Posted in art supplies on 06/03/2010 09:39 pm by admin
Bob Ross Oil
Original Oil Paintings For Sale
Are you looking for artwork to put in you business or home? Try looking for original oil paintings for sale. They may add beauty, color, style, quality, and originality to your home or office.
Original oil paintings may come in contemporary, impressionism, art nouveau, abstract, still life as well as many other styles. One may find paintings of landscapes, seascapes, religious figures, sports, patriotic symbols, flowers, nature and a plethora of other options to choose from. They can be full of color and design, and can be found to match any type and style of decor that you may have.
Maybe what you desire is a portrait painted of yourself or your family. If you have an idea of your own, you can share it with an artist for hire, and he might be able to paint your idea for you.
There are also businesses where you can send in a photo that you would like to have painted, and they will paint the picture in the photo for a negotiated or set price. Typically, prices can be negotiated.
You do not have to settle for one specific size. You can find them to cover large or small areas. It can be put onto different sizes of canvas in order to suit your taste.
Original oil paintings can come from many different sources. Sometimes they are sold at auctions. If you can locate an artist, there is a possibility that they will sell their artwork directly to you. Usually it is more convenient to go through a gallery or an art dealer. Some museums will offer originals for sale. Do you desire artwork that looks nice but not quite museum or gallery quality? If so, then online stores and different department stores offer selections at discounted prices.
A budget for what you can afford should be made. The prices of the painting depend on many factors. Some of which include the age, style, location of purchase and the artist of the artwork. Old paintings that were done by well-known artists may be costly. Artists just starting out or commercial artists may not charge as much for their pieces.
Tri Panel paintings are a style of work where one piece of art is painted onto three separate panels. It is may be a creative way to make a statement to your friends and family. They might be affordable to your budget.
Bob Ross is an artist from the television show the Joy of Painting; he painted many works that are now available to buy. He used a technique called wet-on-wet. This is where the artist builds on top of wet paint with additional layers of wet paint in order to complete the painting. The out come of the work is original and detailed. Keep in mind that his work may be a little pricey because of his talent and fame. Usually well-known artists are going to be high in price and let us just face the fact that not everyone can afford to buy an original Monet, Picasso, or Jackson Pollock.
For anyone who has a taste for art, finding original oil paintings for sale is an idea to consider. Practically any type of painting can be found or made. They are easy to find, the hardest part is choosing which to buy.
About the Author
Al Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from original abstract art to American football. Thanks for reading!
Bob Ross -- Acrylics?
Does Bob Ross use Acrylic or oil paint most often in his TV shows? I am wondering. Thanks.
oil paints-
they are notorious for mixing much better than acrylics, and also dont dry nearly as fast. which is why he was able to touch things up at the end on things he started in the beginning
Bob Ross Oil Painting Mild Winter Day By Mark Terrell pt.3
Posted in art supplies on 05/18/2010 07:18 am by admin
Set Winsor
Winsor Pilates in Canada
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Of course, it's impossible to put everything about Winsor Pilates in Canada into just one clause. But you can't deny that you've just added to your understanding about Winsor Pilates in Canada, and that's time well tired.
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About the Author
Want more information on Winsor Pilates in Canada? http://www.winsor-pilates-web.info/Winsor_Pilates_in_Canada.html has all the information
Would anyone recommend Winsor Pilates to get your body in shape?
I'm thinking about buying the lastest body sculpting set, so I was just wondering if it's worth spending my money on?
No "miracle" pills necessary. The truth is ........ what people don't want to hear. You can lose weight if you finally decide to get off your.......... couch. Diet pill companies get rich on people that don't want to do what it takes to lose weight.
How to lose weight for free. Most kids workout doing what they love. Go back to what you liked as a child if it's roller blading, basketball, swimming. The thing is to keep your workout fun, so you keep doing it for life. Running is the most effective way to lose weight 100 to 150 calories burn per mile (4 laps on a track = 1 mile). Most people will have to alternate walking and jogging until they build the stamina to jog non-stop. Other benefits of running you don't depend on anybody to get your workout like someone to spot you at the gym or a team in basketball. The other thing is you go at your OWN pace. For you single parents you can buy a jogging stroller. It's a stoller with bigger wheel that allow you to jog and get your child out of the house for a change.
