Belton Hollums - Champlain

I really appreciate the personal touch via the telephone call yesterday morning concerning my plan order, and the recommendation to change my project to a Champlain 16'. When you asked me what I was going to use the canoe for and I told you pond and lake use - that was not the entire story. Actually, I am 64 years old and basically I have decided on this canoe project as something for me and two of grandsons to do together. They live down the street from me, one will be 15 in March the other 12 in July. So my main idea was to give them something wholesome and interesting to do, passing on basic building skills, and hopefully the final project will become a family heirloom. Another son who lives about 26 miles from me, harvested a fair amount of eastern red cedar last winter which he has been using to build some furniture for his cypress log house he and I built together about 8 years ago. Our Georgia cedar is so beautiful with its white and purple coloring, that I decided to beg off from him some left-overs from which to cut out some strips for a canoe. I have another friend who has some mahogany which I think I'll use for the decks, in/out wales. I don't know when I'll actually get started on this project, but once I do I'll keep you informed. Thanks again Joan for the personal touch! Belton Hollums