Seeing his family's sailboat wasting away under a tarp on his cousin's property, Robb, a carpenter and author (Crossing the Water
), thought to himself, “I could write about rebuilding her.†The boat in question is Daphie
, a 68-year-old, 15½-foot sloop built by Nathana Greene Herreshoff, “genius of American design and engineering.†As he takes stock of the boat, Robb dutifully presents its story, which is interwoven with the history of his family, himself and the Woods Hole area of Cape Cod, where his family has deep roots and Robb currently lives. Robb spends the time he doesn't use to work on Daphie
enjoying endless cups of coffee and tea with colorful local characters and craftsman who give him advice on boatbuilding, lend a hand bending and replacing boat frames or advise against the project altogether. Robb is a craftsman as well, with words as well as with a hammer, as he constructs a charming tale that both details the technical nature of boatbuilding and captures the essence of the past, present and future of a New England maritime community. (June)
