It looks Maestro Marcuzzi is at it again,this time he's building another sandolo in the GSVVM workshop. Fresh photos are on display on Nereo's blog:
http://gondolasolidale.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/nuovo-sandolo-al-gsvvmestre/
Showing posts with label building. Show all posts
Showing posts with label building. Show all posts
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
2004 Sandolo Varo at the GSVVM
photos by Nereo Zane
Nereo was at an unveiling ceremony at the Gruppo Sportivo Voga Veneta Mestre back in 2004.
The boats being welcomed were the two pictured above.
The builder was none other than our favorite pupparin-builder Luigino Marcuzzi.
Nereo was at an unveiling ceremony at the Gruppo Sportivo Voga Veneta Mestre back in 2004.The boats being welcomed were the two pictured above.
The builder was none other than our favorite pupparin-builder Luigino Marcuzzi.My life is pretty good, but I'm still jealous of that guy.
A man in his element, doing what he loves...and doing it so well.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pupparin Construction at the GSVVM - She's Looking More and More like a Boat
photos by Nereo Zane
Fresh photos just came in from the Veneto. 
As expected, Maestro Marcuzzi has completed installation of the "three sheets", and she's looking more like a boat each day. 
I can't wait to see what's next.
Fresh photos just came in from the Veneto. 
As expected, Maestro Marcuzzi has completed installation of the "three sheets", and she's looking more like a boat each day. 
I can't wait to see what's next.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Pupparin Construction at the GSVVM - Progress Continues
photos by Nereo Zane 
Maestro Luigino Marcuzzi's progress on the pupparin continues. These photos were shot over the weekend.
Many of the latest developments are small or subtle.
One noticeable change is the addition of a light blue paint in the places that will become dark under-deck areas.
This paint scheme lightens those spaces and gives them better visibility.
Most gondolas have white paint under the bow and behind the fodre boards. Sr. Marcuzzi appears to have chosen light blue for this boat.
Thin strips of hardwood - which will eventually become the edge known as the "chine" - have been installed.
The lumber that will be used to plank the hull sits
next to the boat, ready to become part of this magnificent puzzle.
I noticed one other detail in Nereo's photos:
The shop floor has a lot more saw-dust and wood shavings than it did when we first started observing the project.
I can't wait to see the planking process.
I should also mention that Nereo Zane hosts his own blog with text in Italian. Some posts include the same images, while others are different.
It's definitely worth a visit.
http://gondolasolidale.wordpress.com/
Thanks for keeping us up to date, Nereo.
Maestro Luigino Marcuzzi's progress on the pupparin continues. These photos were shot over the weekend.Many of the latest developments are small or subtle.
One noticeable change is the addition of a light blue paint in the places that will become dark under-deck areas.
This paint scheme lightens those spaces and gives them better visibility.
Most gondolas have white paint under the bow and behind the fodre boards. Sr. Marcuzzi appears to have chosen light blue for this boat.
Thin strips of hardwood - which will eventually become the edge known as the "chine" - have been installed.The lumber that will be used to plank the hull sits
next to the boat, ready to become part of this magnificent puzzle.
I noticed one other detail in Nereo's photos:The shop floor has a lot more saw-dust and wood shavings than it did when we first started observing the project.
I can't wait to see the planking process.
I should also mention that Nereo Zane hosts his own blog with text in Italian. Some posts include the same images, while others are different.
It's definitely worth a visit.
http://gondolasolidale.wordpress.com/
Thanks for keeping us up to date, Nereo.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Gondola Works Story
This post picks up where a previous post, from 2/25/09 left off.
The U.S. has seen many gondola building projects; one of them was known as the Gondola Works, and was centered in Santa Ana, California.
The bow of the Marco Polo - a 30' Gondola Works boat with storage cover on her canopy.
The gondolas built by Joe Munday and the Gondola Works had a few common traits that made them unique among gondolas.
The first being the methods and materials used.
All but two of the boats were built on a steel frame.
The steel used was the same type used in ornate gates and fences in many parts of the world.
Most folks refer to it as iron, but in the case of these boats, a "mild steel" was used.
Some of the builders on the project specialized in crafting gates and fences, in which mild steel is often the preferred choice, as it is relatively inexpensive and easy to manipulate both by hand or using machines.
This material held up well as long as it was kept isolated from the salt water environment (which it was floating in), but once the paint or other coating was compromised, it was just a matter of time before rust took over.
The Emerald Princess at dock.
On top of the metal frame, marine plywood was fastened, and the whole thing was then covered with fiberglass cloth and resin.
Eventually, the metal frame would lose it's battle with rust, but the wood and fiberglass elements would often keep the boat seaworthy for many more years.
The word "seaworthy" of course, is a relative term; as nobody ever tried going out to sea on one of these boats once the rust had run it's course.