The body doesn't burn fat by sections. You will burn fat in general when you raise your body temperature by working out, the only thing is some fat resist to burn off, so you have to work harder at it. Running is a great way to burn fat.
Weight training can confuse people. People workout for 2 months and don't see a change in the scale and give up. Weight training is excellent to gain muscle and tone up but if you are gaining muscle that's why you don't see a dramatic change on the scale. Actually MUSCLES WEIGH MORE THAN FAT but this is good. The more muscle your body grows the leaner you will get. Why? Muscles when put into use, they burn calories, thus, the bigger the muscles the more calories you'll burn, the leaner and tone you'll appear. That's why at the gym the trainers will measure your BMI (Body Mass Index). Let me give an example if a guy started going to the gym weighing 200 pounds and 30% of that is fat yet 3 months later he might still be 200 pounds but with only 25% fat that means he gained 5% of his body weight in pure muscle.
Step 1
Determine Your Daily Calorie Goal
To estimate your daily calorie needs for MAINTAINING your current weight, take your present weight and multiply by 13. That number covers your metabolic needs for the day, factoring in a bit of light activity. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you need about 2,340 calories per day. To lose a pound a week, you must then create a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day (3,500 calories equals one pound).
How many calories you can cut from your diet depends a lot on how much you're eating right now. There's a big difference between cutting 500 calories if you're eating 1,500 a day than if you're eating 3,000. But remember: Weight loss is a lot easier when you factor in your running mileage (1 mile = 100 calories). So your calorie deficit can--and should--be created by eliminating some calories from your daily diet and increasing the number you burn per day through running.
Step 2
Distributing Your Calories
After you've determined the total number of calories you should be consuming per day to meet your weight-loss goals, divide those calories so that 50 percent of them come from carbohydrates, 25 percent come from protein, and 25 percent come from fat. So, for example, if you've determined that your daily calorie goal is 1,800 calories, then 900 of those calories should come from carbohydrates, 450 from protein, and 450 from fat. Remember: You're not striving to have every food you eat meet this ratio. You're simply aiming to get your total daily calorie intake to fall within these guidelines.
Step 3
Selecting Carbohydrates
Lots of runners will look at the 50-percent carbohydrate guideline and think they'll go into macaroni withdrawal. They'll argue it's not enough--that they need 60 percent or more. After all, carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source.
While it's true that elite runners need a very high percentage of calories from carbohydrates, recreational runners simply don't need as many carbs. Taking in 50 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrate sources will provide you with all the energy you need.
Because high-carb foods sustain you during your workouts, they are best eaten just before and just after your runs. When choosing which carbs to eat, opt for those that are fiber-rich and have a high water content to keep you feeling full.
Carbs to Choose Often
Fruits (about 60 calories per serving)
Apple, orange, pear, nectarine: 1 small (tennis ball size)
Banana: 1 small (5 inch)
Peach, plum: 1 medium (fist size)
Grapefruit: 1/2 whole fruit
Canteloupe: 1 cup
Berries: 1 cup
Fresh pineapple: 3/4 cup
Canned fruit (in its own juice): 1/2 cup
Low-Starch Vegetables (about 25 calories per serving)
Carrots, celery, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, leeks, onions, green beans: 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked
Green pepper: 1 whole
Asparagus: 7 spears cooked or 14 spears raw
Lettuce/raw greens: 1 cup 100-percent vegetable juice: 1/3 cup
Carbs to Choose with Caution (watch those portions!)
High-Starch Vegetables (about 80 calories per serving)
Beans (lima, navy, pinto): 1/3 cup
Corn: 1/2 cup
Peas/lentils: 1/2 cup
Baked white or sweet potato with skin: 1 small (tennis ball size)
Pasta/Rice (about 80 calories per serving)
Couscous (cooked): 1/3 cup
Brown or white rice (cooked): 1/3 cup
Noodles/pasta (cooked): 1/2 cup
Bulgur (cooked): 1/2 cup
Breads/Cereal/Crackers (about 80 calories per serving)
Tortilla (white or wheat): 1
100-percent whole-wheat bread: 1 slice
Mini-bagel: 1
English muffin: 1/2
Pretzels: 3/4 ounce or 8 sourdough nuggets
Popcorn (air popped): 3 cups
Saltine crackers: 6
Rice cakes (all varieties, large): 2
High-fiber cereals: 3/4 cup
Oatmeal: 2/3 cup cooked or 1 instant packet
Step 4
Selecting Proteins
While protein's primary role is maintaining muscle integrity, it also satisfies hunger. Protein provides a greater feeling of fullness, ounce for ounce, than an equivalent amount of carbohydrate. The effect: You're content with fewer calories. That's why 25 percent of your calories should come from protein.
