>> TONIGHT WE WILL CONSIDER THE STATE OF THE ART OF SMALL WOODEN BOAT BUILDING HERE IN THE NORTH COUNTRY.

LONG AGO VESSELS LIKE THESE HELPED ESTABLISH THE EARLY TRADE AND CULTURE OF OUR REGION.

NOW UNDER THREAT OF EXTINCTION, A NEW GENERATION OF BOAT-MAKERS ARE REVIVING THE TECHNIQUE AND IMPROVING ON THEM.

YOU WILL MEET THREE OF THE BEST AND GET SOME STEP-BY-STEP LESSONS IN AN ALL BUT FORGOTTEN CRAFT.

WELCOME TO "CROSSROADS."

I'M ENZO DI MAIO.

FOR MOST OF THE WORLD BOAT TRAVEL IS THE OLDEST FORM OF MECHANIZED TRANSPORT, PARTICULARLY IN REGIONS BLESSED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF WATER, SMALL WOODEN VESSELS PROVIDED MAN WITH HIS EARLIEST MODE OF PERSONAL MOBILITY.

HERE IN THE NORTH COUNTRY, CANOES AND GUIDEBOATS OFFERED PRIMITIVE AND CIVILIZED COMMUNITIES THE MEANS WITH WHICH TO RANGE FAR AND WIDE IN SEARCH OF FOOD, COMMERCE, CONQUEST, AND REACTION.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF TODAY'S SMALL WATERCRAFT ARE BEING MASS PRODUCED, A STALLWORTH GROUP OF CRAFTSMEN ARE MAINTAINING MANY OF OUR REGIONAL WOODEN BOAT BUILDING TRADITIONS, AND EVEN INVENTING A FEW OF THEIR OWN.

>> THE CURRENT WOODEN BOAT REVIVAL HELPED US TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE RICH HERITAGE OF WATERCRAFT.

EVEN 100 YEARS AGO, PEOPLE RECOGNIZED THAT SMALL BOATS WERE -- THE EXPERIENCE WAS SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT IN CHARACTER AND A DISTINCT WAY.

IN A CANOE OR ROWBOAT YOU CAN SPEND THE AFTERNOON OR WHOLE SUMMER EXPLORING THE LAKE BECAUSE YOUR FOCUS IS MORE ON GETTING AROUND.

THE NEWED A RACK BOAT MUSEUM WHICH OPENED, 54 OF OUR 207 SMALL CRAFT, AND ATTEMPTS TO PUT THEM IN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT, WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE BOATS AND UNDERSTAND WHY THEY LOOK THE WAY THAT THEY DO, HOW THEY WERE BUILT, AND HOW THEY WERE USED.

THE BIRCH BARK CANOE WAS THE EARLIEST BOAT USED IN THE NORTH COUNTRY REGION.

THEY RANGED FROM NINE OR TEN FEET FOR HUNTING AND FISHING UP TO 36 FEET FOR USE IN THE FUR TRADE.

THEY ARE BUILT OUT OF THE BARK OF THE BURCH, LAID ON THE GROUND, THE OUTSIDE OF THE HULL HERE IS THE INSIDE OF THE BARK.

AND THEN THEY ARE BENT AND SHAPENNED TO THE STRUCTURE WHICH YOU SEE HERE.

THE RIMS ARE BLADE OF SPLIT CEDAR AND BOILED OR STEAMED AND BENT INTO SHAPE, AND THEN SNAPPED INTO THE INSIDE OF THE BOAT.

>> SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY, I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THE WOODS, AND CANOES, WATER, DONE A LOT OF THAT.

20 YEARS AGO WHEN, ACTUALLY, I WAS NO LONGER A LITTLE BOY, BUT I GOT A BOOK CALLED BARK CANOES AND SKIN BOATS IN NORTH AMERICA FOR CHRISTMAS.

IT FASCINATED ME.

IT'S A BOOK THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE 1960s BY A MARINE HISTORIAN USING THE NOTES FROM A MAN NAMED EDWIN ADNEY, WHO BECAME FASCINATED BY BIRCH BARK CANOES IN THE LATE 1800s.

WHEN I MOVED TO THIS LAND HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME WAS A BIRCH TREE.

THAT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BARK GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE A CANOE.

I NEVER HAD THE TIME TO DO IT UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I DIDN'T HAVE A JOB.

IT WAS THE TIME OF YEAR TO PEEL, AND THE TREE WAS THERE.