It's amazing (and a bit scary) how long a boat can last if she only stays in a calm harbor, avoids bouncing on big wakes, and never receives rough treatment.
At least one of these Gondola Works boats had every inch of it's steel frame sandblasted and then the whole interior of the hull was blown with a material similar to what is used in fishing boats and some truck-beds.
To my knowledge, that boat is still completely together.
Another thing that differentiated these gondolas from many others was that they were painted white.
The Black Swan was kept black, but all the others were originally painted white. I know of one that returned to Newport in the late 90's in a dark green with gold trim (looked better than you might think), and one which spent a few years in Oxnard that ended up painted black.
I bought Joe Munday's Golden Swan II from him a number of years ago, painted her black, and operated her in Newport until late 2008.
In 2001 I painted her black, at some point I may revive an old article on that experience.
When I last checked, none of the Gondola Works boats were actively taking passengers. Now and then one will pop up, sometimes operating here in Newport, and sometimes in a new, unexpected waterway.
Many of these unusual gondolas have since been decommissioned.
Some have been scrapped, or mounted on the roof of an Italian restaurant.
A few are still in dry storage, with the owner unwilling to demolish them in hopes that one day they'll grace the water once again, as the centerpiece for someone's romantic escape or perfect proposal.
A thirty-foot Gondola Works boat, sits in dry-storage.
Joe Munday has his own boat today, one that was built by another company. The new gondola is similar in some ways to his Gondola Works boats, but there's no metal frame, and the shape is a lot less geometric. He can still be seen out on the waters of Newport, doing what he loves most.
Joe Munday smiling and laughing.
The U.S. has seen many gondola building projects; one of them was known as the Gondola Works, and was centered in Santa Ana, California.
The bow of the Marco Polo - a 30' Gondola Works boat with storage cover on her canopy.The gondolas built by Joe Munday and the Gondola Works had a few common traits that made them unique among gondolas.
The first being the methods and materials used.
All but two of the boats were built on a steel frame.
The steel used was the same type used in ornate gates and fences in many parts of the world.
Most folks refer to it as iron, but in the case of these boats, a "mild steel" was used.
Some of the builders on the project specialized in crafting gates and fences, in which mild steel is often the preferred choice, as it is relatively inexpensive and easy to manipulate both by hand or using machines.
This material held up well as long as it was kept isolated from the salt water environment (which it was floating in), but once the paint or other coating was compromised, it was just a matter of time before rust took over.
The Emerald Princess at dock.On top of the metal frame, marine plywood was fastened, and the whole thing was then covered with fiberglass cloth and resin.
Eventually, the metal frame would lose it's battle with rust, but the wood and fiberglass elements would often keep the boat seaworthy for many more years.
The word "seaworthy" of course, is a relative term; as nobody ever tried going out to sea on one of these boats once the rust had run it's course.
It's amazing (and a bit scary) how long a boat can last if she only stays in a calm harbor, avoids bouncing on big wakes, and never receives rough treatment.
At least one of these Gondola Works boats had every inch of it's steel frame sandblasted and then the whole interior of the hull was blown with a material similar to what is used in fishing boats and some truck-beds.
To my knowledge, that boat is still completely together.
Another thing that differentiated these gondolas from many others was that they were painted white.
The Black Swan was kept black, but all the others were originally painted white. I know of one that returned to Newport in the late 90's in a dark green with gold trim (looked better than you might think), and one which spent a few years in Oxnard that ended up painted black.
I bought Joe Munday's Golden Swan II from him a number of years ago, painted her black, and operated her in Newport until late 2008.
In 2001 I painted her black, at some point I may revive an old article on that experience.
When I last checked, none of the Gondola Works boats were actively taking passengers. Now and then one will pop up, sometimes operating here in Newport, and sometimes in a new, unexpected waterway.
Many of these unusual gondolas have since been decommissioned.
Some have been scrapped, or mounted on the roof of an Italian restaurant.
A few are still in dry storage, with the owner unwilling to demolish them in hopes that one day they'll grace the water once again, as the centerpiece for someone's romantic escape or perfect proposal.
A thirty-foot Gondola Works boat, sits in dry-storage.Joe Munday has his own boat today, one that was built by another company. The new gondola is similar in some ways to his Gondola Works boats, but there's no metal frame, and the shape is a lot less geometric. He can still be seen out on the waters of Newport, doing what he loves most.
Joe Munday smiling and laughing.Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pupparin Construction at the GSVVM - The Boat, she is flipped!
photos by Nereo Zane
This past Sunday, Nereo stopped by the workshop at the Gruppo Sportivo Voga Veneta in Mestre, and noticed that something was different - the pupparin Maestro Marcuzzi has been working on has reached the stage where she's ready to be rolled over.
Looking at the prua, we see that the foredeck is in place, and Sr. Marcuzzi has added a "skidplate" of sorts to the leading portion of the bottom.
An interesting collection of wood pieces sits in a cradle against one wall.
