Have you ever wondered what goes into creating something with enduring beauty and a soul of its own? For centuries, the answer in Maine has been found on its rugged coastline, particularly in the meticulous craft of Maine wooden boat building. From the very first European-built vessel in the New World, the 50-foot pinnace Virginia launched on the Kennebec River in 1608, Maine has been synonymous with exceptional maritime craftsmanship.
The tradition of building these magnificent wooden boats isn’t just about constructing a vessel; it’s about weaving together history, skill, and an almost spiritual connection to the sea. The video above offers a glimpse into this rich heritage through the eyes of Robert “Chummy” Rich, a fifth-generation boat builder from Bernard, Maine. His story, and the meticulous process of his craft, reveal why wooden boats continue to captivate enthusiasts around the globe.
A Legacy in Wood: Generations of Maine Boat Builders
The story of Maine’s maritime prowess is long and storied. By the 19th century, Maine shipyards were global suppliers, sending impressive vessels across oceans. Even then, smaller, specialized boat shops flourished, crafting fishing and trade boats. Mount Desert Island, on the Down East coast, became particularly famous for its finely crafted boats, a tradition upheld today by legendary names like Stanley, Walls, Bunker, Clements, Hinckley, Ellis, and of course, Rich.
Chummy Rich’s family embodies this deep-rooted heritage. His great-great-grandfather, Morris Rich, was building ships—including a 200-ton brig and two schooners—as early as the 1800s. The passion for wooden boat building was passed down through Elias Rich, Clifford Rich (who began his boat-focused career around 1910), and Chummy’s father, Robert Rich Sr. For Chummy, born in 1940, inheriting this trade wasn’t just a choice; it was a calling ingrained in his very being. “There is something about wooden boats,” Chummy muses in the video, “it gets into the blood.”
The Heart of the Craft: Chummy Rich’s Unwavering Passion
Chummy’s journey into wooden boat building began early. By seven, he was already constructing rafts and crude boats, honing an innate understanding of buoyancy and form. His “second boat,” built from scrap lumber on the beach at Bass Harbor Boat in the late 1940s, while requiring frequent bailing, proved that his youthful experiments were more than just play—they were the foundations of a lifelong skill. This hands-on experience culminated in his first “real boat” at just 13 or 14, a 16-foot inboard-powered vessel built with considerable help from his father and his crew.
This early immersion fostered a remarkable talent. By 15 or 16, Chummy’s woodworking skills were so advanced that, as friend Rich Helmke recounts, a high school shop teacher simply told him, “You can probably teach me a thing or two,” effectively giving him free rein. This early mastery was not limited to wood; it extended to mechanics and intricate problem-solving, making him a truly versatile artisan.
From Apprentice to Master: Continuing the Bass Harbor Boat Legacy
After graduating from Pemetic High School in 1958, Chummy officially joined his father at Bass Harbor Boat. This shop, located directly on the water in Bernard, became his classroom and workshop for decades. Following his father’s passing in 1982, Chummy and his younger brother Walter took the helm. Though Walter eventually moved to fishing, Chummy continued the family tradition, ensuring the legacy of Bass Harbor Boat, a name now famous across the maritime world.
Bass Harbor Boat has an impressive track record, having produced over 200 vessels throughout its history. Chummy himself has built nearly 100 boats since starting with his father, with roughly 75% being wood and the remaining 25% fiberglass. These creations range from small pleasure boats to substantial 57-foot vessels, each a testament to the enduring appeal of quality craftsmanship.
Beyond Blueprints: The Art and Science of Lofting
Building a custom wooden boat, especially one based on vintage designs, often begins not in the water, but on the workshop floor with a process called “lofting.” This intricate method, though hard to explain, is critical for translating a boat’s design from a small half-model or incomplete drawings into full-scale patterns.
Imagine a chef meticulously scaling up a tiny recipe to cater a banquet. Lofting is much like that, but with three-dimensional curves. A half-model is effectively sliced—vertically, horizontally, and diagonally—to extract precise dimensions. These lines are then drawn full-size on the floor, creating a complete, accurate picture of the boat. This enormous drawing serves as the blueprint for every subsequent step, from creating molds to shaping the backbone timbers. For Bill Jenkins’ custom boat, Andromeda, this lofting process alone would have added substantial time to the estimated five-month build, demonstrating its complexity and importance, especially when working from older, less complete designs.
