Clean Lines
What does “clean line” mean to me and how does it apply to my business? The first time I heard of the concept applied to craftsmanship was in relation to a wooden sailboat.
I grew up in Down East Maine in the small town of Brooklin, a fishing village with an outsized reputation in the world of wooden sailboats. Here Joel White, the son of famous author E.B. White, established Brooklin Boat Yard, one of the few wood-based shipbuilders remaining in the United States. Along with the Yard there are several other smaller local operations dedicated to the tradition of wooden boat craftsmanship. WoodenBoat magazine and school was founded here and remains a primary resource for enthusiasts, craftsmen, and designers in the field to this day.
My father was and is a sailboat captain. At a young age he went off traveling and soon ended up captaining recreational sailing yachts, traveling to the other side of the world and back. He sailed the Mediterranean, crossed through the Panama Canal, chartered in the Caribbean, and completed the long voyage from New Zealand to French Polynesia and across the Pacific. He remains an avid wooden sailboat owner to this day, and growing up under his often Captain Bligh-esque tutelage required a fair bit more chafing under the yoke of manual labor than most boys these days get to enjoy. It’s a lot easier now that I’m older to enjoy the fruits of the work ethic that was instilled in me as a child than it was to see the future benefit during the instilling. All those hours sanding the hull, scraping varnish off the rails with a heat gun, and all the other annual preparations for the summer sailing season…surely I would have rather been running around outside or just as likely watching tv like the other kids.
Around my town growing up, my father and the other traditionalists, who are about as sparing with praise as anyone can be, would compliment (often begrudgingly) a good-looking vessel sailing into the harbor by mentioning her “fine” or “clean” lines. The alternative, which I heard often while sailing down the coast on a couple of trips with my family to the Bahamas, would be boats “without” good lines, more often than not dismissed with the customary cursing associated with sailors. These were boats that sacrificed sleekness, quality, and often function, in the name of comfort.
The modern emphasis in sailing vessels has become comfort, and this has required the modification of the form of the sailboat as she used to exist. Any sailboat traditionalist will happily bemoan to you the modern seaborne McMansions that have become popular of late, and in comparison they will point to you the fine, clean, elegant lines of the more traditional designs. There is a grace and beauty to the form of these older ships that has been traded away.
My goal in this business is to put the quality of our product ahead of our comfort. That means clear communication, reliability, and an emphasis on always doing the proper work and never cutting corners. I was raised to believe that integrity and respect for good work pays its own dividends. “Clean Line Custom” embraces doing the job the right way. The clean line of a paint brush cutting around an elaborate trim piece, the attention to detail on an aesthetically-pleasing carpentry project, the thorough application of a new roofing system.
And hey, not every job can easily be described as “elegant” or requiring the expertise of a craftsman; power-washing dirty siding or changing a trap under a sink come to mind. But applying the principles of a job well done could be as simple as a close eye to detail and making sure to keep the pressure washer pointed at a downward angle to keep water out of the siding, or making sure to align the new P-trap and glue it in place perfectly every time. It’s a commitment to a job well done.
There is another sailboat-related metaphor for “clean lines”. When there are dozens of feet of line strewn about the deck from hoisting and trimming the sails, you’d better keep those tidy or risk getting tangled up in a dangerous situation. In relation to my business that means an emphasis on employee and customer safety, tidy job sites, and a continual education effort to stay up to date with the best practices for renovators (such as the EPA’s RRP Program). Sometimes even the best laid plans can go awry, and to navigate any concerns Clean Line Custom is fully insured and in complete adherence to Maine’s Home Construction Contract regulations.
And, while we’re here, let’s draw out one more tired metaphor. With every little job, I want to keep a clean line of sight toward the future. My personal future, the future of this company, and the future of our little corner of the state. I noted here the aging of the population, the shortage in housing, and the declining numbers of skilled tradespeople in Maine. I envision Clean Line having an opportunity to help young people embrace rewarding craftsman job, and therefore contribute to the effort to provide more affordable housing for the people of our state.
No matter the size of the job, Clean Line Custom is happy to have a look at it with you. We offer free estimates, service Southern Maine and beyond, and can tackle a wide variety of projects. Use our contact form today, call, text, or email to be put in touch with me directly and let’s work on finding a solution to your project today.
Neal LaFrance
Owner
