Charlotte: A Wooden Boat Story

"Catch hold of the passion for craftsmanship - and the craft - that emerge with such

grace from this yard. If you care even a little about such things, you cannot be unmoved

by the portrait this lovely film paints." -Jon Wilson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief,

WoodenBoat magazine.

CHARLOTTE: A Wooden Boat Story

is a meditation on tradition, craftsmanship, family, community, our relationship to nature,

and love of the sea that "takes you inside the boatshop, into the bay, through the seasons,

travails and bliss of traditional boatbuilding" (Kaci Cronkhite, Director, Port Townsend

Wooden Boat Festival). The film is the story of Ross Gannon and Nat Benjamin,

founders of the Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway. Establishing the boatyard in 1980,

they transformed Vineyard Haven harbor into a mecca for wooden boat owners and

enthusiasts. After a long career of designing and constructing boats for others, Nat

embarks on building a 50-foot gaff rigged schooner for use by his family and friends -

her name is Charlotte.

Kusama-Hinte's poetic film "…captures the independence, sensitivity and integrity that are the essence of Gannon and Benjamin" (Mathew Stackpole, Mystic Seaport Charles W. Morgan Restoration Team), and is acclaimed as "Spare and gorgeous," (Matthew Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soul Craft).

This event will be held in the Museum's boatshop.