Small Wooden Boat

To be enjoyed, boats need lots of TLC. The owner of this wooden “Thistle” sailed it in his youth, and now, once again in his retirement. Water collected near the mast step and rotted out the wood hull, which is made of mahogany and glue that was some of the first epoxy developed. It needed to be heated in an alclave, or oven, to cure. Several other parts were replaced like the transom, benches, center-board trunk. The Thistle is a fun boat to sail as it can be handled by one in a light wind or crewed by a small party, especially in a heavy breeze since the only ballast on this center-boarder is human ballast.