There are times when we look back at life and wonder how it is that we arrived here. For me, being a gear head and certified car nut, my future seemed written, or so I thought. During a vacation to Maine twelve years ago, my path was altered unknowingly. I was looking for a model boat to build, in a shop in Rockland. As I walked out of the shop, I noticed a wooden kayak on the roof of a SUV. I remember it was a white hull, varnished deck and was atop a maroon Isuzu trooper. I said at that point, hell with a model, I'll build a kayak. And so it began.
So, the fire was lit. There would be another kayak, this time I would take the onlay theme to the extreme. I can remember the discussion in the kitchen. I wanted to build another kayak and I also wanted a powerboat. I was told one or the other, but not both. My response was," I guess I am building a kayak, the materials are in the garage". It was a long night on the sofa, but one that I would do all over again.
I had seen a veneer called Mottled Makore. The grain looked like flames. The idea was to dye it red and install it on the deck. Another idea was to make the boat as light as possible, by using thinner materials and carbon fiber to strengthen it where needed. I also played with the plans and changed the boat, into what I thought was the perfect kayak at the time. It was 2" narrower and the deck 1 1/2" lower. I had a lot going on with this and the outcome could have been very bad. The first test paddle was in a very incomplete boat, enough to get an idea of how it would handle. The test went well, very well in fact. So the build continued. I was criticized by some for using carbon fiber in a wood boat. I did not care, and forged ahead with my idea of the perfect kayak. Some months later the boat was finished, or so I thought. Adhesion problems surfaced in the veneers and some surgery was required. The results of the repair, are what got me noticed and ultimately my position at Chesapeake Light Craft.
I had spent untold hours in the garage, building motors, customizing motorcycles and doing my best to put "my" touch on anything with wheels. I was always striving to do something different than everyone else. Trouble was, the people I was doing the work for, wanted whatever the latest trend was. They just wanted to take it farther. I rebuilt bike after bike into one upped versions of what the next guy had. It always involved chrome parts and making them faster. The turning point came during a test ride on a bike that was aptly named "The Beast". I had finished installing a turbo on it and spent a week riding checking for any bugs that would need to be worked out. It was fast, I mean really fast. An ill timed application of boost and too much throttle, nearly planted me into the side of truck. I thought to myself, if I could get killed on this, how would I feel if the owner got hurt or killed? The passion, at that point faded for building motorcycles, and I quit doing it for other people.
After a few years, the creative fire still burned. Being one that basically grew up on the water, boats were a natural fit. The kayaks opened a door that took many years for me to realize. After the first boat was built, I saw an avenue to being creative with something I loved doing, kayaking. The first build was pretty straight forward, a few tweaks to the boat, nothing fancy. The second kayak needed something. Something to make it mine. I poured myself into the build with a goal. The goal was to make the boat as nice on the interior as it was on the outside. There was attention to every detail. Decorative wood "onlays" were added to enhance the deck. It was and is beautiful, some of my best work to date.
So, the fire was lit. There would be another kayak, this time I would take the onlay theme to the extreme. I can remember the discussion in the kitchen. I wanted to build another kayak and I also wanted a powerboat. I was told one or the other, but not both. My response was," I guess I am building a kayak, the materials are in the garage". It was a long night on the sofa, but one that I would do all over again.
My path was now starting to take shape. There were many trials that life had in store for me. Creating and building boats was the outlet I needed to cope and thrive. I built another boat for hire and took a break because life had taken over. Building boats was not in the cards for me until 2009, when I got an offer I could not refuse. I took a position at Chesapeake Light Craft, a company for which I had been a customer. A company that I admired for their commitment to quality and their customers. I was told "come up and you can build as many boats as you like", and the circle was complete. From seeing a wood kayak for the first time and building a few, to working from the company that manufactures them. It took a total of ten years, but started that one fateful day in Rockland.
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