The Buck

Almost exactly a year ago, I made a grand pronouncement here that I am not a trophy hunter. It's only fitting that today I report the harvest of my first trophy.

Grand pronouncements notwithstanding, I'm not hating the feeling.

This is my sixth hunting season, and before this year I had only harvested does, save for one small button buck (i.e. a buck whose antlers were mere buttons on top of his head).

Many deer hunters sit in tall tree stands, or even what could be described as miniature cabins, well out of the sight line of their quarry, and with high powered rifles that can take a deer from some distance. I, on the other hand, prefer to be no more than six or eight feet off the ground, fully exposed, and with a gun that could be described as "distance challenged". I do this because I seek a more pure experience, truer to the concept of fair chase, giving my prey more equal footing in the epic struggle between hunter and hunted.

Plywood Boat Build FAQ

In this post, I will attempt to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions about my homemade plywood boat (view the video here or read about it here). For the purposes of this post, the term "frequently" is defined as any number greater than or equal to zero.

1. Why didn't you add a keel?

Initially I decided not to add a keel as I had no plans to do any keel hauling. Later, I discovered that a keel could be used for other purposes, like making the boat go through the water more efficiently, i.e. with less swaying back and forth as I paddle. I did add a skeg, which helped some, but upon reflection I do believe a keel would help more. I may add one in the future, or I may just build another boat and use a keel on that one.

Plywood Boat Build

This is the story of how I built a small wooden boat.

[diagram showing rough dimensions]**

I have been wanting a one-person hard-shell kayak for a long time, but decided the perfectly suitable used examples I saw on Craigslist for less than a couple hundred bucks exceeded my arbitrary budget. I therefore decided it made sense to spend almost the same amount plus an embarrassingly large number of hours building my own out of mostly scrap plywood, because when you're building something whose sole function is to keep you floating and alive in potentially precarious situations, scrap plywood is the obvious choice.

About a Stream

There is a stream that courses through our woods. It’s a small stream, you might call it quaint or slight. Yet it fills my thoughts in greater measure than most would deem necessary.

I’ve walked beside it countless times. I’ve sat next to it with my love on a rock warmed by the sun. I have taken a few pictures of it. I’ve photographed it in the shade and in the sun. I’ve snapped shots of it flowing over rocks and around bends. I have pictures of it dressed in snow and peppered with fall leaves. Perhaps I’ve taken more than a few.