Done With It

[dougd]

After 25 years or so of rebuilding other peoples canoes and yes a kayak if I'm allowed to use that word here I've decided to call it quits. Since I rebuilt my shop so it's heated, about 4 years now, I have rebuilt 11 boats in 3 and half years, basically a none stop production line. I've found that breaking even or making a slight profit in doing this kind of work is no longer something I want to do anymore. It was never about the money, it was about bringing a hull back to life and although I am not as gifted as many of you I managed to do some decent work. But this last rebuild taxed me to my limits and I now longer want to do this. I have hulls of my own that have taken back seat in up keep that have been neglected so it is time to do what's good for my limited fleet. I don't know if others have reached a point where you just say the hell with it and I don't know whether to be happy or sad about it. Maybe I'll just start building birdhouses!

dougd

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I don't build or repair boats, but as I've aged, gotten physically weaker, developed more aches and pains, and generally gotten bored or fed up with certain things in life, I've called quits on several activities that were very important to me in earlier times. Or I've cut way back on them. Such as many sports, outdoor and physical activities, including aspects of canoeing.

When things become more of a hassle, pain or drudgery (physical or mental) than a pleasure or reward, it's time to reevaluate priorities in the light of new realities. Adapt.

 

[Alan Gage]

I bought a sawmill a few years back and thought it would be fun and profitable to sell wood and do custom sawing. What I found out was that it was a lot of work that took up all my free time and I didn't get to do much sawing for myself, nor did I really make much money doing it. So I quit custom sawing and I quit trying to sell lumber and I only cut wood for myself now instead of trying to guess what other people will want to buy. Once in a while I still sell a little wood but I'm much happier this way.

You gotta do what makes you happy. Sometimes that thing is helping other people with their projects and sometimes it's telling people 'no'.

Alan

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

I used to enjoy restoring classic cars for myself and to sell. The last one about killed me- too much work. I would be surprised if I don’t come back to it, but not anytime soon.

We only have so much time. Might as well enjoy it.

Bob

 

[Gamma1214]

Ditto to all of the above. I've been a farrier for almost 25 years now and, given the toll it takes on my body and the fact that I almost never have a Saturday free, I'm helping one of my customers get established so that I can pass the torch.

Life is entirely too short to do things that we don't enjoy doing and all the cash in the world won't buy even a moment of it back. Besides, a heated shop will certainly not go to waste... fill it with fun projects.

 

[sweeper]

Sounds like this is spreading. I'm retired but was working part-time (when I felt like it) with another guy making Adirondack Chairs from Wine Barrels. It just got to be too much. It's amazing how much work you can get done around the house when your wife goes to work and you have the house to yourself.

 

[gumpus]

As one door closes, another opens.

 

[ppine]

Working on wood boats is tedious. I am taking a break.

 

[Mike McCrea]

I’ve done full rehabs on three boats in the last year, but they were all keepers, or at least special to friends in some way. FishFinder, Sexy Thang, Yellowstone Solo.

I’ve done partial rehabs, touch ups & seat replacements or paint jobs on another 5 or 6. None of them has fought me, as unforeseen rebuild complications are sometimes wont to do. None has been on a deadline, or rushed, or paid repair work; any of those issues can take the joy out of boatwork.

Beyond family, and select in-laws, there are only a couple paddlers whose craft I enjoy working on, mostly because I enjoy working with them in the shop.

https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/mad-river-freedom-solo-outfitting-marathon.74835/

See also marathon shop days with Joel and/or DougD. Best and funniest of times. A communist, an atheist and a Quaker walk into a bar ……

Doing canoe work, repairs and outfitting, for a living? No way. Doing it as a for profit buy-low/sell-high flipper? No freaking way.

Paid by unskilled friends to provide repair services? Also no way. I put new seats and drops, new thwarts, foot braces, strap yokes, skid plates and etc in a friend’s battered canoes, plural, and afterwards gave him a list of those major parts and pieces needed to from replace shop stock. He brought me a couple hardware store two-barrel epoxy syringes and thought we were even.

Nope, not going there again.

Between and betwixt larger rebuilds I can futz with side projects, and do upgrades and maintenance on the family fleet. One of those boats recently had a 50th anniversary, 1971 – 2021, still going strong. Most of the others are eighties to early aughts hulls.

Routine maintenance pays off in the long run, and if you own a boat, any kind of boat, learning how to care for it and repair it is the next step after learning how to control it; paddle it, row it, sail it or motor it.

Know how to take care of it, and repair it.

 

[memaquay]

I hear ya! I had to finish a cedarstrip pal for a buddy this summer, a project he started several years ago. Took two weeks out of my summer and a fair amount of money, all the while thinking to my self that my canoe fixing/making days for anyone other than myself are over.

 

[Robin]

I've done a lot of rebuilds, restorations, saves, call it what you may, and while I enjoyed working and learning, my motive in the end was to buy cheap and sell at a resonable price.
Some canoes where profitable, others not so much when you figured in the time, travel, and material costs, it sort of all evened out. I met many nice folks, I was always willing to negotiate to a point and only had 2 people pass on canoes I was selling in maybe 30 canoes I sold.
All the money I made helped defray the many canoe trips I made to Canada. Living in Connecticut, there seemed to be no end to the amount of canoes laying around back yards with rotted out gunnels. I even had repeat customers who contacted me for canoes I had in the works, so I felt pretty good about the canoes I sold.
I stopped buying/selling when I made the move to Maine, just thought I'd concentrate on my own wood canvas canoes and gear, but I still watched the ads on Craigslist and Marketplace. One day I saw an old Chestnut Bobs on Facebook, looked good, was really old so I gave a call. I paid much more than I wanted, $600, but sold it 2 weeks later for $1600 on day one having it posted for sale. The fella aririved in a $70K truck, told me he was going to hang it in his great room at the lake and was pleased as hell to get it.
I still watch the ads but I'm done working on non wood canvas canoes...unless I can find a nice solo kevlar for my daughter.

Old Chestnut Bobs, before,


Old Chestnut Bobs, after,

 

[memaquay]

dang, that one turned out great, I think I would have had a hard time selling it!

 

[Robin]

dang, that one turned out great, I think I would have had a hard time selling it!

Yea, it did come out nice. I was lucky on that one, it was close to me so I took a look. I know a thing or two about Chestmut canoes and this was an old one with a good hull and canvas. It had been restored once, but not very neatly, just needed to be cleaned up. The buyer passed on cheaper wood canvas Old Towns because of that nice interior patina.
It was a fun project, if it didn't sell I would have been happy to keep it but the profit I made paid for that Sept trip to northern Quebec this year.

Here's a nice 15' Chestnut for sale on Maine Facebook Marketplace. I believe it's an older Chestnut Chum, those heart shaped decks indicate an older canoe and it looks like it has the narrower Chum ribs. It looks to be in very good shape, the sellar has a canoe shop and restores canoes, he just dropped the price to $1400 as it's been for sale for quite a while. If I didn't have a Chum already I would buy it, if it was a Prospector I'd buy it for sure.

 

[Fitz]

Robin, I think that might be a Bob's based on the heart shaped decks and apparently thin ribs.

Cheers,

Fitz

 

[Robin]

Robin, I think that might be a Bob's based on the heart shaped decks and apparently thin ribs.

Cheers,

Fitz

Thanks, I was thinking those where narrow ribs of a Chum. Wishful thinking I guess. Haha

 

[Fitz]

I think the photo angle makes the ribs look like the narrow ones, plus they are thinner, so it is kind of an optical illusion. Looks like a good boat if someone is looking for a Bob's.

Fitz