BOB GORDON
LAVENDER BAY, N.S.W. — 1998
"Build me straight, O worthy Master,
Staunch and strong, a goodly vessel,
That shall laugh at all disaster,
And with wave and whirlwind wrestle!"
Bob Gordon, one of the last boatbuilders of wooden boats left in Sydney, built his last boat at the Neptune site prior to the site’s redevelopment. After the Neptune site was redeveloped in the 1990s Bob was able to lease a workshop beneath the railway viaduct, and with his son Robert continued to build timber boats by hand. Their last boat was launched in late 2005. Sadly Bob passed away in 2006.
Bob explained that the hull being built would have a very long bowsprit jammed hard against the brickwork above the doors to keep it in place. When it came time to launch the excess timber would be sawn off and the boat would make its way down the steep park to the slipway on rollers, aided by gravity.
Sinar F2 ii 4x5, Schneider Apo Symmar 210 mm 1:5.6
Kodak T-Max 100, T-max RS
Jobo ATL 2 Plus
_