Books | Port Townsend Watercraft BLOG

Closure for the month of April

Ashlyn BrownMarch 18, 2024March 18, 2024

Notice
Port Townsend Watercraft will not be shipping out anything during the month of April, 2024

This includes sailing rig drop shipments, print books, bumper, Delrin turndogs, and fillet sticks. Dinghy kit sales are through Chesapeake Light Craft and not affected by this notice.

Ashlyn, the one who prints the labels and keeps track of it all will be out of town for the month of April. While away, Russell will be building PT 11 sailing rigs along with other projects on the bench. Sailing rigs on order will be shipped starting in May.

If you order our print books or small items from our website after March 29th, they will be delayed. Alternatively, the books are available on other online book sites including Amazon. Wooden Boat Store in Maine carries them as do several outlets in Port Townsend, including Admiral Ship Supply, Edensaw Woods, and Duckworks Boat Building Supplies.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

PTW Books Page refreshed

Ashlyn BrownFebruary 26, 2023February 26, 2023

We have refreshed out books page! It should be easier now to order books with new Paypal buttons.

Note that we have more than Russell's How-to books. Epoxy Basics, Scarfing Basics and Rolling Perfection.

We re-published Project Cheers, an adventure of historic trans-Atlantic racing in the early days of the OSTAR.

Tricks, Cheating, & Chingaderos lets you in on a master finisher's secrets, by Joni Blanchard. See it here.

Toti Bleu, Dream of a Gypsy Wagon, by Suzanne Snadecki, documents the building of a horse drawn gypsy wagon in rural France. It is poetic, informative, beautiful, and inspiring on so many levels. (Full color, Language:English)

For kids, a fun way to learn reading and about life on a sailboat, Sailor Sai aboard Big Blue, includes rhyming verse, colorable images, and full color illustrations. Author: Ashlyn Brown

For the crafty nature lovers, Felted Critters with a Mission includes 6 patterns with instructions on making wildlife felted ornaments. These critters were popular fundraisers for our local Land Trust and they are fun to make. Author: Ashlyn Brown

Due to the rapidly increasing postal service costs, it is more economical for customers in countries other than North America, to use Amazon.com or Bookdepository.com. For me to post a book to Germany or the UK, or Australia, the postage is now more than double the purchase price of the book.

Speaking of Amazon, while we have an opinion about the mega seller, we appreciate certain things about it too. Our page includes links to some of our favorite books, most by friends and family. We like to help them sell their works if we can.

Thank you! AB 😉

Painting a PT Spear

Ashlyn BrownJanuary 19, 2019January 22, 2019

...a video opportunity...
We recently had the opportunity to document painting a PT SPEAR. I put together a video of applying the first coat and some highlights of the third coat. The video is not a “how-to” but rather a demonstration that may be most useful to those of you preparing to paint your own home built boat with Interlux Perfection 2-part LP paint. The book, Rolling Perfection, really shows the technique Russell uses, from mixing, thinning, and applying onto a variety of surfaces, including non skid. You might note that we do not use a primer. Our boats are built using WEST SYSTEM resin and 207 Special Clear Hardener; saturation, fill, and gloss coats. This prepared surface has been perfectly suitable as a base for applying this paint (and its Interlux predecessors) on Russell’s boats over the last 30 years.
So here is the video. We hope you find it helpful. 😉 AEB

December availability +

Ashlyn BrownNovember 29, 2018January 22, 2019

Our kit Manuals are temporarily out of stock and unavailable until FEBRUARY 2019. Our local printer suddenly closed and we are working on setting up the files with a new printer. We are also revising those files to make our manuals better!

Please stay tuned!

DECEMBER SCHEDULE

Our office will be closed December 2nd - December 9th. We will answer emails as often as we can during that time.

KITS:

Due to UPS increased peak season rates and the fact that UPS drivers are seriously stressed out during the holiday season, we will not be shipping kits until January 2019. Our kits are already a maximum sized package for them and we feel the risk for damage is higher at this time of year.

We wish everyone a happy Holiday Season, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy New year, and any other special holidays I may have missed. Kindness and peace, good health and healthy provisions to all.

ptwatercraft.com — The Browns dreaming of more sailing adventures...

Gift giving ideas

Ashlyn BrownOctober 8, 2018October 13, 2018

Just because I could, (and the opportunity to learn something new came up), I have made a limited supply of unique sterling silver pendants that feature the PT Swift silhouette that is our logo. Each one is different in design and with its own serendipitous imperfections. If you think this might make a nice appreciation gift for your partner, your can order them HERE. There are only eight (8) all together!

I will ship First Class with tracking and I will include a leather or hemp cord, or for a little more, a 1mm, 16", silver ball chain. In order to price them easily, I can only ship within the USA. (The rope chain pictured is not available)

Plus, don't forget we have some really special books, - for children, "Sailor Sai on the Big Blue" , land boating on the beautiful horse drawn "Toti Bleu", racing history with "Project Cheers", How to books for epoxy and painting and more!

Book sales proceeds from Sailor Sai, Toti Bleu, and Project Cheers, benefit three special women and their projects. Pendant proceeds just might pay for another batch of silver clay and more pendants for next year.

Another wonderful and creative person in my family has a sale running on her amazing accessories. Fun and beautiful, these already under priced gems may not be available again for a while. FEELGOODGEMS by Dana Ecelberger

Thank you! AEB 😉

Toti Bleu is a land boat

Ashlyn BrownMarch 21, 2018March 21, 2018

I am pleased to be the editor of a special book now available in full color print. Toti Bleu, dream of a gypsy wagon, is the journal of how a horse drawn gypsy wagon 'became'. It includes modern logic behind the design, material choices, gear selection, horse breed and care. It also includes the lack of logic involved in jumping into the unknown to realize a dream, the magic of friendships both human and quadruped, and the emotional ups and downs of a long term project.

What really makes this book so beautiful is the author, Suzanne, who strikes a balance between practical and poetic thought, and, the many photos taken on location in Se France. Yes, France. I may be biased, since Suzanne happens to be my mother, but this project has allowed me to get to know her in a way few children get to know their parents. I initially thought her idea was a little nutty given the lack of money to do such a thing, but following as it evolved, I am now even more inspired by her.

See Toti Bleu on Amazon available worldwide.

This journal was originally a blog and the story continues. The book is edited from the blog format and the 2 venues compliment each other.

Be inspired to create your own 'land boat', dive into any seemingly impossible project, or simply connect more closely with flora and fauna, and especially horses. All proceeds from the book go to the author and continuing the Toti Bleu Project and message.