When you choose proteins, lean is always best. Fat adds flavor to protein--but also calories. So be sure to limit the number of calories in the protein sources you choose. A good rule of thumb: The fattier the protein, the smaller the serving.
Protein Picks
Very lean (about 35 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey breast (skinless): 1 ounce
Fish fillet (all whitefish): 1 ounce
Canned, water-packed tuna: 1 ounce
Shellfish: 1 ounce
Egg whites: 2 large
Egg substitute: 1/4 cup
Lean (about 55 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey (skinless dark meat): 1 ounce
Salmon, swordfish, herring, trout, bluefish: 1 ounce
Lean beef (flank steak, top round, ground sirloin): 1 ounce
Veal or lamb (roast or lean chop): 1 ounce
Pork (tenderloin): 1 ounce
Canadian bacon: 1 ounce
Low-fat hot dogs: 1
Low-fat luncheon meats: 1 ounce
Dairy Products (about 90 calories per serving)
Fat-free or 1-percent-fat cottage cheese (calcium fortified): 1 cup
Low-fat, sugar-free yogurt: 3/4 cup
Fat-free, sugar-free yogurt: 1 cup
Low-fat cheese (all types): 2 ounces
Step 5
Selecting Fats
Most dieters immediately start cutting fat. But instead of just cutting out junk-food sources of fat, they also cut fatty foods that are healthy, including nuts and nut butters, and olives and olive oil.
Foods with a little fat help slow the rate of digestion and provide a sense of fullness. Try to get 25 percent of your daily calories from good fats by selecting heart-healthy vegetable, nut, and fish sources.
Fats of Choice
Full-Calorie sources (about 50 calories per serving)
All oils: 1 teaspoon
Avocado (medium): 1/8
Almonds, cashews, filberts: 6
Peanuts: 10
Pistachios: 15
Olives (green or black): 8 medium
Peanut butter (creamy or chunky): 1 teaspoon
The wild card in the 50-25-25 eating plan is how you distribute your calories throughout the day. That depends on your running schedule. Because you want to eat the bulk of your carbohydrate calories around the times when you will be active, you need to know ahead of time when you're going to exercise each day. Then select mostly carbohydrate-rich foods to fuel up beforehand or afterward. By eating most of your carbohydrate calories around your runs, you'll then eat most of your protein and fat calories the rest of the day when you're more sedentary.
Remember one other guideline when establishing your daily eating pattern: Don't go too many hours without eating or your brain will signal starvation mode and stimulate your appetite. So go ahead and have a morning, afternoon, and evening meal, along with snacks. Just make sure that when you tally up all your eating, you're still within your daily calorie range.
Drink 2 liters of water throughout the day to keep hydrated during your runs and enjoy the added benefit of feeling full so you don't eat fatty foods. There are runners websites that are full of great tips. By the way. How many overweight marathoners have you seen? Good luck
Winsor McCay - How a Mosquito Operates [1912] set to Boards of Canada
Posted in art supplies on 04/28/2010 10:54 pm by admin
Painting Supplies
DIY Resources: Painting an Interior Room is all about Preparation
Painting the walls of a room is one of the most inexpensive home improvement projects that will dramatically update the look of the room. Painting a room is also extremely easy, but doing a good job requires taking the proper steps to fully prepare the room. In fact, preparation often takes more time than the painting itself. Poor preparation for painting the walls of a room will show through in the final product, and is a common DIY mistake. Below are a few steps to take when preparing a room to be painted:
Have all of the necessary supplies before you begin. Making a trip to the hardware store in the middle of a painting project is not too convenient. Having all of the necessary supplies on hand to complete the job will make your painting project go smoother and help you achieve the quality results you want. One resource that may be of use is the interactive Painting Supplies Checklist from Real Simple.