AND THAT'S HOW I GOT MY START FROM 14 INCHES UP.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME FOR BARK.

FAIRLY STRAIGHT CHURCHING.

-- C. IT TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN THE KNACK OF JUDGING WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD BARK OR NOT, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OFTEN I GUESS WRONG.

I USE ROOTS OF RED SPRUCE, WHICH IS THE KIND OF SPRUCE THAT GROWS ON MY LAND.

IT'S REALLY QUITE EASY, EASY TO GATHER.

THEY GROW JUST A FEW INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE.

NEARLY ALL BARK CANOES HAVE BEEN BUILT ON THE GROUND.

IT'S POSSIBLE TO BUILD A SPECIAL WORKBENCH, BUT THE TRADITIONAL WAY CERTAINLY IS ON THE GROUND BY THE WATER'S EDGE.

SO THIS STRUCTURE HERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE TOP RAIL TO THE CANOE.

BUT, I USE IT ORIGINALLY TO ESTABLISH THE SHAPE OF THE BARK, SO ONCE THE BARK IS FOLDED UP AROUND THE FRAME, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE CANOE WON'T BE DEEP ENOUGH SO I HAVE TO STITCH IN A LITTLE PACKAGE ON EACH SIDE.

SO NOW THAT I HAVE STITCHED THE SIDE PANELS IN, I CAN RAISE THIS TO THE FINAL POSITION.

THEN I WEIGHT DOWN THE CENTER AND PROP UP THE ENDS, AND THAT ESTABLISHES THE SHEER LINE OF THE TOP OF THE CANOE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DO THE STEMS, BUT PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON ONE IS TO LAMINATE A STRIP OF CEDAR BY SPLITTING OIL AND BEND IT AND LASH IT INTO SHAPE WITH ROOTS, AND THEN THAT, THAT'S INSTALLED IN THE END OF THE CANOE, AND STITCHED IN PLACE WITH THE ROOTS.

AND GUMMED TO MAKE IT WATER TIGHT.

SO AT THAT POINT, I HAVE A FLOPPY BOX OF BARK THAT LOOKS QUITE A BIT LIKE A CANOE.

MOST BOATS ARE BUILT TO A PREDETERMINED PLAN, AND TYPICALLY, ON A RIGID FORM, WITH THE BIRCH BARK, YOU START WITH SOME NOTION OF WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE, BUT THE SHAPE EVOLVES AS YOU WORK.

IT'S REALLY A SCULPTURAL PROCESS.

I DON'T MEASURE MUCH.

I DO MOST THINGS BY FEEL AND BY EYE.

SO AFTER I GET THE GUNNELS FASTENED TO THE BARK, SO WE HAVE A RATHER SHAPELESS BAG, I LINE IT WITH THESE THIN STRIPS OF WHITE CEDAR.

YOU CAN SEE THE WHITE SIDE OF THE BARK ON THE INSIDE.

THE RIBS ARE MADE OF WHITE CEDAR, WHICH IS BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO WORK AND IT BENDS WELL WHEN IT IS BOILED.

IT'S THE PRESSURE OF THE BOILED AND BENT RIBS AGAINST THE TENSION OF THE BARK THAT ROUNDS THE HULL AND GIVES IT ITS SHAPE.

THEY ARE NOT -- THE RIBS ARE FASTENED RIGIDLY THE WAY THEY WOULD BE IN MOST BOATS.

THEY ARE SPUN INTO A GROOVE UNDER THE GUNNEL.

THE SEAMS, I PICK SPRUCE GUM OFF THE TREES AS I WALK THROUGH THE WOODS.

THAT'S THE STICKY SUBSTANCE.

I MIX IT WITH A BIT OF BACON GREASE, WHICH TEMPERS IT AND KEEPS IT FLEXIBLE.

AND ADD SOME POWDERED CHARCOAL TO GIVE IT A RICH, BLACKY COLOR.

>> THE NATURE OF THE VACATIONING IN THE ADIRONDACKS IS RECOGNIZED AS BEING UNIQUE AND NOVEL AND A LOT OF FUN, AND ALSO EASY.

IN THE 19th CENTURY BECAUSE OF BOATING.

ADIRONDACK MURRAY WROTE THAT THERE WAS NO TRACE OF TOIL IN A VACATION IN THE REGION BECAUSE ALL YOUR SPORTING WAS DONE IN A BOAT.

THE GUIDE BOAT IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE FUNCTION.

