Happy New Year!
A time for reflecting on the year just gone and making plans for the year ahead.
A great time for starting a fresh page. When I look back and wonder at how quickly the last year went by, it reminds me how quickly time is marching forward. So I’m at my drawing board 🙂 planning the year ahead.
2016 has been a great year for me and another year of firsts. Creating the video series on the building of Tokyo Express was one of them. Something that evolved out of an idea to make a couple of videos out of photos that have been sitting on my hard drive gathering dust for so long. I never imagined the response these videos would have generated and I have been humbled by the literally hundreds of wonderful and sometimes moving comments I have received.
While I was building Tokyo Express (TE) 20 years ago I was always impressed with the response I got when I met people and told them – that I was building a boat. People’s faces lit up! It didn’t seem to matter whether they were young or old, male or female the idea of building a boat and sailing away seemed to strike a cord in so many. Some people offered to help and a couple did actually stop in and help during the build. But people also seemed quick to discount the idea that they could do the same thing themselves.
My hope while making these videos was to try and convey the message that it IS something that you can do yourself and to provide motivation for anyone thinking about it, to do it! Well my wish has come true and it is gratifying to receive such great feedback. I have also received a lot of enquires about plans for building a cat like TE and for detailed information on the how-to of building the many systems onboard and the eBook I talked about.
So I am dedicating 2017 to bringing a lot more content.
- a mini series of more detailed how-to videos on YouTube.
- actual drawings and plans for many of the details of making the boat that I created – rudders, centreboard, steering, electrical systems, plumbing, etc. These systems have all stood the test of time, after 20yrs in the water and still functioning well.
- I am also planning to create and offer plans for the actual boat itself, a 40ft cat along the lines of Tokyo Express.
- an eBook – is still planned.
- and this website will shortly be getting a make over with a new look for 2017..
There is a lot to do! I don’t believe it require extraordinary skills to build a boat. Passion, dedication and perseverance are probably the skills most needed. Thanks for your great comments and feedback in 2016. Here’s to a year of enjoyment and success in whatever you are doing!
Best wishes for 2017,
Tim
