tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post4406480262829712417..comments2024-02-01T03:21:53.569-05:00Comments on Gardens of Fenwick: A Bit Outside the BoxBobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18334119651373578539noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post-10271998108421526082014-09-01T07:49:40.735-04:002014-09-01T07:49:40.735-04:00Also... I thought it odd that Mr. Vigor referred t...Also... I thought it odd that Mr. Vigor referred to the Navigator in the past tense.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334119651373578539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post-31703364684403134662014-09-01T07:28:12.506-04:002014-09-01T07:28:12.506-04:00Very interesting. Thanks for that, Joel. I'm...Very interesting. Thanks for that, Joel. I'm still curious about what boat(s) Mr. Vigor has built...Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334119651373578539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post-87991390126129100892014-08-31T01:44:36.272-04:002014-08-31T01:44:36.272-04:00John Vigor wrote an equally elitist article on the...John Vigor wrote an equally elitist article on the Welsford Navigator back in June entitled "Why re-invent the wheel". In it, he wonders why anyone would re-invent the wheel by building a Navigator, or any other dinghy for that matter, when they could have a Wayfarer instead, which, he claims, is better in every way than any other dinghy.<br /><br />Well, I can think of several reasons. The most obvious is, there is no way to build a Wayfarer even if you wanted to. The plans are not available for purchase. Neither are kits, at least not in his hemisphere. And anyone who knows anything about the Wayfarer is aware of this, except, apparently, Mr. Vigor.<br /><br />But let's ignore that fact for a moment. Suppose you could build a Wayfarer. One reason for doing so, according to Mr. Vigor, is that the Wayfarer has simple, conservative lines unlike the clinker-built, sliding gunter rigged, bowsprit and boomkin equipped Navigator. Here, Mr. Vigor directly contradicts himself when he argues, in his latest blog, that "boat builders can do better than build simple boats".<br /><br />Wayfarer is a magnificent boat, but there are other reasons why one might select a Navigator over a Wayfarer. For example, I wanted a yawl, not a bermuda sloop. Navigator has more beautiful lines (even Mr. Vigor admits that). I suspect Navigator is a safer, equally capable, and comparably performing boat due to her yawl rig with more reefing options. Plus she has many more options available to the builder (Wayfarer has, well, none), and far better support from her designer.<br /><br />The premise that any boat cannot be improved upon, and that any attempt to do so is merely "re-inventing the wheel" is not only elitist, but ridiculous.Joel Bergenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15368971898993662883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post-59254717431060595022014-08-28T18:05:00.574-04:002014-08-28T18:05:00.574-04:00Thanks Rik. We've shared our thoughts re "...Thanks Rik. We've shared our thoughts re "perfectionism" before and I agree with you; I no longer fret about what comes out of my hands. Gardens is/will be the product of my efforts and I'll be proud to sail her. <br /><br />Time is a much greater limitation on my progress than anything else: there just doesn't seem to be enough time for all the things I want to do. <br /><br />Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334119651373578539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690567996332458189.post-56425611597211589932014-08-27T08:56:21.992-04:002014-08-27T08:56:21.992-04:00Very good post Bob. Indeed, "out of the box&...Very good post Bob. Indeed, "out of the box" designs appeal a lot to me. Also the issue regarding perfectionism being a handicap is always there in my mind. I see the piano finish woodenboats and compare my workboat finish. I have kind of overcome this issue from holding me back and accepting what comes from my hands. What is most important for me is to be on the water, safely, with a boat that looks good to me from 6 feet and more.Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10169444246876493102noreply@blogger.com