Boat Building Design & Culture

This course introduces the study of the design, engineering, work, material culture and history through the construction of a traditional workboat, a Maine Peapod. As the class builds the boat, we’ll gain hands-on understanding of issues of engineering, design, skill, and workmanship. We will do historical research and visit museums to gain insight into the history of small craft and their builders/users from the nineteenth century to the present. Throughout the course, we will consider philosophical issues of tradition, creativity, and knowledge in engineering and making. Three longer writing assignments and an ongoing journal will connect hands-on work and research.