Time to Get Nuts Again
by Richard Frye

Hi Chuck,

I couldn't stand it anymore and figured it was time to get crazy again. It was 55 degrees and this is Feb. 28th in SW PA! No shit! It was absolutely gorgeous today.

A friend of mine came over and wanted to try out the little skinboat. She's building a Li'l Kate like me. She would try out two different boats that she had never been in as well as different paddle lengths and get some experience as well. The good ole Stealth and the little 12 foot skinboat I covered with ballistic nylon and 2 part urethane I got from Corey Freedman from his skinboat school in Anacortes, Washington are the boats I chose for this excursion.

The main thing was... that I had to see how my little dog Monkey would do in a boat since he'll be with me this year on trips......or I was hoping he would anyway. Monkey is a 6 pound cockapoo that thinks he's a 110 pound Rottwieller! All I can say is that he did damn good! A real boat dog! Even the geese flying up from the deep south didn't bother him. Actually I was the one that was bothered about them damn geese.....and ya'll know... I hate damn geese! I didn't have the ole .22 with me but will next time for sure!

Today was a great start on curing the cabin fever that's had me down fer several months. I got within 30 feet of 6 of them damn birds and Monkey didn't even raise an eyebrow........which showed me right then and there that he ain't going to be worffa shit for goose hunting! He could give a flying flip less about them damn geese!

Anyway, the 2 mile trip up into the lake was extremely pleasant and if felt great to get out and do some paddling. I went ahead of Tillie and broke some ice with the Stealth. Now that is fun! You hear all this horrid crunching and wonder if you are reliving that dreadful day back in 1912.........the Titantic......you know!

Then I yelled at her to bring the skinboat into the ice. Almost in an instant I could hear her bitching under her breath....sound carries a long way on water you know! Monkey must have sensed her bitching too and started growling when she was at least 50 yards away...and he didn't stop for 5 full minutes! He don't like bitching women! Smart dog.....I'd say! Now .....she did ........I'd say cause she's about as damn crazy as I am.........reluctantly bring the skinboat through the sharp broken ice. The boat kinda bounced off the slabs and smaller pieces just got easily pushed out of the way.

When we got back I drug the skinboat across a gravel flat and then across a sand bar and landed her right hard into a sand bar a couple of times. Now yall are probably wondering...Now why in hell did he do something as stupid as that! Well for one thing I wanted to see if this stuff is as tough as it is made out to be...........and believe me it is! This is some very tough shit! This is Corey's own product that he and his father came up with. It's also very resilient! The little boat bounced off snags like they were nothing! From now on this is the product I'll be using. Corey also is a master skinboat builder and has some of the most beautiful traditional skin-on-frame boats you've ever laid your eyes on! Awwight.....back to the story.

Tillie...you know... being a retired science teacher and all had to examine the ice as you can see in the picture above. Now... she wants to build a little skinboat when she finishes her canoe! She loves to fish too but just getting into the paddling and boat building part of being nuts! In all we paddled about 6 miles and had a great time. Monkey is on the bed asleep..........hummmmmm.....think I'll go join him.....I'm pooped! Wonder if he's dreaming about geese.........I doubt it! But....... I'll probably start having those recurring nightmares again............It's that time of the year again you know! Maybe Monkey is dreaming about fish!............See ya'll on de water! Richard