time for another try

[bret]

IN APRIL OF 2005 I BOUGHT A FINE BOAT KIT FROM UNCLE JOHNS . I WORKED ON IT IN THE BASMENT OF MY APARTMENT WITH THE HELP OF MY THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER .MY WIFE AND I WERE FIGHTING CONSTANTLY. I WAS OFF WORK DUE TO A BACK INJURY .AND A SEPERATION WAS OVERDUE. I SPENT A LOT MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED BUILDING TIME ON THE BOAT DUE TO CONSTANT COMPLAINING OF MY NOW EX WIFE . WHEN THE SEPERATION CAME THE EX PUT A HAMMER TO THE BOAT. MY DAUGHTER COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD DO THAT. WE HAD PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO THE BOAT AND HAD EVEN MADE A TYVECK PAPER SAIL.

MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WARMER WEATHER AND THE FINE MINNISOTA RIVER CANOEING TRIPS THAT WE WERE GOING TAKE. BUT THE EX BROKE THE BOAT ,LEFT WITH MY DAUGHTER AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT.

I STILL REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES THAT I HAD BUILDING THAT BOAT WITH MY DAUGHTER, AND SOME FUNNY TIMES TOO. Like the time my x asked me how wide the boat was, I told her then she went upstairs. I followed because I needed a beer. When I got upstairs I caught her measuring her rear to see if she would fit. :lol:

but those days are gone .I didn't see my daughter for a year and the first thing she said when I finally got custudy of her was ...dad can we build another sailboat ....I cried.

I can't tell you how much that the experence of building a boat...saved my sanity and brought my daughter and I so close together.....its time for another kit , she is five now and wants to sail with her daddy

 

[islandpiper]

Bret......never say die....

A fellow came into my shop one day with a funny hole in his Gibson Guitar case......and a matching hole in the Gibson. His nasty woman had punched it with his bayonet (USMC) and then thrown him and his Gibson out. May have been the luckiest day in his life.

OK......your boat (and daughter) building project. Kayak Jack is a wise man, and he says build a boy with a boat......i'll bet you could build a girl with one too.

We are all rooting for you, buddy. We will all be happy to help in any way we can. Glad things are turning around for you.

Build fast, build cheap and get out on the water.

Cheers, Piper

 

[hairymick]

G'day Bret, Welcome aboard mate.

Similar story this side of the drain, but a long time ago. Time heals.

Get stuck into this new boat with your daughter and encourage her to help in any way she can. Listen to her ideas and most important, try to use them mate. It will give her some ownership in the project and you just watch her blossom.

I am certain she is still hurting and confused and this will give her something postive and meaningful to focus on.

Bloody good on you mate. Your story has brought a tear to this crusty old guys eyes. We will all be rooting for you and will do whatever we can to help.

Please keep us posted on how you go with this one.

Oh yeah,

How do you tell if you Ex wife is telling you lies?

Her lips move. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Slammer]

Good luck and glad things are coming around.

We are getting ready to build our second pirogue. Nothing better for bond building.

 

[sheena's dad]

Bret, welcome aboard.

I understand about the cryin' when the daughter asked to build another boat. Mine's 19, and we're on our second attempt at gettin' her 'noe built. (Funny, but this time around, it seems to be taking forever what with school, work, hospital trips and the like) But it does appear that buildin' with her will be one of the culminatin' highlight of this father's life.

With each day spent in the shop together, we learn more about each other. And more questions pop up from both sides and conversations range from down right arguments to out'n'out embarraskin'. (Findin' out things dads don't like learnin'.... ) All in all, buildin' with 'er has been and is one of the most enjoyable things in life. Something I will always treasure as I KNOW every one here has and will.

You be luckier than you can ever know.

Sheena's Dad

Hey, Mick.... About th' ex's lyin'...aint dat d' truth 8) :lol:

 

[JEM]

Try and let the bad stuff go. Focus on the good and making life better. Your daughter will see you doing that and want to be like you.

 

[oldsparkey]

I like to say that building a boat is a stress relief , it gives a person something pleasant to think about when the rest of the world is trying to make you insane.

I made one for a different reason then yours. My father had passed away and I had my mother to care for. She ended up in a nursing home due to some surgery which weakened her.
I would go over to visit her two or three times a day , every day , to make sure things were going like they should.
They offer better care for a person when a family member shows up at different times and is not set in a routine.

If you have never had a parent in one of those places then you are lucky , they are depressing besides watching a family member slowly go down hill as there health fails.

To counter that depression I made the Coho by Pygmy boats and trust me when I tell you I worked on it everyday , even during two hurricanes. I would go over there , get madder then heck , throw a fit and straiten things out then come home and work on the kayak to cool off.

If it wasn't for building that kayak and having something else to think about I hate to think of what would of happen. Building wood boats is definetly a stress breaker and sanity saver , no matter what is trying to push you over the edge, a boss , work , spouse , or just the world in general.
If you are lucky enough to have someone helping you ( a child) then the rewards are two fold , you are building a person along with a boat and setting them on the right path.

My youngest daughter was working at that time so she did not help but did do some supervising on the building. She went with me down to the local lake and when I made the mistake of asking her if she wanted to try it , she paddled it around the lake and coming back to the shore all she said was ... "This one is mine" She would not come ashore till I agreed on that.

Chuck.
PS. Both of my daughters like to paddle , hike , camp and be outdoors and they blame ( thank) me for that.. :lol: :lol: