Yesterday we had our
shinsuishiki, or boat launching on the Nagara River in Gifu City. It was the day after Nasu san's 86th birthday. The host was the Ukai Museum. In accordance with local tradition, we capsized the boat three times. It is believed in this area that if you do this at launch the boat will never capsize again. I have a camera glitch and can't download images (plus I was in the thick of the launching) but if you visit my friend Masashi Kutsuwa's
Flicker page you can see images and a video of us actually rolling the boat. I think we got carried away and rolled it four times...
https://www.flickr.com/gp/kutsuwa_masashi/u57EfA
I don't think the boat leaked a drop, but it was hard to tell since we poured some sake into it. My thanks to Atsushi Doi for taking the following photos. I was too busy with the ceremony and launching to get any myself.
I return home on the 26th and will sort out my computer issues and put up several blog posts about the launching, a day we spent measuring historic boats, and a visit to the Tenryu River where a company does white water trips in traditional wooden boats.
Stay tuned,
Douglas
Here is the correct link to the launching ceremony photos. https://www.flickr.com/gp/kutsuwa_masashi/u57EfA
ReplyDeleteCongrats...
ReplyDeleteI hope I get to see one of your boat launches one day. :-)
Hello Mr. Brooks,
ReplyDeleteHow much do you think that cormorant boat weighs? Finished draft? I've been daydreaming about how it would work in the waters of South Florida.
I believe the crane truck operator told us the boat weighed 400 kg or about 850 pounds. It only draws about 4-5 inches of water.
ReplyDelete