Back in 1967 I had a "dream job" working in Old Saybrook, Conn. at the "Saybrook Marine Service Boat Yard". We were situated just off the Long Island Sound on the Connecticut River. When I started I worked with the yard gang pulling boats on the travel life or the marine railway and blocking them for winter storage. We always blocked the keel first and then shored up the sides with proper cross bracing. One of the fellows was very experienced and we had to add several stations of bracing on the older wooden hulls so they would not "take a sag" during the winter months. Eventually I started repairing the boats themselves. We had a lot of "old timers" made of wood and I learned how to spile planking and replace garboards as well as caulk with caulking irons and mallet. Deck and rigging work followed. My boss was a ship's carpenter and he taught me how to care for my tools and keep sharp edges on them.He was a pleasure to watch work and could use a spoke shave like Perlman uses a violin bow. Beautiful. One room stored the oakum and I used to like going in there. Being a "sea struck" young lad (Sterling Hayden's term) the smell of oakum really brought me back to the days of "wooden ships and iron men". My stay there lasted a year than curiosity about life's next chapter drew me away. I am thankful for such a rich experience early on. Tom B Mont. 17 #258, 77'