I am a telecommute software engineer in Wisconsin who loves building boats. This is my blog about it.

What’s great about boat building? It’s a hobby that has a little bit of everything.

DANGER: Will my shoddy carpentry send me to the bottom of the lake and the top of the local news report?

PHYSICAL FITNESS: It’s a moving gym that you must build yourself.

MENTAL CHALLENGE: What hull shape permits optimum stability while allowing a 15% tack?

R&R WITH NATURE: Quiet lakes are tranquil. Fish and animals seldom notice non-motorized boats.

STRATEGY: How to predict the path that gets me back home without paddling, given the present wind patterns and lake current.

SOCIALIZING: Go fishing with your friends.  Get your kids to help build it.

FAME: Every time I take my boats out, people notice.

SAVES $$: Each boat I build is less than $300, and I’ve spent at least 60 hours building and sailing them.  That’s less than $5 per hour of enjoyment; far cheaper than a lot of activities.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY JOB: Maybe your job is different, but sailing home-built boats is the perfect break from writing software.