A Hull And A Story
By nanert #1111 "PeentyBunt" (1ar)Hi Shorty,
I'm writing to get a hull number for an old Puddle Duck who isn't going to make it another season, and to tell a story if you don't mind. I've been meaning to send this message for nearly 5 years now, but you know how life goes sometimes.
THE STORY
I grew up with a boat. However, out in these parts, generally 'boating' is synonymous with 'open bow speedboat + whatever towable you prefer'. This, plus the occasional canoe or inflatable, was my only boating experience growing up until adulthood, when my parents bought a houseboat down at Lake Powell. This introduced me to a whole new world of boating. The kind of world where anchors, ropes, and weather matter. The kind of boating where the point isn't to seek adrenaline, but to simply exist on a boat. After a few years, my parents grew older and tired of the effort and cost of the houseboat and parted ways with it. I was well into adulthood by now, and between family, career, and everything in between, boating fell by the wayside.
The story begins in earnest in spring of 2018. One day while going about my business, out of nowhere something inside me made me stop dead in my tracks, and think '...I need a boat.' I suppose there comes a time in every boatless man's life like this. And so I began shopping. Big boats, small boats, fast ones, slow ones. Between all the choices and my experience with how much work, maintenance, and especially money speedboat ownership can be, I began looking for stop-gap solutions to satiate my desire. Perhaps a runabout? Even a small canoe? As the weeks went by and summer began, the absence of boat in my life began to burn into my soul. The water was calling, and I had nothing to answer. Finally, after all the indecision, options, money, storage, and transportation considerations, I figured enough was enough. I just needed to be FLOATING ON THE WATER.
So, I decided to BUILD a boat. A preposterous notion! It takes factories and technology to build one, right? Well, not the 'boat' I was going to build. I was desperate. I planned on slapping some OSB together with some screws, caulking the seams, and taking that thing out with a paddle. It would be ridiculous, it would be practically single-use, it would be laughable. But it would be floating out in the middle of the lake, and that's hard to argue with.
So that was it, I readied myself for a trip to the hardware store. Before leaving, a thought hit me. Maybe someone else has done this -- I should at least google it, see if there's anyone crazy like me. So I did. There wasn't really much online about house-construction-leftover desperation boats, but there were entire communities of people building their own boats! Out of wood! Most of them were far too complicated for the immediate gratification I required. But then I came across a small site -- pdracer.com. The same ridiculous passion for just being out on the water that I was feeling was shared by the entire site and it's community. And the boat itself -- it seemed like what my idea *should* have been all along.
The next couple of weeks I read every article I could, looked at every ducker's profile, saw every pic and watched every video. I couldn't get enough of the idea. The world of small wooden boats was amazing! I began to lurk on woodenboat forum, discovered Roger Barnes, and got acquainted with the works of Bolger, Michalak, Dudley Dix, Welsford, Vivier, and even Herreshoff. I read everything about how to sail (had never done that before), how it worked and why.
However, summer had more behind it than ahead, and all I had done was read. It was time to finally join this amazing community, and more importantly -- go sailing. Despite having sold the house boat, the family still had a yearly Lake Powell outing coming up in just a couple weeks. I didn't have much time if I wanted a boat there.
So, I began. I poured over the Bucket Ears articles, bought everything from lumber to tarp to hardware, and set to work. In just 3 weeks, she was nearly ready. I felt as though I had fumbled my way through the entire thing, but after all the learning, research, and random attempts at things in my garage, I had what appeared to be a puddle duck racer! My ever-supporting wife built the duct-tape tarp sail entirely on her own while I finished up the final details and rigging/hardware. We finished up and put the last coat of paint on with only a day to spare. With a paint job inspired by a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich, we named her 'PeentyBunt', after the way my 3 year old son pronounced peanutbutter.
After a long drive, we got down to the beach, set up camp, and I began the arduous task of rigging the boat for the first time. Armed with every tool I could fit in the truck, I was able to drill, screw, grind, clamp, and tie everything needed until I got it finished, rigged, and ready to sail. I threw my family in (just one 3 yr old and a pregnant wife), pushed off the beach, and began fiddling about with the ropes, tiller, and leeboard. I finally got everything lined up, tied off, and set. It was time. I grabbed the main sheet and pulled in. Despite the limp, patchy breeze, that giant green tarp bit the wind and filled out, the main sheet snapped tight, and she darted forward! She sails!
The feeling was indescribable. Late nights sawing, gluing, nailing, having no idea what I was doing. All for some crazy idea in my head. But I was here now, and it worked. I was sailing. Moving across the water, no motor, no oars, just freedom and wind in the sails. I was hooked for life.
END
Life of course goes on, and I discovered that the white paint used was not exterior grade, nor was the plywood used for everything but the bottom. It's been nearly 5 years and she's no longer seaworthy (nor repairable, realistically). She's had her last sail, and it's time to decommission her. That little boat changed my life. Sailing is now a part of my identity, all thanks to the passion you shared, the community you built, and that one little boat design. I'm halfway through a 16 ft boat build now. And when that one is done, my wife and I plan on building a set of brand new PDRacers :)
So, I thought I should get her on the books officially before she goes. I’ve included a few pics of her, and a link to a video I whipped up of her first day on the water (second voyage). If you wouldn't mind, could you give 'PeentyBunt' a hull number to send her off?
