How to Build a Boat: A Father, His Daughter, and the Unsailed Sea

by Jonathan Gornall

Part ode to building something with one’s hands in the modern age, part celebration of the beauty and function of boats, and part moving father-daughter story, How to Build a Boat is a bold adventure.Once an essential skill, the ability to build a clinker boat, first innovated by the Vikings, can seem incomprehensible today. Yet it was the clinker, with its overlapping planks, that afforded us access to the oceans, and its construction has become a lost art that calls to the do-it-yourselfer in all of us. John Gornall heard the call. A thoroughly unskilled modern man, Gornall set out to build a traditional wooden boat as a gift for his newborn daughter. It was, he recognized, a ridiculously quixotic challenge for a man who knew little about woodworking and even less about boat-building. He wasn’t even sure what type of wood he should use, the tools he’d need, or where on earth he'd build the boat. He had much to consider…and even more to learn. But, undaunted, he embarked on a voyage of rediscovery, determined to navigate his way back to a time when we could fashion our future and leave our mark on history using only time-honored skills and the materials at hand. His journey began in East Anglia, on England’s rocky eastern coast. If all went according to plan, it would end with a great adventure, as father and daughter cast off together for a voyage of discovery that neither would forget, and both would treasure until the end of their days. How to Build a Boat celebrates the art of boat-building, the simple pleasures of working with your hands, and the aspirations and glory of new fatherhood. John Gornall “tells the inspiring story of how even the least skilled of us can make something wonderful if we invest enough time and love” (The Daily Mail) and taps into the allure of an ancient craft, interpreting it in a modern way, as tribute to the generations yet to come. “Both the book, and place, are magical” (The Sunday Telegraph).

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, British Literature

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2018

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gornall’s genial memoir is the story of a transformation and an adventure, as a fifty-something freelance journalist gets an unexpected second chance at fatherhood and decides to build his daughter, Phoebe, a boat. It was an uncharacteristic resolution for “a man who [had] never knowingly wielded a plane or a chisel,” yet in a more metaphorical way it made sense: the sea was in his family’s blood. Gornall nimbly conveys the precarious financial situation of the freelancer, as well as the challenges of adjusting to new parenthood late in life. This is a refreshingly down-to-earth account. The nitty-gritty details of the construction will appeal to some readers more than to others, but one can’t help admiring the combination of craftsmanship and ambition.

(My full review is in the September 7th issue of the Times Literary Supplement.)

[Dlmrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Nick Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent enough read, extremely detail oriented and a testament to the labour involved in traditional boat building. It drags a little and without a love of boats, I can’t see someone enjoying this.

[sarah morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Net Galley ARC
Freelance journalist Jonathan Gornall became a father again at the spry age of 59, which, face it, is pretty darned close to 60. Then for some unknown reason—even to himself—he decided to build this new child of his, Phoebe, a boat. Not just any boat but a clinker-built boat, the oldest form of boat building known to man. Well, oldest other than the primitive dugout canoe. 

What follows is a charming and intimate memoir on the process of boat building, Gornall’s discussions of his admitted lack of handicraft skills, his obvious delight at his new role as a present-and-participating father, and many asides about all things boat building; how I came to know that clinker-built boats are so ancient.

The memoir reads like a good friend sitting on the deck of his boat telling you the story of how it got made. Gornall has a curious mind and the reader is rewarded with his research and charming storytelling ability.  

[Venae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not the book that I thought it would be. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked it out. I do not like the ocean or water or anything aquatic and the building of the boat quite frankly bored me. I felt obligated to read on but honestly I did not enjoy this book. It was too much of a chore and not a pleasure to read. Not that his writing wasn't good, cause it was. I learned a few things but it succeeded in exhausting me! Sorry.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gem of a book is so much more than the description provided. Its three parts are perfectly executed in their assigned purposes: one, an odyssey into the lonely world of a first timer's DIY project; the second, a loving dive into the historical and philosophical perfection of the timeless Viking-designed clinker boat; and lastly, the revelation of a father's sacred devotion to his daughter.

Gornall, an accomplished British journalist, ALSO rewards his readers with poignant descriptions, hilarious commentary, and moving confessions. We see his brave efforts, equal parts devoted determination and comical self-doubt, come to fruition as his book studies and professional consults (with both living and dead experts) lead him to greater understanding than he imagined at the onset of his project. And the fact that he puts himself through nearly two years of bitter trial and error for his daughter's greater good and ends up the better for it himself is a charming and unforgettable expression of love.

