I built Welsford's Walkabout 13 years ago, have temporarily owned smaller boats and thought about bigger boats but this one is the best compromise for so many missions. If anything ever happened to it I would probably start building a Long Steps, the somewhat bigger cousin.
Living in the mountain boondocks give me an abundance of storage for 5 wooden boats, 3 fiberglass boats, 1 rotomolded kayak, and an inflatable dinghy. One pair of shoes does not meet all needs and boats are in the same category. Your wife will understand this!
I think it might be some kind of insidious infection….I always feel better after adding “just one more boat”…..for awhile….then it comes back…again & again!!!….So far it has not proven itself to be fatal in these last 80 years!!!!!
For me, boats are tools for getting the job done, i.e. embracing Mother Ocean and her offspring. A good toolbox has many tools for each job. Same with boats - day sailing, cruising, sail, motor, coastal, blue water, lakes, rivers, white water, solo, crew, etc.
I have 9 boats that I find time for being at a point in life with 6 Saturdays and one Sunday each week. I can't help looking for good boat deals on small boats. My largest is a Potter 19. My tandem canoe is 16'. My solo canoe 15' 8". My two sea-kayaks are 17' and 17' 4". The tandem surf ski hybrid is 19'. The Wayfarer is just shy of 16". The Scamp is 11' 11'. No two are alike. Paddle and sail make for good days on the water. Put me in a swamp, marsh, river, lake, or ocean with the right boat, and I love the boat I'm with on the water it was made for.
So many small boats so little time, but ain't it fun!
As light house keepers fopr 20 yrs we always had at least two in service at all times.
Then after starting a boat building school, Farley Boat Works in Port Aransas, there were always at least a dozen beauties on hand and ready to go at any time.
A boat builder / junkie has no jope with that many lovely temptations around..
Two longest held boats over the decades were a DN iceboat and a Hobie catamaran. These days, my Kayak gets the most sea miles....especially when deploying the kite in high winds~
You're not suposed to ask a rancher "how many head, or how many acres?" I think that's true with boats too - especially with the person's spouse within ear-shot! Here's my "current inventory" - three O'Day DS (one DSII and two DSIs), Cape Cod Bullseye, Compac Picnic Cat, vintage Kite (Newport), a couple inflatibles, Cape Dory Typhoon, Jarvis-Newman 12, Fatty Knees, 1969 Caravelle with 115HP V-4, two ratty el Toros, vintage Winer Malone 14' Bahama Dinghy (very needy), two nice kayaks, and an in-progress 9'6" Nutshell - plus a bunch of RC boats (so cute, who could resist!)....and I used to collect antique outboard motos (down to only a few very early ones, and a bunch of Seagulls).....some people collect beanie babies or old cars.....don't judge!
a 25 O'day: so roomy and comfy and great to sail but too big for me to solo. The bottom paint is still good, so I'll wait to see if I get a sail buddy...
21 Sea Pearl: so fast and fun, and easy to solo, but not comfy at night and exhausting on longer sails..
22 Catalina: just right for overnighting and can still solo. Seems to be the sweet spot.
Two row boats: one tandem and one single. I take out a lot when the wind is too strong or not enough
I'm at 4 not counting the windsurfer..ha! Nothing above 17 feet now. Only thing I've given up permanently is white sails~ _/)
Ah man, my current rescue catboat came with a brand new "white" sail.
I built Welsford's Walkabout 13 years ago, have temporarily owned smaller boats and thought about bigger boats but this one is the best compromise for so many missions. If anything ever happened to it I would probably start building a Long Steps, the somewhat bigger cousin.
Living in the mountain boondocks give me an abundance of storage for 5 wooden boats, 3 fiberglass boats, 1 rotomolded kayak, and an inflatable dinghy. One pair of shoes does not meet all needs and boats are in the same category. Your wife will understand this!
I love every one of them in a special way!
So many boats, so little time.
5, not including dinghies and canoes. …and “only” 3 are projects! Well, the other 2 are usable. Haha.
I think it might be some kind of insidious infection….I always feel better after adding “just one more boat”…..for awhile….then it comes back…again & again!!!….So far it has not proven itself to be fatal in these last 80 years!!!!!
For me, boats are tools for getting the job done, i.e. embracing Mother Ocean and her offspring. A good toolbox has many tools for each job. Same with boats - day sailing, cruising, sail, motor, coastal, blue water, lakes, rivers, white water, solo, crew, etc.
I have 9 boats that I find time for being at a point in life with 6 Saturdays and one Sunday each week. I can't help looking for good boat deals on small boats. My largest is a Potter 19. My tandem canoe is 16'. My solo canoe 15' 8". My two sea-kayaks are 17' and 17' 4". The tandem surf ski hybrid is 19'. The Wayfarer is just shy of 16". The Scamp is 11' 11'. No two are alike. Paddle and sail make for good days on the water. Put me in a swamp, marsh, river, lake, or ocean with the right boat, and I love the boat I'm with on the water it was made for.
So many small boats so little time, but ain't it fun!
As light house keepers fopr 20 yrs we always had at least two in service at all times.
Then after starting a boat building school, Farley Boat Works in Port Aransas, there were always at least a dozen beauties on hand and ready to go at any time.
A boat builder / junkie has no jope with that many lovely temptations around..
Rick Pratt
….and Farley has now built how many? And started how many builders? 👏👏👏👏👏
Last count was over 100.
Sure felt good watching it happening!
The sound of sharp planes and the smell of good wood. Hard to beat.
RP
4 here and just expelled from carport. I’m planning to build a small boat house this fall (to protect the strip canoe of my near future)
Two longest held boats over the decades were a DN iceboat and a Hobie catamaran. These days, my Kayak gets the most sea miles....especially when deploying the kite in high winds~
You're not suposed to ask a rancher "how many head, or how many acres?" I think that's true with boats too - especially with the person's spouse within ear-shot! Here's my "current inventory" - three O'Day DS (one DSII and two DSIs), Cape Cod Bullseye, Compac Picnic Cat, vintage Kite (Newport), a couple inflatibles, Cape Dory Typhoon, Jarvis-Newman 12, Fatty Knees, 1969 Caravelle with 115HP V-4, two ratty el Toros, vintage Winer Malone 14' Bahama Dinghy (very needy), two nice kayaks, and an in-progress 9'6" Nutshell - plus a bunch of RC boats (so cute, who could resist!)....and I used to collect antique outboard motos (down to only a few very early ones, and a bunch of Seagulls).....some people collect beanie babies or old cars.....don't judge!
Mike Smith, nice poll. Can't help but smile while reading, remembering and figuring where you fit.
8 at the moment:
2 sail..ComPac 16 and Trinka 10
1 row - Adirondack Guide Boat
5 double paddle - Fox, TigerLily, 2 FeatherCraft folding, 1 SOT plastic?
😃What was I ever thinking??
What’s the proper number of boats to own?
N + 1
It's simple math really.
Currently own 4…need to cut back to 2.
a 25 O'day: so roomy and comfy and great to sail but too big for me to solo. The bottom paint is still good, so I'll wait to see if I get a sail buddy...
21 Sea Pearl: so fast and fun, and easy to solo, but not comfy at night and exhausting on longer sails..
22 Catalina: just right for overnighting and can still solo. Seems to be the sweet spot.
Two row boats: one tandem and one single. I take out a lot when the wind is too strong or not enough
The smaller they are the more they are used.
The idea is to have a boat for every occasion.