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Book "From A Bare Hull"

  • July 02, 2014 6:24 PM
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    Message # 3036912
    Anonymous member

    I picked this book up on a free pile at the marina, thinking it looked interesting, then I recognized the drawing of the hull. It was published in 1975 by Weatsail and in 1976 by Ferenc Mate.

    Anyone heard of this book?
  • July 02, 2014 7:10 PM
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    Reply # 3036921 on 3036912
    Anonymous

    I bought the book before I got my hull and deck. Great idea, the most usable book I own.
  • July 03, 2014 6:14 AM
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    Reply # 3037161 on 3036912
    Anonymous member

    Mate's book "From a Bare Hull" is THE seminal work on the dream of crafting one's boat from a bare hull.  That he used the WS 32 as his canvas only makes his work better.  His companion book, "The Finely Fitted Yacht" is also a must have.

    I purchased both books in the late 70's/early 80's, as I was dreaming of building my own boat and sailing away.  Being a New Englander, my DNA has either a mutation or a Darwinian super gene that makes me think I can do-it-myself cheaper and just a good as a production company.  Hmmm, only time and corrective lens may tell that story!

    However, both books can not only feed one's dreams, but fuel one's efforts to create a special vessel.  While his vessel was a beautiful WS 32, his work applies to all Westsails.  I can remember spending countless hours re-reading both books, as I incorporated some of his features on the boats I either built or restored.

    More recently, I have used the books as I have restored our WS 42, Harmony.  Some of the niblets and features have worked very well.   Heck, if I could only make my pieces look as nice as his!!! 

    Anyway, both books should be in a Westsail owner's library even if s/he has someone else do the work.  The shear volume of neat ideas and the huge ambiance of nautical intoxication can only help us to appreciate our vessels even more.
  • July 05, 2014 8:41 AM
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    Reply # 3038295 on 3036912
    Anonymous member

    Dennis,

    You evidently have one of the original editions of "From a Bare Hull" books by Ference Mate, when it was published by Westsail.  He made a deal with Westsail to put together the book, using diagrams from the Westsail construction manual, and pictures from the boat he was having built for himself.  I say having built for himself, because he purchased a hull and deck kit, took it to a small do-it-yourself boatyard in Costa Mesa, and hired Westsail carpenters to work on it on their days off from the yard.  I was in charge of the yard at the time so can attest to this.

    To be fair, he also did some of the work on the boat, and had some very good ideas about the layout of the boat, which Westsail did incorporate in some of their later options.

    He eventually revised the original book, added some deatails from other brands of boats, and had it published by a publishing firm.  I also still have one of the original editions.
  • July 06, 2014 4:22 PM
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    Reply # 3038806 on 3036912
    Anonymous member

    Since I'm keeping Tarshish on the hard this season to do some projects that I've thought about for over 10 years this book couldn't have shown up at a better time.
  • August 03, 2014 11:21 PM
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    Reply # 3062956 on 3036912
    Deleted user

    Hi,

    I too remember Ference Mate and his wife very well when I had the two W32s built. I want to encourage everyone to use the example of the Mate's boat as an inspiration to not to stick with someone else's ideas, but create you own designs. The Mate's boat is extra nice, but in the early Windblown there were articles of other outstanding interiors. I myself had to make changes to the forepeak design, but I also wanted to go cruising so the finish work was not to the level of the Mate's. Friends of mine built a great coaming into their cockpit, mine did not turn out as well, but I had a better dodger with stern tent that protected me from flying fish and squid.

    Be creative, Mike Z
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