Custom Book: Jette

Twelve years ago, master craftsman and boat builder, Matt Billey, had a creative vision. It initiated the start of months of boat-building research, which included century-old Danish design renderings from a book he discovered while in school. In 2011, with the book in hand, Matt visited an old boat museum in Copenhagen. There, he met someone with actual plans for the boat he had dreamed of building.

Combining modern-day engineering with authentic, turn-of-the-century tools and Scandinavian woods, Matt built his beautiful 30-foot Danish double-ender over a 12-year period. Along the way, he named her Jette.

Launch day was in 2014 and, with a little Billey mariner luck and ingenuity, Matt was on schedule to launch during a high and fast-moving, full-moon tide. After an all-night preparation, Jette was ready for the brackish inlet and was right on time as the stern found the water. Jette slowly motored away from the boat yard and pier, winding her way to the nearby bay.

Below are some of the stills from that balmy, anxious, and rewarding day.

Jette: Launch Day, June 2014

I was hired to photograph the launch day of the 30-foot hand-built boat, Jette. She was the labor of love that master boat builder Matt Billey had been crafting and refining for over 12 years. It was a balmy June morning, and I was there to document the moments that led up to the incredible day. There was a frenetic pace to the two-person team as they readied the boat for a high tide launch at 12:55pm. After the all-night preparation, anxiousness from the morning’s race to finish screws, paint, and putty turned into relief that afternoon, as the boat dipped into the estuary and leveled off in the brackish water.

Matt’s extended family gathered near the boat and pier. Then as Matt boarded Jette, the small crowd waved and said goodbye to him and his new fianceé, Kara. The Danish double-ender puttered away from the pier and along the narrow waterway, then slowly headed out to the North shore bay to moor for the day. The boat throttled ahead like an antique car, and the restored SAAB motor broke the quiet of a marshy windless day. As it chugged along, birds scattered from the fishy tributaries, escaping the baritone chug, chug, chug of the diesel engine. Jette’s small crew turned to look back and waved at all of us standing in the boat yard. We crept up as close as we could to the water’s edge, trying to see a little more of Jette. Then she steered into the long bend and headed north, then east, then eventually out to moor in the bay. The day was over and the celebration stopped. I stood in awe of Matt’s journey and of his amazing achievement. A smile came to my face, and I wondered if the images on my cameras looked okay and if I did the best moments justice?

I felt honored to witness and be a part of that magical summer day. I looked from shore one more time and strained to see Jette. There she was, a slow-moving water-colored reflection. Then it moved a little more and blended in with the clouds and sky.