Rich French drives his 30-foot wooden Thai longtail boat Friday along Echo Lake in Mount Vernon. According to friend John Andrews, French's boat looks "almost like a Viking ship."
Rich French, left, alongside boatbuilder Sorin Klongyuan and French's commissioned Thai longtail boat in Krabi, Thailand, in 2018. French's boat is used on Echo Lake in Maine.
Rich French drives his 30-foot wooden Thai longtail boat Friday along Echo Lake in Mount Vernon. According to friend John Andrews, French's boat looks "almost like a Viking ship."
Boatbuilder Sorin Klongyuan decorates Rich French's Thai longtail boat in Krabi, Thailand, in 2018.
Rich French's traditional 30-foot wooden Thai longtail boat may be the only one like it in New England. Friday he spent time motoring around Echo Lake in Mt. Vernon.
Rich French spent time Friday maneuvering around Mt. Vernon's Echo Lake aboard his wooden Thai longtail boat.
Rich French spent time Friday maneuvering around Mt. Vernon's Echo Lake aboard his wooden Thai longtail boat.
Kennebec Journal 
