What we’re watching
QUACK, QUACK
Scott Smith, a police officer from New York state, has quietly turned his backyard workshop into a long-term boatbuilding project. Over the past nearly four years he has tackled the construction of a 41-foot Diesel Duck trawler/motorsailer, a design by George Buehler, using lumber and materials that can be purchased at everyday hardware stores. The project is as much a learning journey as it is a build: Smith documents the entire process on his YouTube channel, Six Points Wood Works, sharing clear, practical videos that show not only the milestones but also the mistakes, adaptations and problem-solving that come with learning new tools, materials and methods.
What makes his channel compelling is its accessibility. The videos are aimed at both beginners and experienced builders, offering step-by-step explanations, close-up demonstrations and candid reflections on what worked and what didn’t. Viewers appreciate the emphasis on using widely available supplies and straightforward techniques, making the project feel achievable for hobbyists and home builders. The comment threads beneath the videos have become a collaborative space where people exchange tips, suggest alternatives and cheer on each other’s projects—turning a solo backyard endeavor into a virtual community of makers and doers.
More salty reads
DEAD RECKONING
In an era when electronic navigation is ubiquitous, a few sailors still embrace traditional methods. Capt. Nikolay Djambazov is one such mariner: a Bulgarian sailor who circled the globe relying on a compass and a sextant. Djambazov sailed aboard Tangra, a yacht he constructed himself, and his seafaring résumé includes participation in the singlehanded OSTAR race in 1980 and a circumnavigation via Cape Horn between 1983 and 1985, financed from his own resources. His memoir, Tangra Against the Wind, recounts these voyages and the life that prepared him for them. The book offers candid stories that underline the hard work, resourcefulness and close human connections that mark long passages and remote voyages. Readers interested in traditional navigation, self-built yachts and the personal grit required for extended offshore adventures will find his account both inspiring and sobering. ($30, Xlibris US)
PUSHING THE LIMITS
Tom and Lorraine Owen were experienced hobbyist builders when they embarked on an ambitious retirement project: constructing Thea, a 30-foot motorboat fashioned from wood and epoxy resin. The couple invested roughly 9,000 man-hours into the build before launching the boat on the River Dart in England in December 2015. Their story, Seawater and Sawdust, is an honest chronicle of determination, patience and hands-on craftsmanship. It covers the highs and lows of a long-term project carried out later in life, including setbacks such as injuries—one severe enough to require major surgery—and the practical solutions they devised to keep going.
The book is written in an approachable, often humorous style and is illustrated with photographs that document the boat’s development from raw materials to finished hull. Beyond the narrative of construction, the Owens provide a frank evaluation of Thea’s performance as a cruising boat, offering insights useful to anyone contemplating a similar wooden-boat project. Their experience highlights how meticulous planning, persistence and adaptability can overcome physical challenges and technical hurdles. ($26, Self-Published)
SALTY TUNES
Music and the sea have long been entwined. While Christopher Cross’s “Sailing” is a well-known anthem, many other artists have written memorable songs about life on the water—Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills & Nash among them. If you’re building a playlist for dockside lounging or for time underway, there are curated collections that gather a wide mix of maritime-themed tracks across genres and eras. One such playlist, titled “Sailing Songs for Sailors,” compiles about 500 sailing-related tunes by more than 100 artists, offering everything from mellow acoustic ballads to lively shanties and contemporary sea songs. Whether you want background music for a boat project, a soundtrack for a passage, or simply some seaside ambiance, a diverse sailing playlist can set the mood and connect you with the long musical tradition of life at sea.