To be sure, this building is plain. But, its beauty lies within, as is true for so many plain things.

Yes, I sneaked into the WoodenBoat School Boatshed yesterday to make sure that the floating jewels inside survived our nasty Arctic weather recently. They did, as you can see from this image:

The Boatshed is unheated, but is nicely utilitarian, even in winter. It’s a post-and-panel structure that keeps most wind and precipitation out and allows warming sunshine in through skylights on the roof and windows at the building ends. A gravel floor warms up a bit when bathed in sunlight and retains some heat. There are no water pipes to freeze and burst.

During the summer, the Boatshed’s side panels are removed, and classes and other get-togethers are held under the roof, while salty breezes come wafting through from nearby Great Cove, which is about 100 feet behind the camera. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on February 6, 2025.)

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