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Gabe Ericksen poured the first glass and splashed the contents of the cup on the front of his boat, which he christened “Oakenshield,” Saturday morning.
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Gabe Ericksen, right, installs the front bench of his homemade Swedish boat and is helped by his grandfather Don before he launches it for the first time in Lake Winona Saturday. Ericksen has been building the boat, a blekingseka, for the past three years. (Photo by Paul Solberg/Winona Daily News) |
A small crowd of Gabe’s family and friends gathered around the Hamilton Street boat landing on East Lake as the Oakenshield sat on the beach before its maiden voyage.
Gabe, 25, and his 51-year-old father, Todd, spent the past three winters handcrafting the Swedish-style boat in the garage of their Winona home.
A graduate of Northwestern College, Gabe finished school in 2005 with a double-major in studio art and Biblical studies and a minor in graphic design. After college, he decided he wanted to build a sailboat.
He ordered plans from Sweden, and started lofting the plans on his garage floor.
Gabe and his father cut down and mill the wood themselves, Gabe made the molds for the hardware and, with the help of his mother, Kim, sewed the sail.
“He took it from tree to boat,” Kim said.
At first glance, the boat looks like a canoe. A flat back, a rudder and brackets to hold the handcrafted oars distinguish it from the American canoe style.
Gabe’s inspiration was his strong Norwegian roots. He has been to Scandinavia a few times and embraces the culture.
The process wasn’t without difficulty.
“Wood is an unstable material; it warps,” Gabe said. “Also, we had to understand enough Swedish to follow instructions.”
Gabe enlisted the help of forums at Wooden Boat Magazine’s Web site from more-seasoned boat builders.
Because Gabe and Todd worked in the winter in the garage, they left the door to the house open for warmth.
“I learned to live with sawdust for the past few years,” Kim said. “Half the time the kitchen was involved, but it’s been great to watch him and his dad work together.”
