The Pacific Northwest is half a world away from Scandinavia, and the Vikings never reached it on their voyages to North America, but their influence on contemporary boatbuilders did. In the ‘80s, when I began to take an interest in boatbuilding, I admired the Norse-influenced boats built by two of the region’s local builders: Paul Schweiss, who had trained in Norway and was building traditional Bjorkedal boats, and David Jackson, who built the faering that my friends Ginger Cox and Tish Davis rowed the length of the Inside Passage in 1976. The current and most prolific practitioner of Norse boatbuilding here is Jay Smith, operating as Aspøya Boats in the forested fringe of Anacortes, Washington.For the past several years, Jay has been working with the Friday Guild: Leah Kefgen, her brother Per Brekke, Matt Fahey, Vernon Lauridsen, and Torolf Torgersen. The group, which had built the geitbåt featured in our September 2016 article “Building on Tradition,” is now working on a 17′ Nordford faering. The boat was documented in The Inshore Craft of Norway, and when the drawings were made in 1943, the boat was reported to be over 100 years old. When the faering is finished, it will be Leah’s “company yacht” for Best Coast Canvas, the maker of the Verksted Apron I reviewed this past spring. I’ve been keeping up on the progress on the faering through Leah’s Patreon posts and emails, and when she and Jay invited me to see the boat, I paid a visit to the boatshop on the first Saturday in September—the Friday Guild now meets on Saturdays, but kept the name. While the crew was busy installing sections of the sheer planks, Jay gave me free rein to wander around the shops and sheds. In a shed at the end of Jay’s driveway, an 18′ Nordfjord faering is taking shape. The workbenches on either side are built with diagonal braces that extend beyond the front edge of the top and have notches to hold planks on edge.
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Wow! This is a wood lover and boat lover and tradition lover’s version of heaven. So much to admire here. Thank you for showing us this amazing shop and its artisans.
Wayne McCallum
I really enjoyed this. Thanks.
Incredibly authentic Norse culture alive and well in the Pacific Northwest. I guess the climate boosts the health and welfare of these folk—”wink.”
Great images and detailed explanation of components and build procedure. Thank you.
As an automotive designer though, I can’t get my head around the “winged” stem……..is it carved one piece?
Jim Grant
Melbourne, Australia
Each winged stem is carved from a single piece of wood. When I made my Gokstad faering I often wondered how the builder of the 9th-century original knew how to carve the stems. I had to figure out a way to transfer information from the lofting to the stock I needed to carve.I didn’t work from a solid block but made each stem from three pieces, carving the wings’ inside and outside surfaces before gluing the pieces together. Jay would have insight into the traditional method.
Each winged stem is carved from a single piece of wood. When I made my Gokstad faering I often wondered how the builder of the 9th-century original knew how to carve the stems. I had to figure out a way to transfer information from the lofting to the stock I needed to carve. I didn’t work from a solid block but made each stem from three pieces, carving the wings’ inside and outside surfaces before gluing the pieces together. Jay would have insight into the traditional method.
Wow. The Norwegian tiller set up…. I don’t need it now but is one of those fanciful little tidbits which will come in handy someday. There is at least one gem like this in each Small Boat Magazine. Thank you and happy and safe Thanksgiving to all.