Finished!

[MikeCav]

After 3 years of on and off restoration, the 1929 CS Otca I have been talking about was finished tonight. I did this boat for a friend who lives on the same lake I grew up on (IF I grew up - I play with boats, ya know!)

Attached are some before and after pictures. Before you ask, the name ALDA comes from my friends parents, ALice and DAn Dole. ALDA is the way Alice used to sign notes from the both of them... A fitting tribute to a nice couple that I remember fondly from my childhood.

 

[Wetweasel]

Congratulations Mike, it looks beautiful! It's encouraging to see what you have done with a project that started out worse than mine. Well done.

 

[Blue Viking]

GREAT JOB!....What a difference from that first pic you attached.
"Its not how many strokes of the paddle it takes to get where your going, but rather it is the JOY that is in the journey>" .......Blue Viking

 

[Michael Grace]

What a beauty- graceful, elegant, hardly shows it's age, and probably not TOO tipsy... oh yeah, and the canoe ain't bad either!

 

[MikeCav]

Beauty, grace and elegance - HA! My wife is not even in the picture!

Thanks all!

 

[Fitz]

What, no book case?

Now why did you go and do that to a perfectly good book case project...

Very nice and it belongs back in the water.

 

[bob goeckel]

sssssssssnnnnnnnnnnice! don't you hate to let it go now?

 

[MikeCav]

Bob - Letting it go is a mixed blessing - I've ignored it for three years coupled with spurts of activity. I used to see it in the garage, taunting me, every time I drove in. Now that it's finished, I'll miss it, but seeing it get used in a special body of water (where I grew up) is great.

Fitz - I was beginning to think that it would become my coffin, not a book case! Besides, I keep most of my coloring books at the bottom of my toybox!

 

[greatlakes]

Congrats

Excellent work, Mike. Congratulations!!

Frank

 

[Ric Altfather]

Mike,

Great story and good restoration work! The three years that it took you has beat me by two years???? I think they call that the builders/restorers boat lag, happens about half way through, then no progress.

Ric

 

[ebeeby]

Heartwarming. Beautiful. Can I be your old friend next?

 

[MikeCav]

Can I be your old friend next?

I think you have one person in line ahead of you - but you are next, Eric!

 

[dboles]

Very nice work Mike!.
And let me say if you LET me be your next best friend YOU could choose from 3 boats that need work AND Im easily swayed off the path for a beer or plural.A project that also could take years.Whadda say BUDDY.
Dan

 

[Andy Hutyera]

Mike,

Beautiful work! I always enjoy the aftermath of a long project well done when I can look at my work and think, "Damn, I'm pretty good!"

I suspect that Patty might like you to do a write up for the journal about the history of that canoe and your memories.

Well done!