Learning a craft

In his book Sea Room Adam Nicholson describes meeting John MacAuly, a Hebridean boat builder who has just built a boat for him to sail across the Minch to the Shiants. 

“And do you think I’ll make a good sailor of her”

“If you had another life,” John said. 

“Ah yes,” I said reeling a little. “I suppose one needs to know these things instinctively.”

“No,” he said. “You need to be entirely conscious of what you are doing and why you are doing it.”