Photographer Alison Langley
Alison Langley Talks about Whirlwind II
Alison Langley has been taking photos of boats all over the world for decades now.
There is little doubt that boat builders and designers find the catboat Whirlwind II beautiful with her elegant lines, reminiscent of boats from centuries past. However, it’s not just those who build boats that find her beautiful and have become enraptured by her story.
Alison Langley is a veteran photographer. She has photographed boats for decades and worked with nautical photographer Onne van der Wal for six years, helping him run his photography agency. She became intrigued by wooden boats when she shot the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in Brooklin, Maine. In fact, she loved shooting them so much that she ended up moving to Maine permanently to concentrate on this aspect of her work.
Langley became involved with Whirlwind II when she was introduced to Yarrow Thorne, the founder and executive director of the boat building project. Thorne saw Langley as an important component of the whole process.
“He knew he wanted to document it,” she said. She told him that he needed to “do both video and stills” in order to truly capture the build.
“I started talking to Yarrow even before he had chosen Alec from Artisan Boatworks,” said Langley. Thorne would eventually choose boat builder Alec Brainerd of Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, Maine to build Whirlwind II. This made it somewhat easier for Langley to document all the important details of the boat building process since it was a local Maine build.
Langley didn’t really know much about catboats before she started on this project. “They’re beautiful, but I didn’t really know the history,” Said Langley. “I had to kind of look it up and get into it.” She continued.
“The history of most boats starts as a work boat,” said Langley, and the case was no different for catboats. Langley said she knew nothing about the shallow waters of Long Island and the different needs in design for catboats to get oysters to land as quickly as possible.
She said someone once told her that catboats were the “pick up trucks” of their day because they were so utilitarian. Not only did they transport shellfish quickly across water, they were also one of the few means of transport for anyone who wanted to visit friends and family living across the bay.
Despite their utilitarian nature, cat boats’ lines are beautiful due to their dramatic shape. “The stern wraps around, it’s completely unique to Gil Smith,” said Langley. She loves the boat’s “flying saucer look.”
Their unique design means that they require a different way of construction as well. Documenting the building process was quite fascinating for Langley.
Langley is looking forward to seeing the boat launch. “I am so excited to see it sail and I love Yarrow’s enthusiasm for it –not just as a piece of art.” She said, “I’m excited to see it in the water. When they get in the water, that’s where they sing,” she continued.
Langley would like to see Whirlwind II inspire others to sail or build the boat of their dreams.
Langley said that it has been fascinating seeing the mix of old design with modern technology. “Gil Smith and Herreschoff, they would have been using all of this.” She said, referring to the modern technologies that are being used to build the boat.
To see some of Langley’s work and know more about her, check out her website here