In 1979 Uncle David started building a boat to sail around the world on. By launch in 1984 he’d married Aunt Julia and become a father. He named the boat Connection to signify the phases of his life that it tied together. 12 years later it connected to Aunt Kristin and Uncle Iain, who rambled the north coast of Canada in it until 2003.
That’s when I bought it at age 28 as a naive live-aboard. It served the purpose, with little luxury, and my high paying career didn’t pan out so I learned to fix things. Now I fix things on boats for a living, running my own business and I bought a house to live in.
I dunno, I’m not really a wooden boat person, this is a family boat that connected with me and it just happens to be wooden. I proudly support the marine trades by hiring a local shipwright to handle my caulking.
Connection hasn’t sailed around the world yet, but Hawaii is on the distant horizon. For now, like family, the paint’s not perfect, it could use more varnish and headroom but darn it we’re out there enjoying each other’s company!