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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-01-14, Page 12CI(Alit) fMASHW LOCA .EXETER Second Section - s-n.vosoon,'Hucrc rskrt+-4,, n anuary 14, 1998 Boat builder keeps it simply beautiful By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter GRAND BEND - Skip Izon- knows a thing or two about lines: Not poetry or. pick-up lines, mind you (though he has been a waiter for over 20 years in London and Grand Bend nightclubs), but the -cines found . on the boats hebuilds. Izon, 45, said he comes, from a "family of sail- ors" and turned that love of the water into his life's work at. Izon Yachts. He grew up in Port Credit and moved to the Grand Bend area about 10 years ago after summering there for 15 years. He has adopted the community as his own and is a Grand Bend firefighter. Izon predominantly builds small crafts like canoes, rowing sculls and rowboats, but has built larger vessels.like sailboats, trimarans and house- boats. He -mostly -lives in a houseboat, though'is renting the basement of a friend's home while making some repairs to his watery home. - _Single, Izon said he spends most of his time working on the' design, planning, construction and finishing of his boats. "I couldn't be doing this if 1 hada family," he said from the loft in his sawdusty shop he uses as'- hi's-design, department.. "It doesn't bring in much money." • - , In fact, Izon supported his boat building with - his waiting jobs, most recently with London's, The Ceeps and Grand 'Bend's Gable's. He has;: since given up•waiting because it takes too much time away from his boat building. "There's a lot more money in the tvaiting,busi- ness than in boat building," he added. To be a good boat builder, it takes more than the proper tools •and an eye and nose t(ir :the - water. Izon says it takes dedication; research and keeping up on what's new inAtte „industry hr. keep your edge in the boat building business. Izon holds a general B.A. from the Uh'iversity of Western•Ontario and took a course. from the Naebm-Westlaven School of Yacht Design by mail over two years. Though the work he loves to do doesn't generate much of an income, Izon wouldn't have it any other way — though he does wish he could win a million bucks. "I'm very, very lucky," he said. Izon has four pro1e,cts on .the go right now: he's restoring a 60 -year-old 21' sailboat, restoring a 16' cedar strip canoe and building a 17.5' canoe. But"his pelt project is almost done: a 12' prototype lightweight solo canoe. Though he admits the name of -his business is misleading -to those less in the know about boats because of their small size, .it links how he feels' about each one he builds. "1 think of the little guys as little individual yachts," he said. Once every three years or so, Izon hooks up with London's Hudson Boatwprks, a world renowned boat builder, for • a special project. I-Iudson's owner, Jack Couglan, commissioned • Izon to help his team a double scull for interna- tional competition in the early '80s. Though the design was much different than'ones in use at the time and 'was frowned upon by some rowers, the design proved its worth by'a test of fire: an Irish team were stuck fora boat at one regatta; saw. the Hudson creation anddidn't hesitate: The Irish team ended winning the competition. - Since:.then, the Izon-Hudson double scull has helped teams win three medals in the last, three Olympic Summer Games. Izon has.built between 30-40 bdats so far of his own design plus others to his customer's designs. "First you have tO determine what the Moat will he Used ,for,"' he said - describing the process. ' ' "Then you make it strong enough, light as possi- ble and keep it. simple. ..The beauty of.the boat -should come, from the"lines pertaining to the func= • tion of the boat•dpposed'to a lot of pataphernalia added on later:" • - P •Izon's enthusiasm and clear love of what he 'does is evident when he'is asked 'to elaborate on what bbat building is all about. "It's.art and it's science both," Izon said of his craft. "The neat pa;t is taking' an idea from 'the ' blank sheet and design right through to the con- struction and the launch. That's really satisfying." Though he is often consumed by his boat build- ing, Izon said'his only 'other Major pursuit as a firefi •� ter gives hien a reality check. ' tt s a- whote-othelk-dimension,". he said. "It gives me perspective nothing I:do here (in the.• is going to change the world." - , Izon shared three highlights of his career to date. They first: is he built 10 50' six -person rowing 'shells for %The Regatta' in Newfoundland, the old- est continuing sports event in Canada with the inaugural race starting way back in 1851. The sec, - and is he builds boats for Rene Boogeman of Hensall; a champion marathon racing canoist. Thethird is the times he; and tour of'his Ceeps waiter mates brayed the cold St. Lawrence River in thoQuebec Winter Carnival's boat race and the circuit they competed in. • When asked to describe what makes a well - made boat, Izon was pragmatic yet esoteric. "Boats are simple," he said. "Just a lot of pretty, fair (meaning natural) curves." Would you like a colour or black, and white cgpy of a photograph? NOW OFFERING... coipuR seR piES ,► sheets 4 S1Zed onto 8-1 /2x11" e copy) 'cost $2.00 of sem Cr (additional 4 %1.0O each 424 Main St. Exeter. (519) 235-1331 r, !�sl ri Li — At left, Izon Yachts' Skip Izon sits in his pet project = a 12' prototype lightweight solo canoe. The' Grandi'Bend' boat • builder builds his . vessels from the- . planning stages right to -finished. product. Top: Izon stands in his -1,400 sq. ft. - shop between two cedar strip canoes- he's working on. • �p�A, TOOL L.1 r ��N ELLS RENTAL the at at D�$� the STOP EXCELLENT SELECTION OF TOOLS DRILL PRESS SPECIALS as pow as $106.00 PORTABLE HAND GRINDERS from 4" to 7" as low as $87.00 NOW IN STOCK HITACHI POWER TOOLS • FC__3 A.LL.YOLJR RENTAL NEEDS SEE US.__ Donitcenter --- EXETER 235-4441 19( K -U1' ANH) 1311LIVERY SI RV IC'F. AVAII AFiI.