b'this yacht. John noted that after years of owning aluminum,diligence and extensive work, sometimes being rebuilt nu-working with it, and maintaining it, they came full circlemerous times throughout the vessels life. John describes back to wood. They decided that laminated wood is stillthese types of wooden boats as works of art which, with the the best, most functional option for us, for this new boat. proper care, can last forever. Were grateful to the people that finance themthey need a lot of tender loving care RickScaranonotedthattheyfindmaintenancetobeand a lot of skilled tender loving care. Love doesnt just do significantlylessonwoodenboats,worryinglessaboutit by itself. You need skillful love. A modern wooden boat, issues like rot, which is a key factor in their preference forhe said, is a whole different animal. The laminated wood it. He pointed out that they have wooden vessels that arehulls are what Rick described as dry hullswater doesnt over 35 years old that have never had a repair to their hull.penetrate the outer skin of the boats. Its like a fiberglass John described it as a practical choice in that regard. Heboat in that sense, Rick said. also discussed the great structural capabilities of wood, the stiffness it gives a vessel, which combined with the aesthet- Above deck is where wood really shines, quite literally, for ic appeal make it a win-win in their opinion.guests. We are a little extravagant on the aesthetic side, Rick admitted. Though their hulls were made of aluminum, These are not the wooden boats of a century ago, Johncustomers on Manhattan I and Manhattan II would never pointed out. Classic plank on frame boats were designed toknow it. Almost every surface is rich, varnished wood. The get soaking wet in salt water. John acknowledged the beau- warm tones of the various types of wood, the organic lines of ty of those boats but explained that they must be caredthe wood grain, the high-gloss polish that reflects the light, for with high-quality maintenance programs that requirecombine to create a dazzling and inviting setting to passen-YOUR PROPULSION EXPERTSmore flexibility more comfort AD more space SCHOTTEL EcoPeller SCORES WITH COMPACT VERSION The German propulsion expert SCHOTTEL presents a space-saving CLE installation variant of its proven EcoPeller (SRE). The space-optimized support structure, the omission of the gearbox and an integrated electric motor (LE-Drive) enable an extremely low overall height while maintaining low noise and vibration levels. This makes it ideally suitable for the passenger vessel sector.www.schottel.com39 OCTOBER 2025240119_AZ_Foghorn_4.625x7Zoll.indd 1 19.01.24 10:57'