IT EVOLVED IN THE 1820s AS THE MAIN MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR SETTLERS AND IS LARGE 234U6 LARO CARRY THREE PEOPLE, AND LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE TAKEN OVER THE CARRIES OF THE ADIRONDACK REGION BY MEANS OF THIS CARRYING YOLK.

TRADITIONALLY, GUIDEBOATS ARE BUILT WITH FRAMES SPUN FROM THE ROOTS OF THE SPRUCE TREE, AND PLANKING OF A SPECIAL SORT OF SMOOTH SKIN.

GUIDEBOATS REMAIN POPULAR BECAUSE THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND FAST.

>> THIS RIGHT HERE IS A QUARTER SECTION OF A SPRUCE STUMP THAT WE HAVE DUG OUT OF THE GROUND, AND QUARTERED WITH A CHAINSAW, A GROUND LEVEL WOULD BE RIGHT ABOUT IN HERE.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS THIS SWEEP OF THE ROOF.

WHAT WE WILL DO IS SLICE THIS INTO TWO SECTIONS POSSIBLY, AND GET A PLANK THAT WILL GET OUR -- WE WILL GET OUR RIBS FROM.

THIS IS ONE OF THE ROOT PLANKS HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT CORRESPONDS WITH THIS SWEEP OF THE ROOF AND HOW THE GRAIN CURVES IN THERE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TO GET OUR STRENGTH AND THE LIGHTNESS OF THE RIB.

WE CUT THE SLAB OUT FROM THE STUMP AND CUT IT ABOUT 2.5 INCHES WIDE, AND FROM THAT, WE WILL TAKE OUR PATTERN, OUR RIBBED PATTERN AND CUT THE RIB OUT, TAKE THE RIB SECTIONS, AND THEY ARE SLICED FROM THE TABLE ABOUT HALF INCH THICK.

AND OUR FINAL RIB SECTION IS 3/8 OF AN INCH THICK, SO WE WILL TAKE IT THERE AND RUN IT THROUGH THE PLANAR.

IT IS THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH WIDE BY 3/8 THICK SO WE TAKE IT ON OUR SANDERS, AND SAND THEM TO THE LINE TO THE ACCURATE FINISHED RIB.

THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE STEPPED UP AND MECHANIZED THE PROCESS A BIT FROM THE OLD TIMERS.

WE WOULD TAKE THE FINAL FINISHED RIB IN PAIRS AND ATTACH IT TO THE BOTTOM BOARD.

WE ATTACH IT ONE PAIR, AND THEN THE CORRESPONDING PAIR, AND WORK OUR PAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE BOAT OUT TO THE ENDS UNTIL WE HAVE ALL THE RIBS ON THE BOTTOM BOARD.

THE SHAPE OF THE RIB DETERMINES THE SHAPE OF THE BOAT.

THE RIBS THAT ARE IN THE CENTER OF THE BOAT, ARE WIDER AND NOT QUITE SO DEEP.

THAT WILL GIVE YOU A SHALLOW, A MIDSHIP, BUT IT IS, BUT THE WIDEST BEAM.

AS THEY GO FROM THE CENTER TOWARDS THE STEMS, AND THE RIBS KEEP GETTING STEEPER AND NARROWER AND TALLER.

THIS GIVES YOU THE WIDTH OF THE BOAT AND THE CHANGE OF THE WIDTH FROM THE WIDEST TO THE NARROWEST POINT OF THE STEMS, AND IT'S PRETTY CRITICAL HERE ON THE RIBS, AND IF YOU GET THESE RIGHT, THE PLANK WILL GO GO A LOT EASIER, AND THE WHOLE HULL IS GOING TO BE A NICE SHAPED HULL.

IF YOU HAVE A MISTAKE HERE, YOU ARE GOING TO CARRY THAT MISTAKE THROUGHOUT THE BOAT, AND YOU WILL BE FIGHTING IT THE WHOLE WAY.

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS OF THE GUIDE BOAT, IS THAT THE WOODEN BOAT WITH THE PROPER MAINTENANCE OR RESTORATIONS WILL LAST 100 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN ON BOATS 80 TO 100 YEARS OLD, WHEN THEY ARE GOOD FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS.

WITH THE PROPER MAINTENANCE YOU WILL BE PASSING IT ONTO YOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

ONCE WHEN I GET THE RIBS AND THE STEMS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM BOARD, AND THE FRAME IS ALL COMPLETE, I THEN TAKE THE COMPLETED FRAME OR THE SKELETON, TAKE IT OVER TO MY STRONG BACK, AND IT IS FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN, AND IS ATTACHED TO THE STRONG BACK, AND THEN IT IS PLUMBED AND LEVELED.