From Timber to Hull: The Foundation of a Wooden Vessel
With the lofting complete, the physical construction begins, starting with the very backbone of the boat. This foundation is assembled from substantial oak timbers, including the stem (the forward-most part), the keel (the central lengthwise member), the deadwood, and the horn timber. These pieces are meticulously bolted together, forming a sturdy framework that defines the boat’s initial shape.
A crucial, time-consuming, and highly skilled task follows: cutting the “rabbit” and “timber pockets.” The rabbit is a precisely cut groove along the keel where the hull planking will snugly fit, creating a smooth, watertight transition. It’s a testament to the artisan’s precision that this cut must be exact, allowing the planks to “die right into the oak keel.” Simultaneously, timber pockets are carved, setting back the internal frames (timbers) to support the planking from behind. This entire assembly must be perfectly aligned—square with the centerline, plum, and at the correct angle relative to the waterline—to ensure the structural integrity and aesthetic balance of the entire vessel.
Shaping the Form: Steaming, Bending, and Planking
Once the backbone is set and braced, the rib bands—long, flexible strips—are temporarily secured, outlining the boat’s sheer line (the curve of the deck edge) and subsequent internal shapes. These serve as guides for bending the timbers, which will become the boat’s ribs or frames.
The timbers, often oak, are first curved by cutting partway through their length, leaving a few inches connected at the bottom. Then, they enter a steam box for about an hour. The intense steam makes the wood incredibly pliable, akin to softening tough leather. Timing is everything here; once removed, the timbers must be swiftly moved into the boat, jammed into their pre-cut pockets in the keel, and bent into place against the rib bands. Chummy describes how one “walks it right into the shape of the boat,” securing it temporarily with nails before it cools and permanently stiffens. This quick, practiced motion is vital, as the wood sets rapidly. Each timber is custom-fitted, a blend of pre-planning and “eyeball” accuracy, ensuring the hull achieves its intended graceful curves.
With the timbers in place, the planking begins. This process starts with the “garboard plank,” the lowest plank nearest the keel, which is often the most challenging due to its complex curves and twists. The layout of all subsequent planks is paramount for both structural soundness and visual appeal. An experienced builder like Chummy intuitively knows exactly where each plank should run, ensuring the lines flow harmoniously and narrow correctly towards the bow. This artistry transforms raw wood into a coherent, strong, and beautiful hull.
The Watertight Seal: Mastering the Art of Caulking
A wooden boat’s beauty is only as good as its watertight integrity, and this is where the traditional art of caulking comes into play. Caulking involves meticulously inserting twisted cotton into the seams between the hull planks. This isn’t just stuffing; it’s a skilled process where the cotton is driven in with a caulking iron until it’s about a quarter of an inch deep within the seam. This creates a resilient, flexible barrier.
Once the cotton is in place, a seam compound is applied over it, and then multiple layers of paint are added. The longevity of this traditional method is remarkable. As Rich Helmke notes, wooden boats built by Chummy or his father 50 or even 60 years ago still contain caulking cotton that is “like new.” This incredible durability underscores the effectiveness of time-honored techniques when combined with precise execution and proper maintenance. The result is a hull that breathes and moves with the water, offering a distinct advantage over rigid fiberglass in certain conditions.
Engineering the Core: Systems and Structure
After the hull takes shape with planking and caulking, the focus shifts inward to the boat’s internal systems. This crucial phase involves installing the floor timbers and, critically, the engine beds. Precise calculations are made for the shaft line and angle, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. The engine is then carefully lowered into the hull and secured onto its custom beds. In some cases, like with Andromeda, the engine might be positioned first, and then the beds custom-built around it to maximize interior space.
However, the journey is far from over. As Chummy’s team often observes, even with the hull built and the cabin roughed out, you’re likely “not even halfway there.” A myriad of complex systems must be integrated before the deck platform can be installed. This includes the exhaust system, the steering mechanism (from the tiller to hydraulic lines and the helm station), the fresh water system, propane system, fuel tanks, and fuel lines. Each component requires careful planning and installation to ensure safety, functionality, and accessibility for maintenance. Only once these critical elements are in place can the final platform be laid down, truly transforming the raw structure into a functional vessel.
