Sloop: Restoring My Family's Wooden Sailboat--An Adventure in Old-Fashioned Values

by Daniel Robb

Now in paperback, Daniel Robb’s Sloop proves he “is a craftsman… 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” (Publishers Weekly). • Interest in the environment and Daniel robb decided to restore his family’s well-worn wooden sailboat in appreciation for its craftsmanship and out of respect for the environment for which it was intended. Sloop’s tribute to the simple life and one’s environment will resonate with sailing enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates fine craftsmanship. • Timeless robb voices an ethic in which things are valued and appreciated, especially well-designed objects that still have years of useful life in them. While die-hard sailors or woodworking fanatics will love this book, robb’s skill as a writer also makes this a fascinating read for anyone. His humorous account of his on-the-job learning experience and of the eccentric characters who share his values and helped him will delight readers.“Robb writes of his painstaking restoration of a rotted 12½- foot herreshoff that had floated on memory and emotion, and finally again on water.…a gem.” —David Mehegan, The Boston Globe“Whether you’re an old-time boat builder, a wooden boat enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates words woven together masterfully, you’ll enjoy Sloop.” —Kathleen Szmit, Barnstable PatriotAuthor of Crossing the Water, Daniel Robb has been an editor of academic journals, a teacher, a political consultant on a congressional campaign, and a proprietor of a literary services business. He has also worked at sea on schooners, taught sailing, and raced in national competitions. Robb lives in Pelham, Massachusetts.

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2008

Reviews

[kirkesque · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most condescending, smug, and disingenuous books I have ever encountered. Awful, awful, awful. I'd take away stars from this rating and bestow them upon myriad other works before ever offering even a zero-star rating to this. Daniel Robb manages to out smug cloud George Clooney's 2006 Academy Award acceptance speech. But, of course, Robb has a few more pages of material to work with than Clooney did.

I'm still not sure why Robb felt it necessary to inform us that the little cafe he visits for coffee and cliché doses of wisdom serves "shade-grown coffees (promoting triple-canopy ecosystems, birdlife, and general ecological health), and whole-grain pastries." I still am not sure (since there is no reference to such a thing outside of Robb's own description) what "triple-canopy ecosystems" are. Something that induces clouds of smugness to waft over cups of coffee in Wood's Hole, Massachusetts, I suppose.

Having your tonsils removed with a rusty spork should be given equal consideration upon any suggestion to read this.

[Mowena Glunch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like sailboats, heritage, and building things, so this book is satisfying for all those reasons. Found myself wanting to understand the author better than he felt comfortable revealing in this autobiography. Book also disjointed-as if he did not have enough overall material to inlcude about the boat rebuilding itself and strayed to other topics as filler.

[James Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love buying and reading these types of books.
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.

The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.

For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...

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[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Robb is a very engaging writer and interesting guy. If you are interested in the craft of small wooden sailboats, the craft of writing stories, or both, read this book. He also does a great job of weaving in the history of coastal Massachusetts.

[Tyler Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agree with the other reviews-- smug writer over fantasizing the restoration of a 12ft boat. As someone who's had a 1969 29ft Bristol Hershoff design that was meticulously maintained, I can't help but feel that most non-enthusiasts will be duped by the author's claimed feat.

[Chris Sherman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like so many others of its ilk--autobiopic testimonials (yeah, I'm talking to you "Merle's Door")--"Sloop" sucks. Robb wants us to suffer through each plank he removes and each nail he sinks as though he was building the Great Pyramids. What's more, through his half-baked philosophical ramblings and romanticized accounts of people I know to be plain old Cape Codders, "not going too far, but not doing nothing either" the reader emerges with some hazy notion that restoring old stuff is some sort of religious experience. I'm a big wooden boat fan (built them, sailed them, made a living on them) and a big advocate of being connected with the material things around you, but there's no need to make it out to be more than it is--being momentarily grounded in an untethered world.

Its the simplest, most prosaic prose. There's not one good one-liner in the whole damn book. Its as if Robb just wanted to hang out alone in his cottage in Falmouth all winter and scribbled down and dramatized his every thought so he could pay the bills. His impotent, underhanded jabs at suburbanization are tiresome as well.

If you want to read something that attains the goal this book only flails at pathetically then read Matthew Crawford's "Shop Class as Soulcraft". Motorcycles don't do it for me like an old boat does, but that's beside the point.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read. Invoking Melleville, Thoreau and Sloacum, Robb invests his manual labor with literary significance. part commentary on small town New England in conflict with suburbanization and part praise for the simple things. Robb claims Thoreau's goal of learning the worth of something by measuring the work that goes into acquiring it. The work is suffused with respect for craftsmen and good design. As a sailor, I'm awed by his talk of sailing a 16 foot boat in 25 knot winds and sleeping out at night on a boat without a cabin. Maybe his boat is just better designed than mine. Highly recommended.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is as hard to finish as the author had writing it or refinishing the sloop. The book gets lost in my house, I dream about it look for it can not remember what he was talking about. By the time I pick it up again he is talking about all sorts of other stuff. To me it seems more of a book about how spoiled a signed artist can get. And as the employee of an overly confident cottage designer builder of boats I will tell you there is GREAT problems with letting your ego go that far to the self centered end.

[Cheyenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

sloop is tedious in parts, and unfortunately the best parts are when he isn't writing about boat building. there is a secondary love story, that of his relationship to the landscape of cape cod, that is compelling, and a couple of boatbuilders who charm more than he does. it's just another boat book, though, and it won't scratch the travel itch either. if you want to hear about tools, however, this is a good one for you.

[Cape Fisherman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having recently read, and enjoyed Robb's 'Crossing the Water', and having an affinity for restoring old boats, I anxiously dove into 'Sloop'. Expecting a quick cruise through the book, my sails luffed as I found the chapters swelling without crescendo. I felt the book wandered and lacked a solid course.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. His work, his outlook, his life, his writing style, his boat building friends, the location - I enjoyed every bit of it. He avoids being self indulgent and keeps the focus on the boat - except when he doesn't, when he drifts into vignettes about life where he lives and the people he meets. What a great read.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am obsessed with the subject, but this was Lunesta in ink. The journal format was pretty weak. It took months to finish and a big library fine because I could only read in 10 page increments before my head would hit the table.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are just learning to sail, like I am, this book is great. It is more story than text book, which keeps it interesting. But it is full of sailing terminology and includes a glossary, so my sailing vocabulary grew by leaps and bounds.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story, but way too much jargon. Unless you're a sailor and small boat builder, you're not going to understand all the terms. There is a glossary, but I found a lot missing. More photos and diagrams would have been very helpful.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of course I am reading this.

[Dan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting. Makes you want to go outside and build something, damnnit.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably better if you understand ship building terminology, far too technical for me

[Edward Renehan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was hoping to enjoy this tale of a man restoring his family's [great] old Herreshoff 12 1/2. But what a lot of ego and [often smug] self-centered philosophizing.

[ER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. Thoughtful. Technically correct. Not for the shallow reader.