Wood, Boats and Bicycles

I am realizing my love of building wooden boats should probably come to an end.  When I consider how much I really use them, they are not worth the time or space it takes to build them.  If I lived on a big lake, that would be different though, but I don't.  It takes about 1.5 hours for just a 30 minutes row when I take the boat to the Delaware river here.  Compared to riding my bike, I just hop on it, go, and have fun for the whole time.  This is right out of the garage.  No transport and no set up.  I use my bike everyday it is not raining too.  The boats I use a few times a year.  This is why I have decided to stop work on my Dave Gentry Boardyak and John Gardner Car Top Semi Dory (see photos below).  They are not finished but I just listed them on ebay.  I still love wooden boats, but have found I don't need to build or keep them anymore.  I can enjoy others who have built them and offer them for a quick tiial spin.

Since I bike commute, I came across Renovo bikes which are made out of wood. I was fascinated by them but dismissed the idea of ever building one as the owner and founder proclaimed that they only use CNC machines and special tested wood pieces to make them.  It seemed to me beyond my level.  Then I came across Jay Kinsinger's wooden bike where he made his bike with woodworking tools (no CNC) and I was hooked.  This is now my next challenge is to build a wooden road bike.  For more on Jay's bike, visit his website.  After corresponding with Jay, he graciously shared some thoughts and ideas on wooden bike building.  From Jay, I learned about the book, Just Ride by Grant Peterson who founded Rivendell bicycle company.  I loved this book and read in 2 days on Kindle.  This boat has changed my whole view on bicycles and bicycle riding in general, which will be the subject of an upcoming post.  Meanwhile, I have my wooden road bike frame now designed on paper.  Over the next few months I plan to build one.