This is close to where it all started........

Back in 2002 I was in Vancouver browsing bookshelves. "The Wood and Canvas Canoe" by Jerry Stolmek and Rollin Thurlow took my eye and I spent the flight back to Australia reading it. By the time I landed in Sydney I was thinking that I was interested though the amount of work involved in building the buck before even starting on the canoe proper sort of meant that I wasn't going to get to it anytime soon.

A year or so passed and then late one night I read an ad in Australian Amateur Boat Building where someone was selling "buck, straps, materials, canvas etc to build Wood and Canvas Canoe as per Jerry Stolmek and Rollin Thurlow's book." A very interesting conversation ensued with Steve in Canberra who intimated that I was possibly the only person in Australia that knew what the ad was for!!!!

I ended up flying to Canberra and saving "Bucko" from a bonfire and transported him 3000kms to Cairns. The problem was that Steve also introduced me to a thing called a Geodesic Airolite - and that started something entirely different...........

Another couple of years passed, then a couple more. Bucko lanquished in Cairns and only made one brief public appearance at our Wooden Boat Association annual Bosun's Locker Sale - as a benchtop!!!!!

Then I moved to Hobart and Bucko fell into an even more uncared for state (if that was possible). Another two years and finally Bucko makes the trip as well - another 5000kms.

I'd really really really love to build one of these. King Billy planking, Huon Pine ribs, Tasmanian Myrtle for hardwood details...........mmmmm, and finish it with canvas????? or go technical and use Dacron or Ballistic Nylon?????

So if you're reading this and I've sparked an interest, contact me and you may become the first customer...........