For me, the lyrical language could've been about nearly any topic and I would've been just as big a fan. I sure don't plan on building a boat any time soon, but I could hardly tear myself away from sentences like these:

"I would love to report that I came to be as one with the timber, that I came to respect and understand its timeless magic and mystery. We did, it's true, develop a relationship, but more often than not it was an abusive one, in which I begged and pleaded for cooperation and the timber did nothing but reinforce a growing paranoia that it was out to get me--to punish me, perhaps, for daring to deprive it of its rightful destiny."

It's a relatively short read, just as perfect a choice for non-DIYers, landlubbers and childless readers as for others. You will love Gornall for telling you all about his "Unlikely Triumph in the Shed" and who knows? Maybe you'll be inspired to find your own project of love.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too technical in its explanation of the actual boat building to be enjoyable by someone who knows nothing of the sort

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reviews complaining about this book being too much about building a boat are hilarious. The title is Hoe to Build a Boat. What else did you expect? I was happy that it was about boat building with stories and follies added in.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful but also very weird and eccentric. Its is a memoir but also has many chapters devoted to a detailed blow by blow discussion of clinker wooden boat construction. In the age of YouTube and visual everything the book does not have one diagram or illustration. Marketing this book must have been a nightmare for the publisher. My local library categorized it as a boat building manual. I found it by accident next to books about building wooden canoes and sailboat restoration.

Gornall's stated reason for building the boat is so that he can give it to his 3 year old daughter. This is very beautiful and touching but also very crazy. From the beginning you think to yourself "no you are not building this boat for your daughter. You are building it for yourself". It is not until you find out more about Gornall's history that you start to understand his real reasons for building the boat.

Despite all the technical detail the author somehow manages to give the book a beautiful narrative structure with tension, surprises, and revelations. The book is a masterpiece in its own strange way.

[Randal White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of how a man built a boat for his daughter. The author, who found himself becoming a father again at age 59, set about to leave his new born daughter a remembrance of himself. His troubled past family life obviously affected him, and he wanted to make sure that his child did not have to ever have the doubts about family that raced through his veins. His solution was to build this boat. Never mind that he had no idea of how to build it, nor any skills to accomplish it. He pressed on, to his eventual success.
It's a good story.
Spoiler: after reading the advance copy I received from NetGalley (which was an electronic copy, with no photos), I went online and found the author. There I found him and his daughter, in the boat, looking extremely happy. A happy ending!

[Alex Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely story, of a man learning to build a boat for his very young daughter. Or was it really for her? Gornall is clearly a man with very strong obsessions, and this is a fascinating view on obsession, attention to detail, of personal challenge and what it means to fail or succeed at those challenges. I think the book reveals more of Gornall than he perhaps realises - and it has a strangely voyeuristic appeal in that regard. I'm personally interested in boatbuilding, which really helped - but I think anyone interested in learning the minutia of very difficult and specific skills will take pleasure in learning about the complexity of wooden clinker-built boatbuilding. And he is a good writer, the book flowed well - overall a very enjoyable read, perhaps not to everyone's taste.

[Felicity Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim from a library bookshelf. I was looking for a memoir about crafting, woodworking, and boats, with interesting weird facts thrown in - something like Bill Bryson or Thor Hanson. That's what I got, albeit with a great deal more technical explanation of how to build boats than I wanted or needed

The first half, which covers where the idea of build a boat came from and how he prepped for the build, is marvelous. The second half is a lot of technical explanation. I'm sure that explanation is way less technical than the author's training manuals, but it was too much for me.

However, there was enough of the story top keep me reading until the end, which was very satisfying. I learned about boats, sailing, and crafting, which is exactly what I wanted.

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is good though I wish his daughter had been a bit older and could have participated in the building. Overall, this book does drag a bit, especially if you aren't REALLY into boats. I enjoy books like this because it gives me a look at something I'd likely never do myself. I can't say this book leaves me with any more interest in boats than I had previously. If you're into boats, this will give you lots of details and some history as well. If you aren't into boats, this likely won't be a big hit for you.

Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I ended up borrowing the audiobook from my local library and is probably the reason I actually finished it. I doubt I would have if I'd been reading it.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becoming a father at 59 could overwhelm a man. Gornall, who had, well, lived large, decided to build a boat for his daughter Phoebe. What a thing to do! I found this fascinating, mostly for the details of the construction. Those who have watched Gibbs build a boat in his basement on NCIS over the last many years might, like me, think it would be easy. Hah! To say that it is the focus of the book would be to diminish the thought Gornall has put into describing his life and the challenges of later fatherhood. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well written and engaging. A good read.