Start with a smooth surface. A uniform wall surface throughout the room will contribute to a professional looking, smooth finish. If there are holes or cracks in the wall, they should be repaired before paint is applied. Ensure that you are using the correct material for your wall surface, such as drywall compound if the surface is drywall. For larger holes you may use a drywall repair kit. Sand away any rough surfaces after the compound has completely dried, usually after 24 hours (refer to manufacturer documentation for application recommendations).
Mask the entire room with painter’s tape. Taping off surfaces that should not be painted is a very important step in the preparation process. Using tape made for painting will yield the best results and facilitate easier tape removal. Tape completely around window frames, door frames, baseboards, ceiling surfaces, banisters, light fixtures and any other surface you do not want paint to touch. Be sure the tape does not leave gaps for paint to seep onto the surfaces you do not want painted.
Cover the floor and furniture. The best way to protect furniture when you paint is to remove it from the room. If that’s not an option, move all of the furniture away from the walls and cover it thoroughly with plastic. The floor should also be covered with protective plastic.
Use primer for a uniform appearance. Especially important if you are painting the room a lighter hue, priming seals the wall surface to create a smooth canvas. It also helps seal any repairs you may have made and helps the paint adhere for a long-lasting finish. Most experts advise priming before painting interior walls.
If you take the time to properly prepare for painting, you can achieve a high quality paint job that will drastically transform the look of the room.
About the Author
About the Author: Maria Polidoro is the Founder of Ace Tool Online, an authorized distributor for virtually all major power tool manufacturers. Please visit Ace Tool Online to browse the latest Milwaukee cordless tool products as well as Champion tools and 70+ more brands.
Where can I buy painting supplies for cheap but that are good quality?
I love to paint but I don't have to money to spend on all the supplies. I have canvases and brushes. All I need is paint. I usually work with acrylics or oil sticks. I can't afford $100 worth of paint but by the time I buy it all it is going to be that much. Is there any where online I should look? Sometimes Hobby Lobby has good deals on paint but not lately. Can anyone help me?
All of those places have good deals,but getting good quality materials for cheap is almost impossible when you talk about good quality oil paint. Most oil paint raises in price the more pigment that you have, so if you paint with more expensive colors and better quality paints they last longer. For example Blockx vermillion one of the purests and bests in the market will stay the same color when white is added, but goes for about $80 for 35ml tube, Gamblin are good, grumbachers are good,Holbein is very good and will last you,Lapia Arts colors are great and very pure.Lefranc & Bourgeuis paints one of the best. Liquitex makes oil paint too. Rowney make the Georgian line which is very good and large tubes will last you a long time.
What I would do is go online and find those manufacturers and order from them directly. You can find great deals and save some money.
How to Faux Paint : Supplies Necessary for Faux Painting
Lots of photographers are turning towards canvas print photos nowadays. A photographer has to keep on finding new methods that are profitable for him and do not compromise on the quality of his work at the same time. With this aim in mind, several photographers are getting attracted towards canvas print photos.
The calculation behind this is uncomplicated. A photo canvas print earns more profits than photos on art paper, which is why it is preferred by photographers. That implies that photographers have greater returns per print, which results in a higher turnover. This is because it is inexpensive to create a stretched museum quality art print than a framed photo print with glass and mate.
Almost all the photographers are well aware of the rich advantages of a canvas print, but they lack the expertise to produce high quality artwork. They know the fact that frame shops provide this service, but at exorbitant costs.
However, there are a lot of photographers who have the information on where to hunt for less expensive frames, glass and mate. They have the skill to create a great canvas artwork by bringing together all these materials. It is an added advantage if the photographer is proficient in stretching canvas, since he can exploit this medium to the fullest to increase his profit margins.
Another option for the photographer to make money is a "gallery wrapped" canvas print, which is basically, a print without frame and hung on a wall. There is an internal frame and the canvas is wrapped around it to give a brilliant 3D effect. This is very pleasing to the eyes and has a professional touch to it. Moreover, it saves the artist from spending money on a good frame and maintains a reasonable price for the gallery wrapped print. He doesn't have to waste time in framing the canvas either.
While creating stretched canvas print, some more things that need to be taken care of are the materials which the photographer uses. They play a vital role in earning you profits. Let us have a look at some of these.
1. Canvas:
The Canvas must have excellent imaging characteristics. Photographers must choose mate canvas over gloss or semi-gloss canvas, as it is considered to be finer. For a superb canvas print, ensure that the canvas does not develop cracks on its border.
