: Rikki does the same thing with her yak, she does everything to avoid a
: scratch. Me, I plow new canals for future boat traffic.

I'm glad I've been keeping up with this thread. It helps me to understand what's going on around here a little better. You see, I like to help Leslie out of her yak when coming ashore, and she appreciates it. But last weekend I scraped her hull against a rock slightly when hauling "Dragonfly" out of the water, and she got ALL OVER ME. I couldn't understand it at first. "But Honey," I said lamely, "I built that boat... can't I scratch it a little If'n I want to?" The answer, of course, was an emphatic NO.

That's what I'm doing today, fixing the scratch.

And so, my brothers... should you build a kayak for your sweetie, always remember: it will be HER boat, to be handled as SHE dictates. Read: with kid gloves! You have no say in the matter after it has been commissioned, so just get used to it.

And don't forget to tell her you love each and every day...

Cheers,
Kurt