Crafting Comfort: The Interior and Exterior Finish
Once the cabin structure is in place, the interior transformation begins. This phase is highly customizable, ranging from simple V-bunks and shelving to elaborate galleys, stand-up heads, and intricate cabinetry. Bill Jenkins, for instance, envisioned Andromeda as a comfortable weekend cruiser for two, requiring a sink, stove, stand-up head, and heating. The interior finish for Andromeda was specified as the “Herreshoff finish”—a classic and elegant style featuring semi-gloss white paint contrasted with varnished mahogany trim. This combination offers a timeless, sophisticated look that is both simple and luxurious, ensuring the boat’s interior remains inviting and beautiful for years to come.
The exterior finish is equally demanding. The builder, standing back from the roughed-out hull and cabin, meticulously decides the precise placement of windows, portholes, and the windshield, ensuring they complement the boat’s lines perfectly—an artistic judgment that often supersedes blueprints. Then comes the laborious process of sanding, priming, and painting or varnishing. For paint, a hull may receive eight different coats, with extensive sanding between each to achieve a perfectly smooth, flawless surface. Varnish work is even more intensive, typically requiring at least seven coats, each meticulously sanded, to achieve that deep, lustrous shine that is characteristic of high-quality Maine wooden boat building. This attention to detail ensures the boat not only looks stunning but is also well-protected against the harsh marine environment.
Why Wood? The Enduring Appeal of Traditional Maine Wooden Boats
In an age dominated by fiberglass and synthetic materials, why do discerning individuals still seek out custom-built wooden boats? The answer lies in a combination of tangible benefits and an intangible allure. Wooden boats, particularly those built to traditional Maine designs, are renowned for their efficient, easy-riding qualities. They “don’t thrash and bang” or “pound” through the water; instead, they move with a gentle grace, even with smaller engines, offering a remarkably comfortable and stable ride. This inherent seaworthiness, honed over centuries of trial and error by fishermen and coastal dwellers, provides confidence in various conditions.
Beyond performance, there’s the aesthetic. The natural warmth and classic lines of a wooden boat are simply unmatched. The way light reflects off the varnished mahogany and painted hull evokes a sense of timeless elegance. Rich Helmke articulates this perfectly: “For some reason, it just seems to me that a wooden boat does have somewhat of a soul… something about it makes it special.” This “soul” is often the result of the builder’s intimate connection with the material, the subtle variations in the grain, and the visible signs of hand craftsmanship that tell a unique story. People stop and admire wooden boats, drawn by their inherent beauty and character in a way they rarely do for their fiberglass counterparts.
The Investment in Longevity and Experience
While often perceived as higher maintenance, a well-built and properly cared-for wooden boat, like those from Bass Harbor Boat, offers incredible longevity. The craftsmanship ensures that elements like the caulking can last 50 to 60 years. For owners, the experience extends beyond the water; it includes the “relaxed atmosphere” of working with a builder like Chummy, being able to “play a part in the building,” and feeling a connection to the boat’s creation. This collaborative, personal approach is a stark contrast to purchasing a mass-produced vessel.
Chummy himself prefers wood over fiberglass, not just because he was “born and brought up with wood” and likes its smell, but because he understands its unique properties. While he acknowledges that wooden boats are in some ways like “stagecoaches”—a craft outliving its time for general use—he firmly believes there will always be a demand for them from those who appreciate their beauty, ride, and profound character. The tradition of Maine wooden boat building continues for those who seek more than just a boat; they seek a piece of art, a slice of history, and a vessel with a true soul.
From the Keel Up: Your Questions for Chummy Rich
What is Maine wooden boat building?
Maine wooden boat building is a centuries-old tradition of crafting beautiful and sturdy vessels from wood along Maine’s coastline. It involves meticulous skill and a deep connection to maritime heritage.
Who is Chummy Rich?
Chummy Rich is a renowned fifth-generation wooden boat builder from Bernard, Maine, who continues his family’s long legacy of maritime craftsmanship. He is known for his passion and skill in creating custom wooden boats.
What is ‘lofting’ in boat building?
Lofting is an important early step in building a wooden boat where the boat’s design is meticulously drawn out to full scale on the workshop floor. This large drawing acts as the blueprint for all subsequent construction.
Why do people still choose wooden boats today?
People choose wooden boats for their efficient, comfortable ride, natural beauty, and the unique “soul” or character they possess. They are also admired for their classic lines and timeless elegance.