A bit pleased with myself.

[jwboatdesigns]

A successful designer is not neccessarily the guy or guyess who designs best but rather the designer who is the best at selling his or her product. I'm a salesman by profession, generally selling highly technical products to a pretty well informed market. Much of my life has been spent selling heavy wood processing and sawmill machinery into the factories and sawmills that convert tree trunks into the products that surround you every day.

A lot of the knowlege that I've accumulated over the years has been a huge help in my design work. And the sales techniques have helped to get the product out there and the boats built.

I've found that editorial content in print magazines is still, even in these days of the all powerful internet, the very best publicity that a designer can get. Print magazines, especially the top end ones, are seen as highly credible and have a long reach both geographically and timewise.

So, I'm feeling very pleased with myself, and complimented as well, that WoodenBoat magazine has chosen my Pilgrim design as its feature design this month. Four pages, I think, and it's an interesting read as WoodenBoat veteran features editor, Mike O'Brien, is about as traditional a boat enthusiast as you'll find. While Pilgrim is of generally traditional concept and appearance, she is of modern, easy to build, construction. Mike's been very complimentary and his article is an interesting take on what he sees as a valid amalgamation of the historical and the modern.

If you spot the magazine on the bookshelf, have a quick browse. I can generally read about half a dozen pages before the shop staffers begin looking sideways at me. So, you might get away with not having to buy it.

I've had quite a response from readers already (huff, polishes fingernails on sweater! ). Like I say, I'm feeling pretty pleased about it.

John Welsford