[John Baran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty much as advertised; although IMHO with 30% extraneous padding; hence 4 stars.
Having built a small glued plywood boat I have nothing but respect for anybody tackling clinker and I found the technical aspects fascinating. The lack of diagrams didn't bother me because I was listening to the audiobook version and didn't expect any.
And the parenthood side of the tale gave me a wholly new appreciation of my own father.
Probably not a book for people who aren't into boats - but then it's not as if the the title and description don't make the subject matter clear :)

[Stephen Tabb · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a memoir than a how-to. Minus the small drawings at each chapter title and a simple coast map of SE England at the beginning, there are no illustrations, no pictures, no plans. Hard to visual the writing . But reasonably readable. Having sailed on a lapstrake 25' built in someone's Barn in Denmark in late 50s or early 60s, the subject was of interest, but the book did not receive any wistfulness.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful story of building a small wooden clinker boat, and middle age mortality. A quick and joyful read. My only complaint, being mostly a land lubber, is a few well placed photos of a finished rib in place or a rabbet cut would have greatly aided my mind. Granted, a quick Google search does the trick too, but it would have been more imitate coming from The Swift itself. I can only imagine the hours of joy had plying local waters on The Swift while waiting for Covid to pass!

[Linda W. Magowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a rather laborious read for me with all the detail about building a boat without any illustrations. I could follow most of it because I have built two boats from kits and two from scratch. None, however as complicated as a clinker built dinghy. I do have plans for one but never got it started and probably never will. I can’t imagine a person not interested in boat building reading this book although he does include other interesting things in the book.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had the makings of something interesting, personal and touching. By about halfway through, though, it started to feel repetitive, poorly paced, and show a weird mix of vulnerability without consequences or mishaps without vulnerability. Too much of the book felt like it was trying to meet a publisher's word count. So overall, I came away disliking the author more than I expected to, which undermined the enjoyment of his very personal adventures.

[Amy Timmins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a slog to get through but I’m glad I did as the message at the end it heartwarming and encouraging to little girls everywhere. This is a story about a Dad building a boat for his daughter, and whilst at times it felt like I was reading (skimming) a manual on how to build a boat, there was still periodic moments of life in the book; moments that made me laugh, and think. If you like boats I’ve think you might like this.

[Pineapple Pizza · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a sailor, I enjoyed this tale so much. Very complete in description of the process. English is not my mother tongue so I needed a good nautical (naughtycal?) translator.
I'm sure it's not the perfect manual on how to build one, but definitely it puts all the effort and scrutiny on the stage. Good winds, Jonathan!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given five stars had the book contained at least one diagram of the parts of a clinker-built boat and a map would have been a bonus. Looking things up on the internet is not quite as satisfying.
An interesting account of a man learning a completely new set of skills, despite all warnings that it couldn’t be done, while laying his demons to rest.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple and charming book. 3.5 stars, not quite good enough to bump it up to four stars - there were points where the author had a slightly frustrating lack of self-awareness. Makes me want to choose a major challenge for myself - soon!

[bp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm switching my rating scheme this year to match that of my reading list. 3 stars for a decent book, 4 for great, 5 for exceptional. 2 for avoid.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiration, if a little ambitous, for anyone wishing they could do something practical, tangible. Such as build a boat, and not from a fibreglass kit.

[ruthfarrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this but then I have an interest in boats and building them. Not sure this book is for everyone but will certainly recommend it to the people I think may be interested.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title says it all. Much more detail about the boat building then the daughter.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent - love the author and his reading of this delightful memoir. Super story - I learned so much about boats! What a cool project - and for all the right reasons. Great read!

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author becomes a father late in life after he was a self-acknowledged poor father earlier in life. So to make up for his second chance he takes up a time-consuming project that will keep him away from his daughter during her formative years to build her a boat that she doesn't even want. So, yeah, this is a bad premise for a book.

I appreciated his humor and honesty, and he is a skilled writer for the most part, but the actual descriptions of boatbuilding--the main focus of the book--were difficult to follow. Even the author at one point wrote after a particularly eye-glazing passage that only a boatbuilder would be able to follow that. I found the best passages of the book to not be about fatherhood or boatbuilding but when he described his multiple attempts to row across the Atlantic and would've preferred a book focused solely on those efforts.

[David Streever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me when I found this book: "how interesting.... I think I could do this! Why not? My uncle built a boat."
Me at page 60: "I think I could do this!"
Me at page 120: "One thing I'm never doing is building a boat."