My Skiff

by Howard Percival Johnson Jr.

One day my distant neighbor George called,” Hey Harrid (Howard), you like boats, you want a canoe? I gotta clean up my yard.” Sure George” I said, ” I’d love a canoe, I’ll come right over.” And I jumped in my van and went right down there. George and I dragged this thing out of the weeds, bugs and vines and all, and put it in the van. He said they had to clean up an old lot, prior to construction and it was too good to throw away but he knew he’d never get around to doing anything with it.

I got it home, scrubbed it out and looked it over; something about it looked familiar.

In 1970 my friend Jim Miller got a job with a man named Peter D. VanDine building traditional style, rowing skiffs, in two sizes, out of fiberglass, finished with wood trim and very beautiful. I had visited them, working at the shop and admired the boats several times. Then I was invited to come to
the Annapolis Boat Show where they were on display. This was the first time any friend of mine was showing boats and I was delighted to go. They had both boats shined up and tied to a floating dock for everyone to try out and plenty of takers. I had my eye on the most affordable 12′ size, with teak gunnels and seats. Getting into it was kind of tippy and a little embarrassing but once I took up the oars she went like the wind! As fast as I pulled the oars, she would zoom ahead. Light as a feather and super maneuverable, I was hooked. Somehow though, I never could scrape up the eight hundred dollars and even though some of my friends had them, I was just an admirer.

Something about this boat I had just gotten, looked like a VanDine creation. I called Jim Miller and described it to him. “Oh yeah,” He said, “That sounds like that one-off, 16 foot launch, he made for himself, electric powered. It got old and he was redoing it with all the latest high tech. stuff, when someone stole it from behind the shop. It was years ago.”

So I called Peter and reminded him of who I was and he said he remembered me and I told him, I had called Jim about the boat I found. He couldn’t believe it. He asked me funny questions like, “Does it have a small diamond shape piece in the center of the foredeck?” I had to go outside and look. “Yes it does.” He became even more excited! “I can’t believe it,” He said, “I’d given that thing up for lost. It was stolen from here fifteen years ago, I never thought I’d see it again.” “Would you like to have it back?” I asked. “Oh I’d love to have it back, as a matter of fact, I have everything here to finish it off!”

We agreed he’d come pick it up, as soon as he got time. A few days later, he called and said, he just realized that he has a mini-pickup now and could I bring it over to his shop, in my van? I said I’d be glad to. He said well, I am so delighted to have this boat back, I have one here for you.

You can imagine that I was looking forward to going over there, now, and visiting Peter. They make carbon fiber helicopter parts under the name, Merganser Aircraft. The place is full of interesting molds for aircraft and car parts, all in shining carbon fiber. Peter came out and shook my hand, his hair is snow white. He was glad to see his old launch, we agreed that it was in sad shape now. He showed me the new electric motor, solid state speed control and battery boxes, all very dusty. “Now,” he said, “I have something for you. I used this rowing skiff myself, for years and it sat out on the rack by the beach. It’s a little worse for wear, but you can still use it, or restore it, I know you can do that.” I was thrilled and thanked him over and over, he gave me the oars and seats; we carried it out to the car. “By the way,” he said, “This is the boat we had at the 1970 boat show; I always kept it for myself. It’s yours now.”