All year long, wooden boat worshippers can drool over pin-ups of the worlds classic beauties, thanks to two calendars that spotlight these works of art (and elbow grease).
The Wooden Boat Festivals 2008 calendar, by Gumbo Publishing, chronicles the annual Port Townsend, Wash., event of the same name. With photographs by well-known photographer Mitchel Osborne, the calendar offers a glimpse into the world of wooden boat groupies. Photos of schooners under way dominate the pages, but Osborne also captured the details that make wooden boats what they are. From cane-backed seats and impeccable varnish to tan-bark sails and a busty figurehead, the photos tell the unique stories of the boats that make the Wooden Boat Festival an annual homecoming for people from around the world.
You can preview each of the calendars pages and buy a calendar ($13) on the publishers website (www.gumbopublishing.com).
A portion of the calendars proceeds benefit the Wooden Boat Foundation (www.woodenboat.org). The foundations programs include wooden boatbuilding symposiums, regattas, and youth sailing courses. It also has a wooden boat chandlery and organizes the festival.
Another calendar geared toward wooden boat enthusiasts is the 2008 Calendar of Wooden Boats by Noah Publications. A perennial favorite, the calendar captures the allure of wooden boats and the beauty of sailing. With excellent photography by Benjamin Mendlowitz, the calendar covers a variety of boats in international locations. Each photo is accompanied by a brief narrative written by marine historian Maynard Bray with tidbits about the specific boat, its designers, and its background.
The calendars sell for $16 at www.noahpublications.com.