2. Sealer:
As the name suggests, a sealer is used to seal the surface of the canvas. This makes it malleable for stretching and also saves the canvas from cracking.
3. Stretcher Bars:
You should be careful while using the stretcher bar, as it may create a ghosting effect if the canvas is pressed against this bar. A noticeable line is formed on the printed side due to this effect. The best wood to use for this bar is the Cedar wood, as it will result in a good canvas print.
Photographers who wish to generate higher margins with canvas print need not get tensed if they do not know the procedure. There are many photo galleries which have come up that train the photographers with real life demonstrations on each step of the process. Take advantage of this opportunity and take your business to new heights by switching to a profitable canvas print!
About the Author
Author Hugh Parker Picture Photos on Canvas is a blog about photos printed on canvas and everything that relates including general photography and photo shop tips so if you want the scoop on the buzz visit us by clicking canvas prints
Thank you, Hugh Parker
How do I properly store acryclic paintings done on canvas?
The majority of the acrylic paintings are 4ft x 4ft and the canvas was stretched by the artist on to wood frames. Some of the wood frames are warping. I need a storage method that can be used for long term (over a year) storage and is practical when dealing with at least 20 paintings. I also need a method that is not super expensive. In case it is important to storage: the paintings range in age from approximately 10-60 years old, but the vast majority are 10-30 years old. Thank you for your help!
well at galleries they have vertical shelfs. you could try that. they wont touch each other and thats what you probably want.
STRETCHING CANVAS GICLEE STRECHING ARTWORK FINE ART
Posted in art supplies on 01/07/2010 02:21 am by admin
Simmons Paint Brushes
Oldies but Woodies
by Jody Argo Schroath
I walked past the covered slips of a certain marina on the Northern Neck of Virginia, and this is what I saw, not skipping anything. Minnow, a lapstrake Chris-Craft cruiser; an old wood Citation;Ole Chris, an old Chris of about 30 feet; Therapy IV, an old Chris cruiser; a wooden Carver; a Chris-Craft Cavalier; a big wood something; an old Egg Harbor; and a 1965 57-foot Chris Constellation named Good Spirits. This latter is the marina’s unofficial clubhouse, and, with its awning, soft chairs and wicker settees, its flybridge deck feels like the veranda of an old pillared plantation. Moving on, there was Encore, a 58-foot Elco that once was named Do-Ho and belonged to Howard Johnson; an empty space usually filled by a 55-foot Chris Constellation that is currently out for repairs (always a word with dangerous overtones when used in reference to an old wood boat); and a 1949 46-foot Chris-Craft Double Cabin Flying Bridge listing slightly to port. This one’s mine. With some work she could be a real beauty, I said to myself yet again. This has been my mantra for the past five years. And indeed the long soaring curve of her cabin is pure Art Deco, by way of the Jetsons. Inside she has a large mahogany saloon and aft cabin, a full kitchen and a nifty turquoise linoleum bathroom—not that it actually works, of course. The bilge pump clicked on and water began to gush out the starboard through-hull. I smiled ruefully, remembering that my husband Rick calls her our $2,000-a-year decorative fountain.
I looked back up the dock. Nobody. All these lovely old boats and nobody to talk to. I turned back to my own boat, leaning quietly and gathering dust, and I was overtaken by a wave of helplessness. Frustration. Loneliness. I needed to talk. I needed to talk Chris-Craft. What I needed was to find owners who actually come down to their old Chris cruisers, who take them out of the slip and out onto the Bay. I needed to sit in their saloons and feel like a glamorous Chris-Craft owner of the past—Katherine Hepburn or Eleanor Roosevelt, for example. I needed to see the brightwork at the end of the tunnel.
Over the spring and summer that followed I pursued my resolve. I attended every antique and classic boat show and rendezvous I could find on the Bay. I chatted up the owners. I oohed and aahed over restorations that left me avocado with envy and fairly popping my rivets with resolution. And I insinuated myself into boatyards where old cruisers were likely to be under the saw and fine china brush. Finally, I contacted the Mecca for old-Chris owners, the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Va., which houses the 200,000-piece Chris-Craft collection, and I talked with Jerry Conrad, who curates the collection and is himself the author of Chris-Craft, The Essential Guide.
