On the Hard

“On the Hard” is the phrase used for a boat out of the water in drydock, either for repair or winter storage. This is not a natural state for a boat and it is often not the best of times for the boat or it’s Captain. Frailties are exposed but the damage itself is really quite beautiful. Just as with humankind. Sometimes these worn surfaces often resemble the natural world the vessel was built to navigate and conquer. Other times the damaged and corroded bottom paint resembles abstract painting, calling to mind the history of the genre and it’s connection to industrialization.