| As a kid I did a lot of boat building, mainly scale | | | | We decided on swimming. We did not see anyone |
| models that were not able to sail, although I did | | | | around, so we quickly undressed, and with one hand |
| actual build a few boats that were, more or less, | | | | holding our clothes above the water, we managed to |
| capable of sailing. I even once build a 10 feet boat, or | | | | get back to our own side of the river. Just as we |
| shall I say raft. I accomplished this with a few friends | | | | were struggling to get out of the water a group of |
| and we had great fun sailing it on the local river. It | | | | girls from our own school were passing by, and I can |
| was not really water proof and while one person was | | | | tell you we were not happy! |
| rowing, the others had to make sure that they | | | | This all happened a long time ago and a few times in |
| removed the water quicker then it was entering our | | | | my live I have had plans of building a boat again. I |
| boat. | | | | have spent a good amount of time looking at boat |
| Then sadly one day we failed. I was rowing at the | | | | building plans, but with boats size does matter. |
| time, and we were in the middle of the river when it | | | | I usually looked at boats between 30 and 40 feet, |
| was clear we were sinking. I stopped rowing to | | | | but the sheer volume of work involved has always |
| assist with the hosing, but this only slowed down the | | | | stopped me from going ahead with my boat building |
| process of sinking, it did not stop it. So I started to | | | | plans. |
| row again in on effort to reach dry land before we | | | | Now I have decided to start small. I am going to build |
| sank, thus avoiding having to swim to safety. | | | | a 16 feet Grand Banks dory, which I want to fit with |
| And guess what: We made it! Just before the boat | | | | a small outboard engine. I bought the boat building |
| really started to sink we managed to jump ashore. | | | | plans, I got the working space, and by the time you |
| Here we watched as our pride and joy slowly sank | | | | read this article I might be finished already. |
| to the bottom of the river. It was then that we | | | | Later, who knows, I might build a 40 feet cabin |
| realised we were at the wrong side of the river and | | | | cruiser, and tow my Grand Banks dory behind me. |
| this left us with a problem. We either had to walk to | | | | Then, if my cabin cruises sinks, I can always row to |
| the nearest bridge, 5 miles upriver, so that would | | | | safety in my Grand Banks dory, dry and with my |
| have been a 10 mile walk, or swim to the other side. | | | | clothes on. |