#318. Nat Benjamin is a sailor and yacht designer who owns and operates Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway, an iconic haven for wooden boats in Martha’s Vineyard. Nat and his partner Ross Gannon founded the boatyard in 1980, where they have built everything from 8 foot tenders to a 65 foot schooner, all made with traditional plank-on-frame construction. In the past 40 years, they have built more than 70 substantial vessels of Nat’s designs. In this episode, Emma and Nat talk about his adventurous path: from growing up on the Hudson River, to working as a young delivery captain, to becoming one of today’s most renowned wooden boat designers and builders. Nat and his wife Pam live year-round on Martha's Vineyard, where they have two daughters and five grandchildren. Find more links and photos about Nat and G&B by going to: https://59-north.com/onthewindpodcast/318-nat-benjamin -- ON THE WIND is exclusively sponsored by Dakota Lithium, an American company building tough, long-lasting lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for a variety of applications. We just installed 200 aH of Dakota Lithium on SPICA in Sweden, and are preparing for a major lithium conversion on ICEBEAR, our Swan 59. Check them out at dakotalithium.com. -- Join us on the 59º North QUARTERDECK, our online platform where members and the 'Admiralty' dive deep on the art of seamanship. New for 2021 is a monthly, members-only newsletter called THE SKIPPER'S BRIEFING, straight to your inbox with exclusive content, commentary, and a recap of the best of the past month on the Quarterdeck. There is nothing like it in sailing - join us at quarterdeck.59-north.com to become a better thinker, leader & sailor.