Unconventional Craft, Part 1
“People who do not know that a sailboat is a living creature will never understand anything about boats and the sea.” — Bernard Moitessier, The Long Way
Every now and then, readers send us photos of unconventional, custom-built vessels.
These boats don’t just break the mold, they redefine it altogether.
Sometimes, home builds can cross a line — or rather, the builder and sailor does something that causes the community to take pause and say, “Hey . . .”
We live be the phrase, “Whatever floats your boat.” If you’re seaworthy, safe, and a good dockmate, then we consider you part of the Latitude Nation. We do not judge, we only celebrate innovation and outside-the-box thinking. On Monday, we’ll bring you news of an exciting, mold-redefining project with a serious Bay Area pedigree.
For now, we’re wondering — as we always do — what kind of unconventional craft you’ve encountered over the years. Please send the pictures to [email protected], or comment below.
I am not making this up. As I remember, some thirty or forty years ago a guy in Southern California designed and built a vessel to go sailing in. A newspaper reported it to be bucket shaped, with a sixteen foot chain hanging off the bottom and a large weight attached as ballast. I don’t remember any mention of a rudder. It was launched, somehow, and drifted into the surf of a nearby beach, where it anchored itself.
There’s a saying among businessmen: The innovator always takes the bath.
I wonder if his next effort was that boat in your last picture, with a salad bowl covering a hole in the bow?