What did I learn? For one thing, the word “people” in the phrase “people who own old Chris-Craft cruisers” almost always refers to couples—Mr. and Mrs. Owner. Guys may own and love old Chris-Craft speedboats and utilities, but couples own and love cruisers. Women are as enamored of them as the men are, and they are in on the process from the beginning, from helping to choose the style of cruiser, to renovating and decorating it. Yes, decorating: one of the most compelling advantages of an old cruiser over a modern boat. You can make the interior your own the same way that you would in a period house. And you can make it just as warm and welcoming. On top of that, there’s room for the children and friends and the children’s friends.
Why a Chris-Craft rather than an Elco, Trumpy, Trojan, Egg Harbor or one of dozens of other fine boat manufacturers of the past? Chris-Craft was the largest pleasure boat manufacturer in the world during the 1950s and 1960s, so there are a lot of them still around. And Chris-Craft made a lot of different styles and sizes—60 to 70 varieties in some years—so there was, and is, something for everyone. After World War II, the words “cabin cruiser” and “Chris-Craft” became synonymous. Every time you opened a magazine, from Motor Boating to the Saturday Evening Post, you’d be greeted by advertising that featured Chris-Craft “girls” waving merrily from the front deck of a new Express Cruiser or lounging about the saloon of a Commander or Cavalier. “Here is beauty beyond belief and comfort with a capital ‘C’,” enthused the advertising booklet Chris-Craft for 1950, referring to the 30-foot Express Cruiser. “See it and you’ll sell yourself.” Chris-Crafts were everywhere, and people tend to buy what they remember in the happy past.
In June, when I attended the Antique and Classic Boat Society’s boat show in St. Michaels, Md., that’s just what Russ Gray of Oxford, Md., told me. “Growing up, I knew Chris-Craft, so that’s what I wanted.” Russ and his wife Pat decided two years ago to buy themselves an old boat. “We didn’t have any other hobbies,” Pat shrugged. The couple—he’s an executive recruiter and she’s an antiques dealer with a shop in Florida—had spied Mary and Ned Crabbe’s 1955 33-foot Commander Express Cruiser Sweet at the cardboard boat races in Oxford and fallen in love with it. They resolved then and there to get one of their own, and soon afterward they did—a 1950 36-foot Double Stateroom. This is their first boat, and they consider the choice practically preordained. They first saw the boat at a show in South Carolina on July 21, 2005. They made an offer, and, when the purchase had been concluded, the owners gave the Grays the boat’s original sales letter. That’s when they figured it was all preordained. “It was dated July 21, 1950!” Pat says happily.
She said they are thrilled to be owners of an old Chris cruiser and to be at the boat show. But it didn’t come easy. As so often happens with old boats, their new purchase turned out to have a few problems; notably the transom needed to be replaced. “At first you think it just needs a little paint . . .” Pat’s voice trailed off, and I nodded with complete understanding. She’s so right, I mused. First, it’s “let’s replace a few boards,” and then it’s “let’s refasten the entire hull,” and pretty soon it’s five years later. In the Grays’ case, they had the boat pulled right away and put Campbell’s Boatyard at Jack’s Point in Oxford to work on it. “We were still working on it up to the moment of last year’s show.” And to good effect. Their boat, One & Only, won Best Cruiser in Show its first year out. Well, I thought to myself, this is just the kind of happy ending I am after.
Ned and Mary Crabbe’s story is a felicitous one, as well. They bought Sweet as a wedding present to themselves. “Instead of having a big wedding, we thought, why not buy a big boat?” Mary told me as we sat in the stern deck seats enjoying the early summer sun at the St. Michaels show. (Their boat was two slips from the Grays’.) As the purchase of their chosen boat was proceeding—it was slowed by the fact that it was not actually for sale—they lost their house and workshop to Hurricane Isabel. But they went ahead and closed the deal. “Little did we know we’d spend five years working out the bugs.” (Are you beginning to see a theme here?) Sweet has its original refrigerator, decking, interior and engine, but the hull has now been completely refastened. (Yep, I hear you.) The first year, Mary changed the bottom color and boot stripe. After that, the Crabbes realized that as small business owners (they have a renovation, design and building company in Oxford), they were just too busy to do the boat work themselves. “We’re wood fanatics and Ned loves to restore, but he’s so busy. We trust the boatyard.” Like the Grays, the Crabbes had Daryl Frey at Campbells do the work.
