TIM WHITTEN was inspired by maritime life and traditions at an early age, having grownup near Mystic, Connecticut, but it wasn’t until after completing a doctorate in engineering that he fully realized his artistic potential. At that time, Tim found an old, but not forgotten, volume of fancy work on his bookshelves and realized that after 20 years and three engineering degrees, the descriptions of knots and fancywork were much easier to follow. Paradoxically, with the advent of the Internet, traditional materials were also much easier to acquire. Tim began mastering hisskills through self-instruction and put together a website at www.Marlinespike.com. He soon found himself sending out more bellropes than résumés, and now runs a fulltime business selling his items of ropework, rigging, and traditional ropeworking tools. Tim has been well received at boat shows and craft exhibitions from coast to coast and is currently working on house and shop renovations on Deer Isle, Maine.