Friday, April 6, 2012

The Memories This 60 Year Old Cypress Boat Holds

Every once in awhile someone, something, or an event brings back some great memories. This week was one of those times when I made a visit to my brothers and his wife in Mississippi. That something was a boat that my brother designed and built with the help of his older brother over 60 years ago. My brother has been restoring this boat for the past year, repairing the bottom and the ends which had deteriorated over the years. The boat was still in use just over 10 years ago, but the leaks got so bad that he finally stored it in his shop until he had time to restore it. This past week was the finished date. If this boat could only talk; the stories, the amount of fish pulled over its side, the places it was launched and the waters it has floated would fill hundreds of pages. Now the boat will be passed down to the next generation when my brother’s son will inherit it to use with his fly rod on some of the small streams and lakes in the Tupelo Mississippi area. The work that my brother has put into this boat is amazing and the result is a unique solid wood vessel that can not be duplicated. I know my Nephew will take care of the boat and in turn, pass it down to one of his sons. 
The ends are solid popular with 1/2" western cedar inlaid over the popular on both ends
The sides are solid 1" by 12" cypress 12 ft. long
All the rids inside the boat are popular
The two paddles are the original paddles that were used with the boat when it was built. The cypress seats rest perfectly on the two side stabilizers which are white oak
We launched the boat on Legion Lake late Thursday afternoon and not a leak anywhere. The catwalk in the bottom of the boat is the original 1/2" white oak strips--in fact, all the wood is original except for the ends which rotted away over the years.
The boat has three stabilizers strips on the bottom which is attached with brass screws. The bottom is 1/4" marine plywood which is original. The stabilizers help keep the boat more stable on the surface of the water. An original for sure and a boat that will still be creating memories for years to come. 

19 comments:

  1. Pretty nice looking piece of work there by your brother, Bill. Nice analogy on the memories a boat could tell if only boats could talk and people didn't.

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  2. So much beauty in such simplicity.

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  3. That boat must have taken a long time to build. A lot of effort in that high quality boat. It looks amazing. It makes me want to build one. Is that a Boogle Bug or Betts?

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  4. Being a woodworker myself, I love a good wooden boat. Your Brother's is beautiful, but heavy, I'm sure. Recently I ran into one of the guides from American Fly Fishing company and his recently restored wooden drift boat. It was gorgeous. On top of all that, the wooden canoe in the LL Bean 100th anniversary catalogue, but who can afford $7500.00 for a canoe?

    Mark

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  5. Oh man that is one sweet boat. One to be proud of for sure. Nice bass :) Tight Lines

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  6. What a beautiful boat.
    Fishing with class.

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  7. Trout
    This boat has many more fishing trips to make. Thanks for the comment

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  8. Brk
    Thanks for the commnet on yes a unique cypress boat.

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  9. Mark
    You would be surprise how light this boat is. It was build from lumber that was sun dried. Two individuals can easily handle the boat. Thanks for comment

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  10. River
    It took about a month to build, working part time. I don't think he will ever build another one. Thanks for the comment

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  11. Mel
    My brother and I both were Industrial Arts teachers way back when. Now the program doesn't exist in any school system. Working at our Dad's sawmill when we were in high school helps develop our woodworking skills. Thanks for the comment

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  12. Love the boat...that's a true piece of art and history right there. Wouldn't it be nice if inanimate objects could talk , I have a feeling I could sit around a campfire and listen to that boat all night long.

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  13. Wow, Bill this is one of the greatest posts ever. What great memories and a way to pass down something so nice.

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  14. Howard
    I can't begin to tell you how many fish over the years have been pulled over the sides of this boat. Thanks for the comment

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  15. Flyfisher
    The memories and the fish are endless with this boat. My two older brothers used it more than I did. I was around 14 when this boat was built. Thanks for the comment

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  16. Nice fish, saw that you have me on your blogroll, thanks!

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  17. Devin
    Thanks for the comment--really enjoy you blog.

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  18. Absolutely beautiful boat. Designing my own jon boat right now and getting started building. That boat you have right there either belongs in the water or in a museum. Maybe both. Cheers!

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