Comments on Traditional Boats - East and West - at Douglas Brooks Boatbuilding: Inside the Hull

To respond, in a way to both these comments. One ...

2009-12-26T03:00:28.381-08:00

To respond, in a way to both these comments. One of the real problems facing traditional boat builders in Japan today, as well as anyone wanting to build a boat in the traditional fashion, is the difficulty of finding boat nails and some of the specialized tools. It is easy to forget that as a main craft disappears so often do the craftsmen who supplied it. This is certainly true of boat nails. I know of perhaps only two sources left nationwide for traditional boat nails, hand made of flat steel stock. So the sabani is very interesting in that the boat builder is completely independent of these suppliers, since he/she can make his/her own fastenings from hardwood and bamboo. No doubt the tradition of using huundu, the wooden fastening, in Okinawa was in part the cost of metal nails many years ago. Now that the nail makers have almost disappeared, the sabani builder has the last laugh.

Sincerely,

Douglas Brooks

Hellow Douglas I know Mr.Hirosi Tajiri 48years old...

2009-12-25T20:38:42.344-08:00

Hellow Douglas
I know Mr.Hirosi Tajiri 48years old.
He is living near Nagara river building riverboat for UKAI.
And Mr.Katayama living in Kochi prefecture is
almost same age.If you come to Kochi,I will
take you his boat yard.He and his father are
building 20 shaku WASEN.This month the Katayama
Family came to Hiromitu boat yard and bought
many FUNAKUGI for thei constraction.
TenguSHIBA

Douglas, you are a fortunate man. This boat is sim...

2009-12-25T17:42:53.644-08:00

Douglas, you are a fortunate man. This boat is simply amazing and so are the people.
Seeing a boat fastened so well - with no fasteners - is inspiring and gives me cause to think that civilization has done little to advance the art of boatbuilding, when such simple technology works so well.
Please extend my gratitude to Shimojo san!