The Dutch by Richard E. Schultz Page B

sailboat with a deeper keel and a taller mast placed nearer the bow. In his second drawing, a small new cabin took up a portion of the bow space and part of the stern was decked to create a sheltered and useful compartment. He codified his drawing so it showed softer, lighter weight, pine for the cabin and decking, reserving the harder and heavier oak for the frame and hull. Henri knew the taller mast and the deeper extended keel would make his new version of the little sailboat faster and more stable than earlier models. It was already mid afternoon as he neared finishing the second drawing; Henri felt the presence of another person on the dock. He continued to concentrate on his work but couldn’t help to noticed Mrs. Rudderman looking on with interest, delight, and approval.
    They dined together at the main house and reached a business agreement that was simple and mutually acceptable. Becoming the new shipwright, Henri would move into the vacant cabin and would be given a free hand to make all decisions at the boat yard though Mrs. Rudderman hoped he would retained the few remaining shipyard workers who had worked for her husband. The two would collaborate on the designs but ultimately Henri would also make those final decisions. Johanna would evaluate each completed vessel, as she had done for her husband, and it would be her responsibility to set the price and sell each completed craft. The profits on each would be divided equally. When all the unfinished Kaags were completed, they would negotiate Henri’s purchase of the shipyard or a continuation of their venture partnership. Because they were by now beginning to value each other’s talents, both felt comfortable with the arrangement.
    That night, the forthright Mrs. Rudderman also insisted they discuss her religious activities since fellow Protestants were being persecuted throughout the Habsburg Empire. Johanna confided to Henri that her home was a meeting place for local Sacramentarians. These forerunners of the Calvinist religion occasionally gathered for Sabbath services in her home. Johanna also disclosed that she provided lodging for “Field Preachers” doing missionary work in the area and feared the local Catholic hierarchy and Royal Officials would eventually learn of her activities. The matron was concerned her righteous behavior might endanger Henri, particularly since he no longer attended Catholic services except when forced to attend guild activities. Henri shrugged off the danger but understood the need to keep these things a secret. The next morning Henri moved his belongings into the little cabin and that evening by candlelight drew a novel design for the first sail. With the matron’s support, Henri contracted with a young master sail maker to sew his design and later assist with the rigging of the initial converted kaag. The sail master carefully examined the design of the heighten sail and studied the plan for the deeper extended keel. The sail master referred to the new kaag as a Jachtschip, meaning the new sailboat would be an exceptionally fast vessel.
    Working with the most completed hull, Henri put the finishing touches on the first conversion in less than two months, despite some difficult alterations which included re-working the dense and less forgiving oak timber. After the refitting, Henri completed the alterations by adding a taller pine mast to the kaags heel; the young sail maker then installed the sail. He kept his word and spent a few days instructing Henry on the intricacies of rigging. At first light, on a late November morning, Mrs. Rudderman took the completed vessel on its maiden voyage. She returned that afternoon, too chilled to tell Henry her thoughts but he detected an expression of satisfaction on her face. At dinner, neither Mrs. Rudderman nor Henri was willing to broach the subject of the boat’s performance, though; at times Mrs. Rudderman’s eyes seemed to glow mischievously as if she was