BACK of the BOOK job – it entails planning , measuring , cutting , stitching , and problem-solving to make everything fit . And she was famous for building gingerbread houses , which also involves planning , measuring , and cutting . In fact , one year , based on a challenge from our son , she built the Notre Dame Cathedral , with flying buttresses and stained-glass windows , out of gingerbread . So , I said , “ Don ’ t worry about the tools . You ’ ve basically done this before .”
We started with kayaks in 2000 , and , over the past 17 years , we ’ ve built four kayaks , a rowing shell , a runabout motorboat , and a sailboat .
What does the process involve ? The kayaks we built first are simple vessels , and we purchased plans and kits to get us started . It ’ s like following an architectural drawing , except it ’ s a boat instead of a building .
You start off by putting together the strongback , or the framework used to hold the forms and molds in place while you build the hull . The molds provide the basic shape and structure of the boat , depending on the type of boat , and the most critical thing is to make sure the boat is straight . You don ’ t want the boat to lean off to the left or right . Next , you buy the wood , measure and cut it , and steam and bend each piece , depending on the plan . You waterproof , sand , and varnish the wood , and then you ’ ve got yourself a boat .
When do you find the time to work on these projects ? It ’ s something that we do in our home garage , so it ’ s a nice after-work project . We eat dinner together , then work on a boat for an hour or two .
Of course , some tasks take much longer , so we save those for the weekends . A boat isn ’ t something you can bang out in a few weeks ; quicker projects can take two or three months . The runabout motorboat took about five years to finish .
Have you and your wife enjoyed working on the projects together ? We have , and we get along better than ever . We spend more quality time together , figuring out the puzzle without the distraction of the phone or television . We also spend a lot of time at specialty lumber yards , selecting the best wood for the boat we ’ re building .
We both take a great deal of pride in not only the appearance of these boats , but also their ability to float ! When we take them out on the water , we get a lot of compliments on them . Our best days are when people sail over to us and say , “ Boy , that ’ s a beautiful boat .” It makes our day .
Above : Dr . Antin with the 17-foot racing kayak he and his wife built . “ This was based on designs from an Australian naval architect who responded to one of my forum posts about plans for a racing kayak . We worked together to get the kayak to our specifications .”
Right : “ Our boat projects in various stages of construction .”
Is there any overlap between your hematology career and your hobby ? Building a boat is similar to hematology in that both are complicated processes that require teamwork and careful planning . When you successfully build a boat , it ’ s similar to successfully treating a patient : You have a result that you can be proud of .
And , as with hematology , when we get stumped , we can turn to colleagues ( i . e ., our fellow enthusiasts ) for help . Because , as it turns out , when people draw boatbuilding plans , they don ’ t bother being too precise . So , even with the instructions in hand , we run into problems or get stuck on an unclear direction .
I ’ ve sought assistance from people on several online boat-building forums . These are people with similar interests who are always happy to help . Some people post brilliant , flawless work on these forums , and it can get competitive . But I recently read an editorial by Maynard Bray , a well-known boat-builder , who expressed the view that boats should be fun . You don ’ t need to make a boat so perfect that you ’ re afraid to get a scratch on it . I took that to heart . If we get a scratch on one of our boats , we can fix it or keep it as a badge of honor . It shows that the boat is not for display – it ’ s something to be used and loved . ●
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