Thanks for everything,
- 'nanert'
https://rumble.com/v2u3cta-the-peentybunt-at-lone-rock.html
I'm writing to get a hull number for an old Puddle Duck who isn't going to make it another season, and to tell a story if you don't mind. I've been meaning to send this message for nearly 5 years now, but you know how life goes sometimes.
THE STORY
I grew up with a boat. However, out in these parts, generally 'boating' is synonymous with 'open bow speedboat + whatever towable you prefer'. This, plus the occasional canoe or inflatable, was my only boating experience growing up until adulthood, when my parents bought a houseboat down at Lake Powell. This introduced me to a whole new world of boating. The kind of world where anchors, ropes, and weather matter. The kind of boating where the point isn't to seek adrenaline, but to simply exist on a boat. After a few years, my parents grew older and tired of the effort and cost of the houseboat and parted ways with it. I was well into adulthood by now, and between family, career, and everything in between, boating fell by the wayside.
The story begins in earnest in spring of 2018. One day while going about my business, out of nowhere something inside me made me stop dead in my tracks, and think '...I need a boat.' I suppose there comes a time in every boatless man's life like this. And so I began shopping. Big boats, small boats, fast ones, slow ones. Between all the choices and my experience with how much work, maintenance, and especially money speedboat ownership can be, I began looking for stop-gap solutions to satiate my desire. Perhaps a runabout? Even a small canoe? As the weeks went by and summer began, the absence of boat in my life began to burn into my soul. The water was calling, and I had nothing to answer. Finally, after all the indecision, options, money, storage, and transportation considerations, I figured enough was enough. I just needed to be FLOATING ON THE WATER.
So, I decided to BUILD a boat. A preposterous notion! It takes factories and technology to build one, right? Well, not the 'boat' I was going to build. I was desperate. I planned on slapping some OSB together with some screws, caulking the seams, and taking that thing out with a paddle. It would be ridiculous, it would be practically single-use, it would be laughable. But it would be floating out in the middle of the lake, and that's hard to argue with.
So that was it, I readied myself for a trip to the hardware store. Before leaving, a thought hit me. Maybe someone else has done this -- I should at least google it, see if there's anyone crazy like me. So I did. There wasn't really much online about house-construction-leftover desperation boats, but there were entire communities of people building their own boats! Out of wood! Most of them were far too complicated for the immediate gratification I required. But then I came across a small site -- pdracer.com. The same ridiculous passion for just being out on the water that I was feeling was shared by the entire site and it's community. And the boat itself -- it seemed like what my idea *should* have been all along.
The next couple of weeks I read every article I could, looked at every ducker's profile, saw every pic and watched every video. I couldn't get enough of the idea. The world of small wooden boats was amazing! I began to lurk on woodenboat forum, discovered Roger Barnes, and got acquainted with the works of Bolger, Michalak, Dudley Dix, Welsford, Vivier, and even Herreshoff. I read everything about how to sail (had never done that before), how it worked and why.
However, summer had more behind it than ahead, and all I had done was read. It was time to finally join this amazing community, and more importantly -- go sailing. Despite having sold the house boat, the family still had a yearly Lake Powell outing coming up in just a couple weeks. I didn't have much time if I wanted a boat there.
So, I began. I poured over the Bucket Ears articles, bought everything from lumber to tarp to hardware, and set to work. In just 3 weeks, she was nearly ready. I felt as though I had fumbled my way through the entire thing, but after all the learning, research, and random attempts at things in my garage, I had what appeared to be a puddle duck racer! My ever-supporting wife built the duct-tape tarp sail entirely on her own while I finished up the final details and rigging/hardware. We finished up and put the last coat of paint on with only a day to spare. With a paint job inspired by a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich, we named her 'PeentyBunt', after the way my 3 year old son pronounced peanutbutter.
After a long drive, we got down to the beach, set up camp, and I began the arduous task of rigging the boat for the first time. Armed with every tool I could fit in the truck, I was able to drill, screw, grind, clamp, and tie everything needed until I got it finished, rigged, and ready to sail. I threw my family in (just one 3 yr old and a pregnant wife), pushed off the beach, and began fiddling about with the ropes, tiller, and leeboard. I finally got everything lined up, tied off, and set. It was time. I grabbed the main sheet and pulled in. Despite the limp, patchy breeze, that giant green tarp bit the wind and filled out, the main sheet snapped tight, and she darted forward! She sails!
The feeling was indescribable. Late nights sawing, gluing, nailing, having no idea what I was doing. All for some crazy idea in my head. But I was here now, and it worked. I was sailing. Moving across the water, no motor, no oars, just freedom and wind in the sails. I was hooked for life.
END
Life of course goes on, and I discovered that the white paint used was not exterior grade, nor was the plywood used for everything but the bottom. It's been nearly 5 years and she's no longer seaworthy (nor repairable, realistically). She's had her last sail, and it's time to decommission her. That little boat changed my life. Sailing is now a part of my identity, all thanks to the passion you shared, the community you built, and that one little boat design. I'm halfway through a 16 ft boat build now. And when that one is done, my wife and I plan on building a set of brand new PDRacers :)
So, I thought I should get her on the books officially before she goes. I’ve included a few pics of her, and a link to a video I whipped up of her first day on the water (second voyage). If you wouldn't mind, could you give 'PeentyBunt' a hull number to send her off?
Thanks for everything,
- 'nanert'
https://rumble.com/v2u3cta-the-peentybunt-at-lone-rock.html
