Jurgen Kaschper: Profile of a Boat Builder
A Heritage of Craftsmanship
Jürgen Kaschper has boat building in his blood, dating back more than six generations through his family's ancestry in Eberbach, Germany where many people to the present derive their livelyhood from the Neckar River. His family were boat builders, coopers, and craftsmen; the technologists of their day. Born into this tradition, Jürgen is proud to carry the Canadian Kaschper legacy into the 21st century, integrating old world values of dedication, integrity, and resourcefulness with modern day innovation and expertise. The culminations of these efforts are his world-class racing shell singles, which range from classic wooden boats that extend an aesthetic tradition, to leading-edge composite racers that can compete against any boat in the world. In his lifetime he estimates he has personally built or project managed the construction of over 700 boats.
The Art of Boat Building
The driving motivation behind his boat building is an enduring curiosity to synthesize excellence in form, design, and function. For him, boat building is an art that draws from his intuition as much as his knowledge. Like many artisans, he derives inspiration from other disciplines. The lines of his boats reference the architecture of Art Deco, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Frank Gehry. Integrating these influences can elevate the allure of his boats' design but by their nature, the design is inextricably constrained by its function:
"The thing I love about singles is that there is a connection between the person and the object, and that this thing moves, it's kinetic. It's not just something that you put on the shelf and admire. It talks back to you if you don't row well, or if it's a bad design. Or particularly if it is a good design it demands a certain skill level. For me it's a transcendental process. The transcendence is I'm taking the abstract, a concept, and turning it into a practical application. And what interests me is, I'm a craftsman. I put this stuff together and I am intrigued by these contrasts, like putting wood together with synthetics, the old and new."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer
Evolution as a Builder
His early interests in boat building were partly directed by his family heritage. In a way he felt predestined to be a boat builder. He remembers having a chisel in his hands as a five year old in his father Jakob's workshop, spending many hours at the boathouse in the company of oarsmen, observing the connections between the boat builder, the rower, and the boats. As he matured in his craft he broadened his understanding of fabrication, emerging technical processes, synthetic and composite materials. Concurrently, his knowledge of boat design expanded tremendously by his extensive experience in boat repair. Jürgen estimates he has repaired over 2,000 boats in his lifetime.
"I have been inside almost every make and vintage of rowing shell out there. This was great experience because I could see the way a boat was built and wonder, 'Why is it built this way? It just doesn't make sense,' or 'That's a good idea, but if it could be modified this way it could be even better.' So when, I design my boats I have knowledge of a very broad range of racing shells to draw upon, which is why when I design a boat I get most of it right the first time. There may be some tweaking, but usually there's very little re-engineering required to finish the design of my boats."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer
Connection between Builder and Sculler
Over time, building boats can become repetitive but it is his connection with the sculler who will row his boats that continues to inspire and motivate him.
"I'm not really doing this thinking about the legacy I am leaving behind or where's my place in the history of the racing shell. I actually learned this through my customers. At one time I thought you build a boat and you sell a boat and like anything else, it's buy and sell, and you try and do as good a job as you can. But, as I am getting older I can see more and more how much this little boat is giving back to the people; the relationship between their experience on the water and how special it is for them. And that's the great thing for me, to be a part of this."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer
This tie between the rower and the boat is important to Jürgen. As a craftsman his clients understand and appreciate the one to one service he offers.
"I grew up very much in a production shop but I have evolved away from this. Now, I get motivated for certain people. I don't even like to call them clients. When I am building a boat, I am not just thinking, 'Here's another racer for the rack', it's 'I'm building this boat for Darryl' or ''I'm building this for Leonora' or someone else. And I think that really keeps me motivated to build the best boat I can."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer
Jürgen has much feedback from his clients that they appreciate the way he build boats and understand how he has come to build this way. They understand that he builds boats the way he wants, one by one and not on a production line, and that it's an honest effort.
"They call around to the other builders, and I take the time to talk. I give them my respect, and they give me theirs. To me, that's the way it should be. I'd like to think that people know they are getting the best from me. When a boat leaves the shop it truly is our best effort. And there's stuff that I won't let go, either. But if I do let something go I will put my finger on it and say, this is why it's $1000 less, this is a demo, or this is a surplus boat. It all boils down to integrity. That's very important to me."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer
Looking Ahead
In 2007 Levator moved from London, Ontario to the nearby, semi-rural village of Dorchester where he and his wife Grete, a lifetime rower and kiniesiologist, have lived for 18 years. Jürgen is very excited about this move for a number of reasons. The new production facility is smaller and more efficient, which he believes improves the quality of the boats he builds. Not only has it reduced the company's environmental footprint and energy costs, which supports his green manufacturing ideals, but the shop is also closer to his permanent home, which reduces his commuting time to allow him more time to work on boat building.
Managing a balanced work-life equilibrium is essential for anyone's well being and Jürgen believes that Levator's move to Dorchester will also give him more time to spend on the water in nearby Lake Erie, to explore new opportunities in boat design. The net effect of these changes are positive for Jurgen, Levator Boatworks, and ultimately the people that row Levator boats.
"My internal equilibrium is everything. If you're somehow in an environment that you are not happy with, it will be reflected in the quality of whatever you do. Levator built great boats in London. I believe the best is yet to come in Dorchester."
– Jürgen Kaschper, boat designer