Clear Stream Fine Woodworking (CSFW)

Yup, you read the title correctly.  Effective today and lasting into the near future I will not be taking any orders for canoes or kayaks.

To tell you the truth, I needed a break.  For the past couple years I used most if not all of my free time being in the shop building boats.  I would wake up early, work in the shop, go to my real job for the NHDOT, come home, work in the shop until it was time to eat (later usually) and then go to bed. I spent a lot of weekends building also.  The extra cash was nice but I didn’t get to see my wife or girls as much as I should have.  Plus I wasn’t taking the time to exercise (Love handles?!?! ME??).  This winter I started a new chapter in my life.

Because of the recent economic down-turn people aren’t placing orders for custom canoes and kayaks.  Hmmm, hard to imagine, I know.  I did get to build one boat this winter for a previous customer.  It was semi-replica of the East Greenland LC-148.  I’ll post some information and pictures in time.  After his I didn’t have any orders in the queue. I took advantage of it…

I took about six weeks off from being in the shop at all.  I went cross-country skiing every weekend with my family instead once a month.  We even bought a camper that we’ll tow up and down the eastern US coast.  We’re going out this weekend in fact.  I’ve basically giving my wife, girls and even pets, the attention they had been missing for the past two-plus years.  I have less stress in my life and I’m so much happier in general.

For a while at least any shop time will be concentrated on finishing projects around the house.  First is to finish a SOF that I’m building for Christine and the girls.  Nice little rec boat with a big cockpit.  Should be a hoot.  Any commissioned work will be limited to small furniture or general woodworking projects.

I know I’ll build more boats.  The next one just won’t be for a while…

Thanks.

Dan