THE BEVEL ON THE BOTTOM BOARD IS A CHANGING BEVEL, IT TWISTS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH FROM ABOUT VERTICAL AT THE STEMS, AND FLATTENS OUT TO ABOUT 60 DEGREES IN THE CENTER, AND CHANGES BACK TO VERTICAL AT THE OPPOSITE.

I BUILD AN EIGHT PLANK BOAT AND THE WAY I DETERMINE THE WIDTH IS TO DIVIDE EACH RIB AND STEMS INTO EIGHT SECTIONS.

I PUT A MARK ON THE RIB FOR EACH ONE OF THESE DIVISIONS.

THESE THICK MARKS THEN BECOME THE PLANKING LINES FOR THE BOAT.

ONCE I DETERMINED MY PLANKING LINES AND PUT THE TICK MARKS ON THE RIBS, I CLAMPED MY ROUGH BOARD TO THE BOAT, AND FROM UNDERNEATH INSIDE THE BOAT, I TRANSFER THESE TICK MARK ONTO THE BOARD.

THESE THEN BECOME THE PLANKING LINES AND THE EDGE OF THE BOARD.

AND THEN I WOULD TAKE OFF MY BOARD, TAKE IT OVER TO MY PLANKING BENCH, AND RUN A BATON THROUGH THE TICK MARKS.

ALTHOUGH I DIVIDED THEM UP INTO EIGHT SECTIONS, AND THEY MAY BE MATH MATHEMATICALLY COLLECT, I NEED TO GET A FAIR LINE BETWEEN THEM SO IT LOOKS GOOD.

AT SOME POINT I MAY HAVE TO PULL OFF A TICK MARK OR PUSH UP OR PULL DOWN FROM THE TICK MARK TO GET WHAT IS A FAIR LINE BETWEEN IT, WHICH MAY NOT BE MATHEMATICALLY CHECK, BUT WILL BE MORE PLEASING TO THE EYE.

AFTER I HAVE DETERMINED THE LINE OF THE PLANKING, I WOULD PUT ON A 5/8-INCH BEVEL PLANING IT TO A FEATHER'S EDGE, AND THEN I WILL HAND CHISEL IN THE SCARF.

THIS BEVEL IS WHAT DETERMINES THE LINE OF THE PLANK BENEATH IT, THAT FITS TO IT, THIS IS ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS IS THAT EACH PLANK IS CUSTOM FIT TO THE PREVIOUS PLANK.

ONCE THAT IS BEVELED AND FIT, IT GETS PUT ON THE BOAT, SCREWED, AND THROUGH EACH RIB, AND THE LAP IS TACKED BETWEEN THE RIBS TO EACH OTHER.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST TEDIOUS JOBS WE DO ON THE BOAT.

IT GIVES YOUR THUMB A GOOD WORKOUT, TOO.

THIS IS WHERE YOU GET INTO THE WHOLE ART OF BUILDING THE ADIRONDACK GUIDE BOAT WITH THE SPECIAL SMOOTH SKIN CONSTRUCTION.

THIS BOAT TECHNICALLY IS A LAP STRAIGHT BOAT BUT WITH THE BEVELED LAPSE, IT IS A SMOOTH SKIN.

ONCE THE BOAT IS PLANKED AND COMES OFF THE RACK, YOU GO THROUGH AND SCRAPE AND SAND AND TACK ALL THE LAPS ON THE INSIDE OF THE BOAT.

THEN YOU SAND IT SMOOTH, VARNISH THE INSIDE, AND THEN YOU WOULD FIT IT OUT WITH YOUR SEATS, AND YOUR SEAT CLEATS.

PUT YOUR GUNNELS ON.

YOU HAVE TO SAND THE BOAT PROBABLY A MINIMUM OF EIGHT TIMES.

THIS IS ALL HAND SANDING.

IT MAY SEEM REALLY TEDIOUS BUT THIS IS THE BASE FOR THE FINAL FINISH, AND THIS IS WHAT GIVES THE BOAT ITS BEAUTY.

YOU PUT THE VARNISH ON.

THE LIFE JUST JUMPS OUT AT YOU FROM THE WOOD.

>> THE PADDLING CANOE WAS A FAVORITE OF SPORTSMEN FOR HUNTING AND FISHING.

AND THE MOST FAMOUS CANOE BUILDER WAS J.H.

