2009
Over two weeks in April 2009, I built a 13-foot concrete boat on a beach near Los Angeles, following the sand-based process described in the 1971 edition of The Whole Earth Catalog and basing the form on the Guppy 13, produced in the early 1970s by Melen Marine in Chatsworth, California — the boat Bas Jan Ader used in 1975 for his final work, In Search of the Miraculous. Ferrocement (beach sand, white Portland cement, and steel), 13 × 6 × 5.5 ft. A PDF published in summer 2009 documents the construction and background.
Over two weeks in April 2009, I constructed a 13-foot concrete boat on a beach near Los Angeles. I followed the process of sand-based building described in the 1971 edition of The Whole Earth Catalog, and based the boat form on the Guppy 13,produced in the early 1970s by Melen Marine in Chatsworth, California. Bas Jan Ader used a Guppy 13 in 1975 for his final work, In Search of the Miraculous.
We launched my boat on April 19 at the Marina Del Rey Municipal Boat Launch. It returned safely to port after a day cruising the marina.
Published in Summer 2009, the PDF below documents the construction and background of the boat.
— from WORK SAMPLES (2025) —
The Concrete Boat Project, 2009
Ferrocement (beach sand, white Portland cement, and steel)
approx.: 13 x 5 x 5 feet
Over two weeks in April 2009, I constructed a 13-foot concrete boat on a beach near Los Angeles. I followed the process of sand-based building described in the 1971 edition of The Whole Earth Catalog, and based the boat form on the Guppy 13,produced in the early 1970s by Melen Marine in Chatsworth, California. Bas Jan Ader used a Guppy 13 in 1975 for his final work, In Search of the Miraculous.
We launched my boat on April 19 at the Marina Del Rey Municipal Boat Launch. It returned safely to port after a day cruising the marina.