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Hi Delmar;
Thank you and God bless you for your service to our country. Thank you especially for fighting in the Vietnam War; we were not only right to fight in that one but we would've been wrong not to. I have lost sleep many times in my life; BUT I NEVER LOST ANY SLEEP BECAUSE I THOUGHT OUR COUNTRY WASN'T PROTECTED BY OUR ARMED FORCES.
It all takes money to sail, doesn't it? You know what I think about though when I think about the cost? When in history was it ever possible for the average person to sail recreationally around the world? Never. Democracy and freedom give us that; and then only recently. We always pay a price for freedom. It's worth every penny.
As a cook in Bullhead City I'll never save the money to cruise. In a few months God willing I will be fishing in Alaska. On a factory trawler is safer than the fishing boats or crabbers; the pay is good enough. Thank God too that God created two cheap, penny pinching people when He created my wife and me; we can live off of nothing given the hardware.
I am blessed and cursed with the ability to learn anything exceptionally well and quickly anything I set my mind to. I know about boat building and repair; I am sure I can build my first boat as a professional would. It isn't like we are islands unto ourselves; someone is always there to help. And if you can't learn something new everyday what is the point of getting out of bed?
That said you are absolutely right. For instance, finding a place to build a sailboat is incredibly costly. If I were to build a steel hull here in the desert land to rent to do so is dirt cheap; it might even offset the cost of transport to the cost. I might go that route.
Wood, though, has to be done by the sea. I fear the wood boat bug has not only me but my wife. I will work for free if I love my work. The cost of wood......insane. But wood is beautiful isn't it. It loves you back like fiberglass never will.
And thank God my wife has the same dream and understands the realities. She loved your reply, too. She nodded her head the whole time. To dream is free; to live the dream is another story.
I can't help but appreciate your kind words of experience from someone who has obviously learned the hard way. Thank you.
PAUL
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