RUSHTON WHO PIONEERED THE ULTRALIGHT CANOE BUILDING, AND HE GENERALLY USED WHITE CEDAR PLANKING ON RED ELM RIBS.

HIS MOST FAMOUS ARE FERRY AND WE LASSIE.

FERRY GAMP WEIGHED 10.5 POUNDS, BUT 10.5-FOOT LASSIE WAS A STOCK MODEL.

MARIN BOAT BUILDERS CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF THE LAP STRAIGHT CANOE CONSTRUCTION.

IN A TRADITIONAL BOAT, THEY -- THAT ARE PLANKED WITH CEDAR PLANKS OR PINE PLANKS, THEY REQUIRE FRAMING TO HOLD THEM TOGETHER.

IF THEY ARE MECHANICALLY FASTENED WITH A PLANK THEY WILL REQUIRE A RIBBING OR A FRAMING.

THE BEAUTY OF THE GLUED LAP BOATS IS THAT PLYWOOD IS STABLE BECAUSE IT IS A SERIES OF PANELS THAT ARE LAMINATED IN THE GRAIN, AND THE GRAIN ALTERNATES, AND THUS CREATING A DIMENSIONALLY STABLE PLANKING STOCK.

BECAUSE IT IS DIMENSIONALLY STABLE AND DOESN'T SWELL AND CONTRACT LIKE A PLANK WOULD, A CEDAR PLANK, IT CAN BE FASTENED WITH EPOXY.

>> FIRST I HAVE TO HAVE AN IDEA IN MY HEAD OF WHAT I WANT, WHAT I WANT TO BUILD, AND THAT COMES FROM A NEED, AND ONCE I HAVE THE IDEA OF THE BOAT PICTURED IN MY MIND, I CAN GO AND DRAW A SCALE DRAWING.

I DRAW THAT DRAWING AS ACCURATELY AS I CAN.

FROM THE SCALE DRAWING, I CAN THENTHEN A LO LOFT IT.

WHEN THE JIG IS CONSTRUCTED I CAN BEGIN TO BUILD IT ON THE JIG.

IT IS THE FOUNDATION, AND IT'S LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR CONCRETE WORK AS SQUARE AND LEVEL AS POSSIBLE.

SAME WITH THE JIG.

I WORK PRETTY PRECISELY, PRETTY TIGHT TOLERANCES.

ONCE I HAVE THE PLANK MARKED OUT ON THE PANEL ON THE BENCH, I SAW VERY CLOSE TO ONE LINE.

THAT LINE IS THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE BOAT, THE OUTSIDE OF THE PLANK THAT IS SEEN WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING OUT AT THE BOAT.

THEN I ROUGH CUT THE NEXT LINE, AND AFTER THE PLANK IS HUNG I TAKE A ROUTER AND TRIM THAT OFF, FLUSH WITH THE RIB ABANDON THE JIG, THE LONGITUDINAL BATON.

THAT WILL BECOME THE INSIDE EDGE.

THAT EDGE THAT'S ROUTED IS ONLY VISIBLE INSIDE THE BOAT.

AFTER I GRAB THE LOWER EDGE OF THE PLANK OFF, FLUSH WITH THE RIB, I MARK THE WIDTH OF IT, AND WITH THIS PARTICULAR METHOD THE WIDTH OF THE RIB ENDS, THE LONGITUDINAL BATONS ARE THE SAME WIDTH AS THE LAP.

THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT BUILDING A TRADITIONAL LAP BOAT IS THIS CHANGING, WINDING BEVEL THAT OCCURS WHERE THE TWO PLANKS JOIN.

THIS TOOL, THE LOW ANGLE BLOCK PLAIN WITH THE ROD ATTACHED, THE BOTTOM IS FLAT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANE, THE ROD RESTS ON THE LOWER RIB WHERE THE NEXT PLANK WILL BE, AND AUTOMATICALLY HAS A CHANGING, WINDING BEVEL.

IT'S WHAT MAKES THIS PROCESS SIMPLE, AND WITHIN REACH OF THE FIRST TIME AMATEUR OR HOME BUILDER.

IN BOAT BUILDING, YOU ARE NOT USING -- YOU ARE USING CURVES ALL THE TIME, AND IT IS HARD TO MEASURE CURVES AND KEEP THEM ACCURATE.

SO YOU USE YOUR EYE, AND FAIRNESS IS WHAT EVERYONE STRIVES FOR.

ANYONE WHO IS BUILDING A BOAT, BE IT AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL.

