After eight years of faithful service, our little Pram, Puddler is off to a new home.

Puddler in his youth, somewhere in the Gulf Islands

We had two dinghies and neither of them were up to the task of our trip next year.  They are great boats for cruising in the Salish Sea but we will need something that can handle beaching in surf and possibly serve as a life boat.  In earlier posts, we have discussed our fondness for the Portland Pudgy. To make space for that boat we have to get rid of the little boats we already have. We will keep the Walker Bay for a while longer but it too will eventually find a new home.

Skipperdee has concerns about the seaworthiness of this vessel

For more details on building Puddler I put together a page documenting that project which you can read here. I learned so much and some day I will build another pram like Puddler. But for now, I am grateful that  a young man and his family will be enjoying our little boat as much as we have.

Sending Puddler off with his new owner

Harvo and his son came down for a test row this Sunday afternoon. It was fun to see and hear their excitement at the prospect of having a little boat of their own.  Harvo is planning to buy a 20ish foot sailboat to explore the Puget sound with his three young children.  Melissa and I are happy that Puddler can be a part of this family’s sailing life.

Puddler in Barkley Sound

I guess it’s natural to feel some sadness to see this part of our lives go even knowing that Puddler will be used and loved by Harvo and his family.  Building this little boat and depending upon him to carry us around this little part of our watery world makes this a bittersweet goodbye. We’ll miss Puddler but it opens up new possibilities for new adventures.

Tank testing Puddler in Melissa’s Koi pond. Melissa was not amused.