Dave Henn, of Ellicott City, MD, has been using his woodworking skills and creativity to up-cycle nautical history into hand-crafted pieces of functional art as gifts for family and friends. In his hands, wooden water skis, old charts, and even the bow of a Whirlwind powerboat can take on new life. It all began with a love of woodworking, an appreciation of homemade gifts, and a desire to express his gratitude. Having created several towel racks (suitable for pool/beach towels) from wooden skis, he is now offering two of them for sale. 

Henn poses with one of the wooden water ski towel racks he created.
From an old wooden water ski Dave created a unique place to hang beach or pool towels. He currently has two such towel racks for sale.

Hang your towel here!

Dave says, “As a gift, I crafted a waterski towel rack for my wife’s aunt and uncle who have a cottage on Lake Bonaparte, NY. We have spent a lot of time there with them over the years, and I wanted to make something as a thank you for their hospitality. I found a beautiful Connely water ski on Facebook Marketplace, added some cleats, and had the perfect gift for their cabin. 

“When they asked for another one for the lanai at their Florida home, I found a pair of dark, wood water skis at an antique barn called ‘Treasures and Trash Barn’ in Searsport, ME, during a visit there.” 

Dave continues, “Upon returning to Maryland, a friend saw my ski project, noticed that I had an extra ski, and asked me to make one for her friend who lives on a lake in Virginia. I wondered if I could keep it up. My cousin in Ohio donated a couple of skis he had in his barn, and so it continues! I currently have two completed skis for sale.”

nautical art chart coffee table
A gift for relatives in Cape May, NJ - coffee table featuring a Delaware Bay NOAA aid-to-navigation map. 

Labor of love

Dave says, “My parents instilled in me the value of homemade gifts. My mom is a prolific knitter; my dad is an avid woodworker, and I am thrilled to create unique, personalized, homemade gifts that I know people will love and appreciate. I have also made a nautical-themed coffee table for other relatives who live in Cape May, NJ. It features a Delaware Bay NOAA aid-to-navigation map under glass as the top. 

“I get so much enjoyment working on these projects. They combine my love of woodworking, life on the water, and up-cycling pieces of nautical history that would otherwise go to the landfill.”

A Whirlwind bow becomes a bar

old Whilwind bow on cartop
Saving the bow of the old Whirlwind with plans to transform it into a useful and unique piece.

Dave’s current project involves the bow of an old Whirlwind powerboat. He says, “I had been itching to do a big project like this. As a custodian of a classic vehicle (a 1971 Triumph TR6 roadster), there is no way I would take a complete wooden boat and cut it up. Boats (and cars!) need to be restored and used in their natural environment. But one evening while searching Facebook Marketplace, I found someone selling the bow of a late 1960s wooden Whirlwind. There was no way that it was ever going to float again, so I drove over to the Eastern Shore and picked it up, thinking that I could turn it into a really nice bar.  

Henn at work creating nautical art.
Dave imagined the doomed, old Whirlwind bow could become a cool bar for someone’s basement, covered patio, man cave, or perhaps even a local nautical themed restaurant.

In my garage, I built a “dry dock” to raise it up off the ground and began cleaning it up. I drew sketches and in PhotoShop created mockups of how I envisioned the finished product. I got three scrap dock pilings from Chesapeake Dock Outfitters in Eastport for the legs. I bought some gauges and a period-correct red/green navigation light on eBay, and I’m planning on getting marine plywood from Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis to make a deck, as the original deck is beyond refinishing. Many coats of varnish will make it shine, and with electrical and USB charging outlets, it will be a perfect addition to someone’s basement, covered patio, man cave, or perhaps even a local nautical themed restaurant.”

mock up of a nautical art bar created out of an old Whirlwind bow
A not-quite-to-scale mockup of the Whrilwind-bow bar.

Are there more projects in his future? Dave says, “I have some old Chesapeake Bay charts, from when my parents used to sail and motor on the Bay, that I plan on using in future projects. I retired this past May, so now I have more time to work on these projects!”

Editor’s notes:

*If you would like to contact Dave about purchasing a piece of his work, you may email him at [email protected].

**Dave’s father and mother, Ed and Elaine Henn, worked for many years as valued, beloved, and reliable distribution drivers for our publications. In addition, Ed designed and built many wooden SpinSheet, PropTalk, and FishTalk magazine racks that are still in use around the Chesapeake Bay. After years of cruising the Bay and beyond, the couple now resides in Ohio.