Beginner

Book Review Clinker Boatbuilding by John Leather

I teach Shakespeare to 15 year olds who have grown up with text language and North London slang (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels meets Boyz n the Hood). Reading this book has helped me to empathise with them. I almost remember the 1970s; I dont remember anyone writing like this.
Its an antidote to blogspeak.
Once Id acclimatised (acclimated - welcome to our American readers - its lovely to have you here) it was an enjoyable read. Leather sets out a straightforward method which leaves little room for procrastination, the curse of the amateur boatbuilder. Gather the tools, prepare the site, lay off the lines, make the moulds... As he marches through the sequence he explains each skill. Bevelling, scarphing, cutting the stem rebate, are all described clearly but with an economy of words that modern writers may envy.
The explanation of the skills have given me a few practise exercises which Ill post in time. However the real glory of this book is its diagrams. Google Sketchup is a poor substitute for really good technical drawing skills. If youve ever looked at Paul Gartsides plans youll know what I mean. On one small page Leather sets out seven different arrangements for the construction of stems. Seven! With the same economy of lines as he has with words he shows exactly how each is built.
I get the feeling that if this book were written today if would be three times the size, filled with glossy photographs, have a hard cover and a coffee table dust jacket and cost three times the price.
However that same economy leaves little room for deviation from the method prescribed. Building upside down is mentioned but the author clearly feels that the arguments against are so strong that he rarely alludes to it again. He reminds me of my Maths teacher who was from a similar generation. He had only two posters in his classroom. One read "Work, hard work, is the blessing of the man who works. No man is more to be pitied than he who has nothing to do." The other said simply "Do it my way." Leather might have thought the former a touch verbose.
So my opening comparison linking Leather to Shakespeare is unfair. There is no drama, no tragedy, no romance and no poetry here. It is as straightforward and as pragmatic as one could wish. But there is design and there is beauty and there is skill.
And it fits in my pocket so I can read it when Im bored of marking.