Why did the Crabbes choose an old Chris-Craft? Searching the internet, they fell in love with the look of 1950s Chris-Crafts. And while Ned is the woodworker, Mary has experience with wood boats. As a teenager she worked at Thompson Boatyard in Chester, Md., where she learned how to varnish and paint and do other wood boat maintenance. “So I wasn’t afraid of them.” (Hmm, perhaps that is my problem: epifobia, the fear of Epifanes.)
Many buyers of old cruisers decide to eschew restoration—whether the do-it-yourself or the leave-it-to-the-experts variety—and instead find a boat already in tip-top condition. John and June Beschenbossel, for example, purchased their 1966 38-foot Tri-Cabin Constellation in 2005 from the boat’s third owner, a nuclear scientist who had maintained Blue Moon in excellent condition during his 30 years of ownership, winning prizes and helping to found the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club. Now the Beschenbossels pretty much sit back and enjoy the fruits of the former owner’s labors, including Blue Moon’s wine cellar and flat-panel television (well hidden from view, of course). They have also coated Blue Moon’s deck with the same rubberized paint that is used on tug boats, so that takes care of that maintenance problem. Still, John has plenty to tinker with. In addition toBlue Moon, he owns 14 classic cars, including Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jaguar and MG. The Beschenbossels had cruised over to St. Michaels from Mayo, Md., for the boat show, but also managed to bring a Rolls for the Rolls Royce show being held simultaneously. I forgot to ask how.
Back on the Northern Neck, I asked Jim Hillier, owner of Good Spirits, about his approach to old boat ownership. “I’ve restored more than a dozen pre-Civil War homes in Petersburg, Va., so I don’t feel daunted by wooden boats,” he told me as I settled comfortably into the wicker settee on the “veranda” of Good Spirits one Sunday morning. This is his third Chris cruiser. But all three were in pretty good to excellent shape when he bought them, he said, which has allowed him to spend more time enjoying them than working on them. No arguing with that, I thought, as two other marina denizens came onboard for Hillier’s scrambled eggs and coffee.
Both the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club and the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society are great resources for getting to know old boats in general and Chris-Crafts in particular, but how about a yacht club devoted entirely to antique and classic boats, you ask. That would be the Classic Yacht Club, based on the Chesapeake Bay. Its members’ classic boats must be at least 25 years old and at least 50 percent restored. Each year they hold several social events, a judging event and several rendezvous at various locations on the Bay.
It was at the Classic Yacht Club’s July rendezvous at North East Yacht Club that I met David and Clara Ochipinti and first saw their 1966 57-foot aluminum Chris Roamer Bella Navé. Immediately, I decided to apply for membership in their family so they would invite me back on a regular basis. I was enchanted with the Ochipintis because they represent both the do-it-yourself school of Chris-Craft ownership and the forget-that-buy-it-Bristol graduate school, and because they use their boat all the time—every weekend during the boating season, which for them runs into November. “We use the heck out of it,” Clara told me. I loved that.
Their first boat, a 1955 37-foot Commander, was a baptism by fire, as in the first time they took it out the engines failed and they had to figure out how to get back without them. (A tow.) Their second boat was a 1967 45-foot Constellation, which they purchased near its birthplace in Michigan and brought back through the Erie Canal, tossing out things like old bedding at stops along the way. “We worked on the Constellation all four years we owned her,” Clara said. “We did all the work ourselves. Finally, we said, ‘What are we doing?’ “ This time they decided to find a boat in really good shape—and one that was even bigger since their two daughters kept inviting more and more friends onboard for family weekends. This time too they found their boat in Michigan, within a few miles of the factory where it had been built. But, instead of having to tie new bedding on top of the car (giving a good impression of the Clampetts on their way to Beverly Hills), this time they enjoyed a maintenance-free cruise down the waterways. “It was like night and day.”
