Canoes

Mid winter for me is the start of canoe building season. In January 2002 I
started my first one, which I finished in time for my 40th birthday on May
14th (I celebrated with a christening paddle from Lake Minnetonka to my home
near Lake of the Isles, via Minnehaha Creek). Since then I've built six and
am working on a seventh. They are made from strips of cedar covered with an
invisible fiberglass/epoxy skin. Their designs (I've made them in various
shapes and sizes; the one in this photo is 14') are based on those devised
by Mac McCarthy, author of Featherweight Canoe Building
(http://www.feathercanoes.com/). I'd done no significant woodworking before
building my first one, and found the process to be step-by-step simple and
incredibly therapeutic. I've heard the same from other boatbuilders. So I
guess what I'm saying is, if you're going through a little mid-winter,
mid-life funk, try building a boat (http://www.woodenboat.com). It's not
hard, and it will make you feel much better!