Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYCE VICKMARK T his isn't your run-of-the-mill boat in a bot- tle. Stooped over a table covered with tiny pieces of wood in his studio, Larry Lannan carefully assembles a model ship that will be dis- played at his eponymous gallery in the Financial District. The Quincy-born Lannan, who was taught by his father to build and restore ship models as a 14-year-old, meticulously researches each vessel before he gets to work building repli- cas ranging from schooners and sloops to steamboats and yachts. The Lightship Boston, at 28 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 17 inches tall, is the only one of its kind and took nearly eight months to build. Here, Lannan talks about his lifelong love of model boat building and shares a few tricks of the trade. How do you begin building a model ship? I start with plans from the original vessel when available. These include line drawings of the hull and cabin arrangement, and precise drawings of the deck hardware and fittings. Many hours All Hands on Deck LARRY LANNAN'S ONEOFAKIND LIGHTSHIP BOSTON MODEL IS READY TO SAIL. BY JESSICA LANIEWSKI The Lightship Boston is modeled after a boat built in 1907 that patrolled the Nantucket Shoals. What made you decide to build this particu- lar Lightship? I have seen many models of the Nantucket Lightships over the years but never the Lightship Boston. I researched the vessel and found the plans through the US Coast Guard. Knowing I had the proper materials to build an accurate scale model, I was then able to begin the project. What intrigued you about the Lightship Boston's history? Few vessels had such varied duties as this one. The boat acted as a Lightship off the coast of Nantucket after it was built in 1907, served naval interests during World War I, and helped the people of Boston during the Molasses Disaster of 1919, when it was docked in the harbor. ($3,595) Lannan Ship Model Gallery, 99 High St., 617-451- 2650; lannangallery.com BC of research are involved, and if the original ves- sel still exists, a site visit is warranted. After the research is complete, the hull is shaped either from a solid block of laminated boards or built with plank-on-frame construction, just as the orig- inal was. Then the individual fittings are turned in lathes, cast from pewter, or carved. How many pieces were used in this model? This question intrigued me, so I counted and found about 480 pieces in the Lightship Boston model. The model has milled brass fittings, soldered railings, and a carved, hardwood hull painted in many coats of Coast Guard red, with fine sanding in between coats. How do you choose a model to build? As a gallery owner I must consider what will sell. Here, there is always a demand for vessels with local history. Lightships also possess a great charm, similar to tugboats. People love them. Choosing the proper subject is imperative for suc- cess in this business. Larry Lannan at work in his Financial District gallery. 66 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM ONE OF A KIND