A fresh-water environment and ongoing maintenance have been kind to Bella Navé. All of the stainless and chrome are original. The aluminum hull has had an anticorrosion coating applied to protect it. “I hadn’t intended to move away from wood until I saw this,” David told me as we toured the boat. From the hull up everything is mahogany—except for the decks, which are teak. A previous owner had installed a wet bar and restored the instruments. The Ochipinitis have replaced the galley floor, which was linoleum. The guest cabins are remarkably spacious, with a hallway and closets opposite the door and three closets inside. There is a Jack and Jill shower (two entrances). The master stateroom has its own bathroom and about half-a-dozen closets. Because this boat is aluminum, it has more storage than a wood boat because the frames are thinner and storage space can go right up against the hull, David explained. Bella Navé also has new Cummins turbo diesels and zoned heat and air conditioning. She cruises 16 to 18 knots and is easy to handle, Clara said. At 63,000 pounds, the hardest thing to do is stop.
Several weeks later, although my application for membership in the Ochipinti family was still pending, they agreed to take me out on the Sassafras River for a quick spin. Although they live in West Chester, Pa., they keep their boat at Skipjack Cove in Georgetown, Md. In fact, their second boat, the 45-foot Constellation, is just a couple of slips down; its new owners are now members of the Classic Yacht Club as well.
They made it look so easy. As David started the engines, Clara began the casting-off process. She stood at the bow and gave hand gestures as David put Bella Navé into reverse. Slowly, the boat eased out of the covered slip, which seemed to have room for no more than a saltine cracker or two between hull and posts. No rush, no panic, no bumps. They’ve done this a few times before. “We need 60 feet. The fairway is 90,” David said as he pivoted the boat to port. There are three 90-degree turns just to get out of the marina. “Lots of people don’t take their big boats out because they think it’s more trouble. But it’s not true.” Out on the Sassafras, David kept the speed down until we passed the end-of-speed-limit sign downriver. We might as well have been aboard theQueen Mary the ride was so solid. David opened the throttle, and we picked up speed. The big aluminum hull went up onto a semi-plane. Onboard, it was quiet and still steady enough to play pick-up sticks. Wow! So this is what it’s like, I thought to myself. I took a deep breath as if I could store all this enthusiasm in my bloodstream.
I’m going to need it. I don’t have digits sufficient to count the major systems that need to be overhauled on my boat before the thrill is mine. But now I had a support group as big as the Bay, and that was a great start. And for the work I can’t do myself, I know that there are a surprising number of boatyards on the Bay that still work on wood boats. Krentz Marine in Callao, Va., Campbell’s Boatyard in Oxford, Md., Sarles and Petrini boatyards in Annapolis, and Hartge Yacht Yard in Galesville, Md., to name just a few. And there are classic boat restorers like Michael Haines in West Chester, Pa., Howard P. Johnson of Old Time World in southern Maryland and George Hazzard’s Wooden Boat Restoration in Millington, Md. This is the lesson I have learned about dealing with boatyard craftsmen: When you bring your boat to them and they look at you as if you probably need help to turn the faucet on in the morning, don’t let it bother you. The people who work on wood boats for a living are a militant lot. They love wood and wood boats and they hate to see them deteriorate. I am told that Doug Daiss, owner of Krentz Marine (that certain marina on the Northern Neck) turns purple when an owner tells him that he doesn’t plan to keep his old Chris cruiser under cover. It’s a source of deep frustration for all those who work on wood boats that neglect dooms hundreds of them every year.
Finally, I turned my attention to the southern Bay and the Mariner’s Museum’s amazing Chris-Craft collection. This was just great! I sent them my boat’s hull number, and they sent me a fat packet of nifty stuff like the hull card for my very boat, which gives all the options it came with and even the color of the Simmons Hide-a-Bed sofa (green and white). They also sent me sales literature for my model, photographs and technical drawings suitable for framing. Believe me, this is the cheapest stuff I am ever going to buy for my boat. According to Jerry Conrad, since the museum took possession of the Chris-Craft archives in the mid-1980s, they have been contacted almost 40,000 times by phone, e-mail, fax and walk-ins. Since 1988, they have put together about 7,500 research packages. And they are still working their way through the 200,000-piece collection.
So that’s how I spent my summer. Now it’s fall, and once again I am walking out the dock to my boat. I have just come from the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum’s Antique and Classic Boat Show, and I am thinking, heck, with all those resources, why was I ever worried? Then it suddenly dawns on me that with all this research, I haven’t done a lick of work on my boat all season!
About the Author
By Jody Schroath, Senior Editor for Chesapeake Bay Magazine. For more great articles and photos on boating, sailing, fishing, and cruising, visit http://www.ChesapeakeBoating.net
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