Some parts will soon become part of the boat, while others may have served as temporary ribs or stabilizing arms for the first part of the construction process.
Looking at the stern section, you have to wonder how much work went into sculpting the characteristic transom-piece.
Big thanks to Nereo for continually feeding the fires of curiosity in all of us.
Bravo Luigino Marcuzzi - we are all living vicariously through you.
This past Sunday, Nereo stopped by the workshop at the Gruppo Sportivo Voga Veneta in Mestre, and noticed that something was different - the pupparin Maestro Marcuzzi has been working on has reached the stage where she's ready to be rolled over.
Looking at the prua, we see that the foredeck is in place, and Sr. Marcuzzi has added a "skidplate" of sorts to the leading portion of the bottom.
An interesting collection of wood pieces sits in a cradle against one wall.Some parts will soon become part of the boat, while others may have served as temporary ribs or stabilizing arms for the first part of the construction process.
Looking at the stern section, you have to wonder how much work went into sculpting the characteristic transom-piece.Big thanks to Nereo for continually feeding the fires of curiosity in all of us.
Bravo Luigino Marcuzzi - we are all living vicariously through you.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Pupparin Construction at the GSVVM - Fresh Photos
photos by Nereo Zane
Once again my favorite gondola photographer, Nereo Zane has given us some more images, taken just days ago in the shop at the GSVVM. Maestro Luigino Marcuzzi continues his diligent work towards another gleaming, launchworthy boat.
A close-up view of the stern quarter reveals evidence of a clever Venetian wood-bending technique. The dark marks on the thick trasto piece may eventually be concealed by paint or sanded away before varnish is applied, but for now they tell a story - one that includes water, fire, applied weight and a master's careful touch to achieve just the right curve.
Many people today don't comprehend the work that goes into building a wooden vessel.
With so many boats being mass produced, we see a wood boat go by and it doesn't register that someone, somewhere, spent countless hours to bring that remarkable thing into existence.
Ask Sr. Marcuzzi and he'll tell you that it's a painstaking process.
Part interpretation,
part following directions,
part problem-solving.
A process requiring creativity, dedication, and above all - tenacity.
In addition to the pupparin project, someone has been gluing and clamping to repair a set of remi. With so many remi in the GSVVM "arsenal", I'd imagine this is a common sight in the shop.
Maestro Marcuzzi continues his work, and we are fortunate to catch periodic glimpses into this process.
I will be in Venice this June for Vogalonga, and if there's one boat I'd like to row on, if only for a few strokes, it's this one.
Something tells me I won't be the only one in line for the privilege.
Once again my favorite gondola photographer, Nereo Zane has given us some more images, taken just days ago in the shop at the GSVVM. Maestro Luigino Marcuzzi continues his diligent work towards another gleaming, launchworthy boat.A close-up view of the stern quarter reveals evidence of a clever Venetian wood-bending technique. The dark marks on the thick trasto piece may eventually be concealed by paint or sanded away before varnish is applied, but for now they tell a story - one that includes water, fire, applied weight and a master's careful touch to achieve just the right curve.
Many people today don't comprehend the work that goes into building a wooden vessel.
With so many boats being mass produced, we see a wood boat go by and it doesn't register that someone, somewhere, spent countless hours to bring that remarkable thing into existence.
Ask Sr. Marcuzzi and he'll tell you that it's a painstaking process.
Part interpretation,
part following directions,
part problem-solving.
A process requiring creativity, dedication, and above all - tenacity.
In addition to the pupparin project, someone has been gluing and clamping to repair a set of remi. With so many remi in the GSVVM "arsenal", I'd imagine this is a common sight in the shop.Maestro Marcuzzi continues his work, and we are fortunate to catch periodic glimpses into this process.
I will be in Venice this June for Vogalonga, and if there's one boat I'd like to row on, if only for a few strokes, it's this one.
Something tells me I won't be the only one in line for the privilege.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Pupparin Construction at the GSVVM - Another Shot of the Maestro
photo by Nereo Zane
Our favorite photographer Nereo Zane has sent me another image of Luigino Marcuzzi, carefully piecing together the GSVVM's newest pupparin.
I was surprised by the responses that came in, both through comments and private e-mails, after I posted a few of Nereo's photos of the project.
Since then, Nereo has indicated that he will try to provide us with more images as Sr. Marcuzzi brings the boat closer and closer to completion.
I think I speak for many when I say "grazie Nereo!"
Our favorite photographer Nereo Zane has sent me another image of Luigino Marcuzzi, carefully piecing together the GSVVM's newest pupparin.
I was surprised by the responses that came in, both through comments and private e-mails, after I posted a few of Nereo's photos of the project. Since then, Nereo has indicated that he will try to provide us with more images as Sr. Marcuzzi brings the boat closer and closer to completion.
I think I speak for many when I say "grazie Nereo!"
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