
under the yoke of 'rigorous access-restrictions' following European Union
precedent... If you think that getting a home-build craft legalized in New
Jersey is a problem, the old sea-faring nation of Spain for instance has
completely succumbed to a similar such monopoly, with EU-Directives elsewhere
successfully salting the earth against the broadly mixed and thus inherently
viable working waterfront culture that breeds both CW, ProBoat and Phil Bolger
and Friends.
In my hand the recent Letter of Appreciation sent to us by the US Navy for multiple consultancies rendered successfully since 2002 I did have to give Paul Lazarus a phone call a week ago or so...
Susanne Altenburger
P.S. Please keep your eyes open for other obits on Phil, particularly the good ones. I have WATERCRAFT for instance. I would appreciate receiving originals or copies of whatever is/was out there on Phil's life and death. I will let you know which ones I already have beyond those mentioned here.
In my hand the recent Letter of Appreciation sent to us by the US Navy for multiple consultancies rendered successfully since 2002 I did have to give Paul Lazarus a phone call a week ago or so...
Susanne Altenburger
P.S. Please keep your eyes open for other obits on Phil, particularly the good ones. I have WATERCRAFT for instance. I would appreciate receiving originals or copies of whatever is/was out there on Phil's life and death. I will let you know which ones I already have beyond those mentioned here.
----- Original Message -----From:mason smithSent:Friday, August 21, 2009 5:02 PMSubject:Re: [bolger] Wooden Boat magazine photo tributeDavid, and all,I too want to believe that WoodenBoat will be coming up with something more in honor of Phil. The one strong advocate I know of that he has, or had, there, is Mike O'Brien, but Mike's less active nowadays if not completely retired. I have some other contacts there from old stories I've done, including the Birdwatcher piece, but I've antagonized some of the editors and think they don't want to hear much from me. I've urged that WB could do more to help find funding for a prototype of Cayuco for the Honduras Biosphere Reserve, and to publicize Phil's and Susanne's efforts and ideas about sustainable fishing and boatbuilding in ports like Gloucester. These efforts really consumed Phil and Susanne for several years (they're very much the reason for various people's difficulty getting plans and other service from PB&F during those years) and I am sorry to say that I believe the general lack of appreciation and understing of these heartfelt efforts contributed to the good man's despair. I found recenty that WB was unaware of the coming gathering in Gloucester; and by the way, shall we start a thread here for the single purpose of saying "I'm coming," and thus developing a list of boats and people? Is there something such already that I'm unaware of? -=--Mason
Hear, hear. Well said, Mason.
These issues - sustainable fishing craft, sustainable emerging economies
waterborne transportation, community-based pre- and post-colonial tree-plantings
for future boat-building/fine-carpentry-usage - only get more
pressient.
WoodenBoat through Carl Cramer and Scott Bell has just recently expressed support in using their website to announce the Memorial Event. This should start early next week.
I have first names accumulating here - with and without boats. But a Yahoo Groups-based effort would be most welcome indeed, in part to let each other know whom you will see here in a month and which boats. I would still like a direct confirmation tophilbolger@...anyway. Thanks Mason and to you all. Susanne Altenburger
WoodenBoat through Carl Cramer and Scott Bell has just recently expressed support in using their website to announce the Memorial Event. This should start early next week.
I have first names accumulating here - with and without boats. But a Yahoo Groups-based effort would be most welcome indeed, in part to let each other know whom you will see here in a month and which boats. I would still like a direct confirmation tophilbolger@...anyway. Thanks Mason and to you all. Susanne Altenburger
----- Original Message -----From:mason smithSent:Friday, August 21, 2009 5:02 PMSubject:Re: [bolger] Wooden Boat magazine photo tributeDavid, and all,I too want to believe that WoodenBoat will be coming up with something more in honor of Phil. The one strong advocate I know of that he has, or had, there, is Mike O'Brien, but Mike's less active nowadays if not completely retired. I have some other contacts there from old stories I've done, including the Birdwatcher piece, but I've antagonized some of the editors and think they don't want to hear much from me. I've urged that WB could do more to help find funding for a prototype of Cayuco for the Honduras Biosphere Reserve, and to publicize Phil's and Susanne's efforts and ideas about sustainable fishing and boatbuilding in ports like Gloucester. These efforts really consumed Phil and Susanne for several years (they're very much the reason for various people's difficulty getting plans and other service from PB&F during those years) and I am sorry to say that I believe the general lack of appreciation and understing of these heartfelt efforts contributed to the good man's despair. I found recenty that WB was unaware of the coming gathering in Gloucester; and by the way, shall we start a thread here for the single purpose of saying "I'm coming," and thus developing a list of boats and people? Is there something such already that I'm unaware of? -=--Mason
David, and all,
I too want to believe that WoodenBoat will be
coming up with something more in honor of Phil. The one strong advocate I know
of that he has, or had, there, is Mike O'Brien, but Mike's less active nowadays
if not completely retired. I have some other contacts there from old stories
I've done, including the Birdwatcher piece, but I've antagonized some of the
editors and think they don't want to hear much from me. I've urged that WB could
do more to help find funding for a prototype of Cayuco for the Honduras
Biosphere Reserve, and to publicize Phil's and Susanne's efforts and ideas about
sustainable fishing and boatbuilding in ports like Gloucester. These efforts
really consumed Phil and Susanne for several years (they're very much the reason
for various people's difficulty getting plans and other service from PB&F
during those years) and I am sorry to say that I believe the general lack of
appreciation and understing of these heartfelt efforts contributed to the good
man's despair. I found recenty that WB was unaware of the coming gathering in
Gloucester; and by the way, shall we start a thread here for the single purpose
of saying "I'm coming," and thus developing a list of boats and people? Is there
something such already that I'm unaware of? -=--Mason
Hi Folks,
Many of you may already know this, but there is a multi-page photo section in the latest Wooden Boat magazine dedicated to Phil's boats. It's a very nice spread, but I'm hopeful they'll also do an editorial tribute.
David
Many of you may already know this, but there is a multi-page photo section in the latest Wooden Boat magazine dedicated to Phil's boats. It's a very nice spread, but I'm hopeful they'll also do an editorial tribute.
David