I've worked 12 years on putting together the perfect fleet of canoes and kayaks for myself. One for every purpose. No compromise boats, only the exact boat for the right job. I remember when it took everything I had to buy my first kevlar solo canoe. I had the insurance check from the car my roommate crashed. Who needs a car in Madison WI? A canoe will get you everywhere. That boat started it all. Now I have spent the last 10 years helping people find the perfect boat while learning that for me it was a perfect garage full of boats. I know people who collect cars, paintings, stocks, houses and I think they probably get the same thrill that I get with a new boat. The neat thing with boats is that the buy in is one tenth the price of a car. They'll last a lifetime. And with every new boat is the perfect trip to put the boat to use.
Here is a shot of me and my best dog buddy Bamboo in a 20.5 ft carbon/kevlar beauty bringing the gear for the party. My friends were getting to the campsite by touring kayaks and shorter tandem canoes. I volunteered to be the supply vehicle. With the big canoe we could bring the pickin' fire for the lake side dinner hour. With the smaller cars making more and more sense these days, having a big canoe can still give you the thrill of bringing everything and the kitchen sink.
