A few weeks ago I was introduced to a friend of a friend who advised me after our recent "Model Duck Boat Exhibition" in March of this year that he had custom built dozens of boats something to the like many have never seen before... I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first yet decided to see this collection myself if it did exist.
One spring afternoon, I took the ride to his home on the South Shore of Long Island to Captain K.T. Tooker's home residence. Captain K.T. is a legend among the baymen here on The Great South Bay for his clamming operations back in the mid 1970's -1980's going so far as custom building speed boats and most recently at the age of mid 70's building all aluminum bay boats. His garage was filled with various types of lumber, fine tools with the look of long use and miniature display cases throughout empty & ready for their next creations.
K.T. an active Captain for the charter fishing vessel JIB-IV here at Captree, Li has been building these small boats for the past 20 years.
What I saw entering the home was truly breathtaking to the likes of talent that is unmatched! Truly amazing, presented here are just some of the massive collection K.T. has on display. These models depict his own personal likings of crafts throughout his life each telling its own story. He uses photos, memory and a bit of creative magic in each to depict a realistic feel.
In order to preserve this process and share his story, I plan on filming some interview segments along with prints of his work as well sometime in the future. Currently K.T. builds these for the ship's captains as gifts, for friends and mostly talkative table pieces.
Here's a look inside this massive fleet!
Enjoy!
One spring afternoon, I took the ride to his home on the South Shore of Long Island to Captain K.T. Tooker's home residence. Captain K.T. is a legend among the baymen here on The Great South Bay for his clamming operations back in the mid 1970's -1980's going so far as custom building speed boats and most recently at the age of mid 70's building all aluminum bay boats. His garage was filled with various types of lumber, fine tools with the look of long use and miniature display cases throughout empty & ready for their next creations.
K.T. an active Captain for the charter fishing vessel JIB-IV here at Captree, Li has been building these small boats for the past 20 years.
What I saw entering the home was truly breathtaking to the likes of talent that is unmatched! Truly amazing, presented here are just some of the massive collection K.T. has on display. These models depict his own personal likings of crafts throughout his life each telling its own story. He uses photos, memory and a bit of creative magic in each to depict a realistic feel.
In order to preserve this process and share his story, I plan on filming some interview segments along with prints of his work as well sometime in the future. Currently K.T. builds these for the ship's captains as gifts, for friends and mostly talkative table pieces.
Here's a look inside this massive fleet!
Enjoy!
