A Unique Vision Takes Shape
In the Florida Keys, Tim Kane was fishing for blackfin tuna when an idea sparked in his mind. He imagined bringing a part of a boat’s stern into his home as a bar. This vision, which he described as “so beautiful watching the water tumble out and this transom,” eventually led to the creation of Kane Bars.
Kane, CEO of Stamford-based Goodway Technologies, spent a year turning his idea into reality. The result is a unique line of bars that combine the aesthetics of a boat with the functionality of a fully outfitted bar. Each bar has one side that resembles a boat, featuring the name and home port, while the other side is a complete bar with spaces for drinks, glasses, and compartments.
A Labor of Love
The first bar Kane created was made from the 14-foot wide transom of a scrapped boat he bought for $700. He cut off the boat’s keel, which weighed two tons, and used “every tool known to man” to complete the task. After transporting it to his workshop in Rhode Island, he began the restoration process.
Kane repaired and rebuilt a transom using 50-year-old teak wood that had rotted. He also restored as much of the cleats and tailpipes as possible. This process took several months during the winter, and he described it as a “labor of love.”
Once the transom was restored and repainted, Kane moved it to the porch of his home, where he installed cabinetry and stainless steel appliances to create an “outdoor kitchen and bar area.” The floor behind the bar is made of SeaDek, a material commonly used in boats. Kane wanted to use the same materials to make the bar look like it belongs on a boat.
A Customized Experience
The front of Kane’s bar features the name “BlockTales” with a hailing port of Charlestown, Rhode Island. The name reflects the fact that the bar overlooks Block Island Sound, a place where the family frequently boats and shares fishing tales or enjoys cocktails.
What started as a gathering spot for Kane’s large extended family became a subject of curiosity for friends and neighbors. Many asked, “How can I get one of these?” However, Kane realized he couldn’t go around cutting boats in half and making a business of that.
Expanding the Vision
Kane found that creating things is “true to my core,” and while he appreciated his journey with Goodway, he felt a void in his life by being further away from interacting with customers and creating things. This realization led him to start making bars for others that resemble boats.
He works with fiberglass companies that make boats to mold fiberglass into the shape of a boat’s transom. The fiberglass is molded in the Carolinas and then sent to Shelton, where the bar is assembled. The tops of the transoms are made by a “master marine carpenter” in New Bedford, Mass., who spent his career fitting and finishing yachts’ interiors.
Kane created different templates to accommodate various needs, but he also talks through all the details with potential customers, ranging from the type of wood used to how exactly they want to entertain their guests. “It’s really fun and it’s really creative, and it’s all customized,” he said.
A Captain’s Perspective
Kane believes that serving drinks and entertaining guests behind a customized bar makes you feel like the “captain of your own vessel.” “That’s a great metaphor for entertaining,” he said. “You really like to be in a position where you can serve others and watch others have a good time and you can create that good time for them.”
Kane prefers to sell a smaller number of bars to ensure each project receives the attention to detail it deserves. His family members also give their input on the bars’ designs. “It’s got our name on it and at the end of the day that means more to me than anything,” Kane said.
