Camp Tonset sailing models from woodshop - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

blondterror · 06-11-2012, 11:26 AM

I went to Camp Tonset for 2 years (1965-67??)when I was ~12 & 13 in Orleans and during each 8 week session we made a sailing model boat in their woodshop complete with working rudder, and a full sloop rig. we would race the boats on Pleasant bay on the last day of camp when our parents came to pick us up. The camp was run by the Hagenbuckles and another brother ran Camp Viking. The camp was disbanded and homes were built on the property in the 80s.

I am cleaning out my storage room and came across my 1st yr sloop (blue) and my "new sloop" complete with bowsprit and more streamlined hull. We would shape the hull, carve out the pine and add the deck, make the brass parts, make the spars fro square stock... some one else made the sails and rigged them.

This was a great way to get kids into working with wood and their hands. I know i loved it and now plan to refurb these 2 boats to give to an eventual grandchild...

Did anyone else on the site go to Camp Tonset and make one of these boats?

blondterror · 06-11-2012, 12:13 PM

Orleans sailing camps

Orleans Historical Society - welcome

Saltheart · 06-11-2012, 12:51 PM

Cool!

justplugit · 06-11-2012, 05:31 PM

Beautiful wood work for a kid that age.

Funnie, kids love their Grandfathers when their young and then as they age
they are busy with life and put them in the background. However, I found as
I got older my Grandfather meant more and more to me and I realized I
didn't thank him as I should have for all he did for me. Wish I had a second chance.
I would love to have and display a boat like that or anything made by my Grandfather, it would be really special if he made it as a kid.

Pete F. · 06-12-2012, 05:51 AM

Didn't make one but we had a similar one as a kid. Same type of construction. Don't know where it came from.

Jimbo · 06-12-2012, 03:31 PM

There are several about that size that are permanent fixtures in the old house we have in W. Dennis. Don't know when or where my grandfather acquired them and I can't recall if there are any markings that would identify that, I can check when I'm up for most of August. They had to be for my father so that would date them back to at least the late 30's. My brother and I worked many years as summer sanitation engineers around Dennis and he picked some hulls and parts that we still have we just never got around to doing anything with them. Unfortunately none of us ever got to go to camp, just being allowed the entire summer to roam near and far on no speed bikes and plywood rowboats was camp enough.
Justplug it, I could not agree more about your statement about grandfathers, but it was just about the opposite for me. I didn't appreciate all that he did for me when I was young I actually treated him meanly though he never let on it hurt him, but after about 12 I could not wait for trips up from L.I. to get time with him. He was my original fishing mentor.

justplugit · 06-12-2012, 07:17 PM

QUOTE=Jimbo;943841]
Justplug it, I could not agree more about your statement about grandfathers, but it was just about the opposite for me. I didn't appreciate all that he did for me when I was young I actually treated him meanly though he never let on it hurt him, but after about 12 I could not wait for trips up from L.I. to get time with him. He was my original fishing mentor.[/QUOTE]

Don't worry Jimbo he did understand. As a Grandfather myself I can testify
to that. Older people understand kids better than they know themselves and
make a lot of allowances. My Grandfather was the first to take me fishing
too. Trust me they both had more fun teaching us than we had fishing even
though it was all about us. I've got six Grandkids from 4 to 20 yrs old and enjoy every minute with them,
even when they are out of sorts.

As a natural occurence we drift away from our Grandparents as we should and
as they would expect. Their true meaning and affect on our lives unforunately
doesn't come to us until later in life.

scottw · 06-16-2012, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blondterror

This was a great way to get kids into working with wood and their hands. I know i loved it and now plan to refurb these 2 boats to give to an eventual grandchild...

these pond models were incredibly hot a number of years back in the antiques and collectibles market, examples like your were being scooped up and shows and auctions by major retailers for display and sale and the prices got ridiculous, modern reproductions have "adjusted" the market but the 60's vintage like yours and the 20-30's era mentioned are still highly collectible, to be quite honest, the original surface is going to maintain the highest value if you are passing these along for future generations...might sound crazy but the collectors want original paint and surface so you might consider that if you are thinking about refurbishing...examples like your's easily bring a few hundred dollars each and the bigger, older and more elaborate...the higher the price...thanks for the pics, those are terriffic! hope that doesn't make you feel old

hiddenhollowfar · 12-09-2015, 05:53 PM

I realize that this is an old post but my brother and I went to Camp Tonset back in the 50's. We built the models. If I remember correctly the designs were: Pup, Fatso, 24, 32 and the big guy was the 44. Some campers had the option of building as a mast head rig or a gaff rig. I still have my 24 gaff rig and my brothers mast head rig 24. I also built a surf casting rod there out of Tonkin Bamboo. If my memory serves we bought the raw materials at a store called "Goose Hummock" in Orleans right near the "Dairy Queen". My rod was 9' with a Penn Yan casting reel. At that time the Camp had a "Camp" on Nauset Beach we would drive there in the "Weapons Carrier" for overnights. The favorite movie at Camp was "Sahara" with Humphrey Bogart. We had to watch it every summer. A younger brother went in the '60s. A really great camp!