YOU WANT THE CURVES TO BE NICE AND SMOOTH.

NO KINKS OR BUMPS.

AND IT IS A FAIR CURVE, A BOAT BUILDING TERM.

SO I AM CONSTANTLY CHECKING FOR FAIRNESS, WITH THE LONG CURVES, AND IT IS AMAZING HOW ACCURATE YOUR EYE IS.

IT IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN A MEASURING TOOL FOR SIGHTING LONG CURVES.

ONCE I HAVE THE WINDING BEVEL PLANE DOWN, THE NEXT STEP IS TO MARK AND CUT THE GAIN, SO I CLAMP IT UP THERE WITH THREE CLAMPS.

ONCE THE GAINS ARE MARKED, I CAN CUT THEM AND CHISEL THEM OUT.

THAT'S A RABBIT THAT ALLOWS THE PLANK ON THIS TO FOLD IN AND BECOME FLUSH AT THE END OF THE BOAT.

SO THAT THE LAP OR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFECT DIES OUT AT THE END OF THE BOAT.

ONCE ALL THE GAINS ARE CUT I CAN APPLY THE GLUE AND CLAMP THE PLANK IN PLACE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO MIX IT WELL, AND AS YOU START, IT'S A HEAT CATALYZED ONE SO WHEN YOU HOLD IT, IT WARMS UP.

THE STIRRING EFFECT WARMS IT IN YOUR HAND, AND THEN THAT STARTS THE CHEMICAL PROCESS THAT GETS IT TO CURE.

MOST OF THE SMALL WOODEN BOTH I BUILDERS HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS THROUGH THE RECESSION, AS OPPOSED TO THE COMPOSITE BOAT BUILDERS.

I WON'T MENTION ANY NAMES BUT MOST ALL OF THE MAJOR SALE BOAT MANUFACTURERS THAT WE KNOW AND HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AS JOHN GARDNER ONCE SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF WOODEN BOAT BUILDING LIES IN THE HANDS OF AMATEUR BUILDERS.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER DESIGNER BUILDERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE FOCUSING ON PRODUCING PLANTS FOR THE HOME BUILDER.

THE REASON WHY I USE WOOD FOR BOTH BUILDING, IT'S THE BEST MATERIAL FOR BOAT BUILDING.

IT IS TRADITIONAL, THE OLDEST BOATS IN THE WORLD ARE MADE OF WOOD.

MAINTENANCE IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS OF A CHORE BECAUSE THE QUALITY OF THE FINISHES THAT ARE ON THE MARKET THESE DAYS IS BETTER THAN IT WAS SAY 20 YEARS AGO.

SO THEY LAST A LOT LONGER.

I AM NOT SURE WHY I DO IT.

I COULD MAKE MORE MONEY NAILING TO GO PICNIC TABLES OR WITH PEOPLE'S HOUSES, BUT I AM THE KIND OF PERSON WHO TENDS TO DREAM ABOUT WHATEVER WORK I AM DOING.

MAYBE I WILL RATHER DREAM ABOUT CANOES THAN DECKS.

YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE THE SATISFACTION LIES.

AND EACH PERSON HAS TO MAKE THAT THEMSELVES.

>> FROM THIS, THE LAND AND THE WATER WE HAVE OUR NATIVE TREES THAT HAVE GROWN HERE.

I CAN TAKE THE TREES AND FASHION THIS CRAFT WITH A BEAUTIFUL, WITH THE BEAUTIFUL LINES AND THE BEAUTIFUL WOOD AND THE GRAIN AND THE STRENGTH OF THE NATIVE WOODS, AND PUT IT BACK IN THE WATER, AND THE BOAT THEN BECOMES ALIVE.

IT REALLY DOES, JUST LEAKS OUT, AND IT IS NOT A FEELING THAT YOU WILL GET IN ALUMINUM OR A FIBERGLASS BOAT.

IT IS JUST THE COMBINATION OF THE WOOD AND THE WATER AND IT'S MADE FROM LIVING THINGS, AND ONCE IT IS BACK IN THE WATER, IN ITS ELEMENT, THEN IT BECOMES ALIVE AGAIN.

>> AND THAT'S "CROSSROADS" FOR THIS TIME.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW AND YOU WILL BE WITH US NEXT WEEK FOR OUR RETROSPECTIVE OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF ONE OF VERMONT'S BEST ARTISTS.

UNTIL THEN FOR ALL OF US AT "CROSSROADS," I'M ENZO DI MAIO.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG/FROMTHEARCHIVES.