Shepherders as Cruisers

Rome, NY

Here is a connection that I never thought of before.  While touring The Rockpile Museum somewhere in Wyoming, we came across a beautiful wagon.   Peering inside we immediately recognized the interior as being highly suggestive of Tarwathie, or of any modern cruising sailboat.  The placard explation was that this was a sheepherder's wagon, which had evolved from European Gypsy wagons.  Of course, that makes sense, they needed a mobile home, sturdy and practical.

It reminds me of one of the appeals that attracted me to cruising in the first place.  Sailboats in general, and cruising sailboats in particular, have evolved for 12,000 years.  Their designs are highly  refined.  Countless ideas, both singly and in combination have been tried.  Bad ideas fade away and good ideas percolate to the top.   That kind of refinement is why today's automobiles are so alike, regardless of manufacturer.   But automobiles have benefited from only 100 years of refinement.  Tarwathie is the descendant of 12,000 years of refinement.   Libby and I admire and respect the accumulated wisdom embodied in the designs.

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