More "homecoming" than introduction...

Isn't life funny in how numerous unplanned detours, complications, priorities and life obligations can drastically change the day to day commitments you are involved in.
Years ago I had been moderately active here in the NCKA community and I have had nothing but positive and enjoyable interactions with anything I participated in. I knew I would inevitably return, I had no idea when, but it appears the time has arrived!
Events unfolded in my life (some of which were out of my control and some
  were self-induced).
~weight-loss surgery about 3 years ago sapped most of my existing strength
   which quite literally prevented me from lifting my rig into my vehicle/yak
    cart.
~Hip surgery immediately following my recovery from the weight-loss took
    more than i would have liked.
~ car accidents resulting in blown discs definitely didn't help me travel my
    road to recovery
~while i couldn't do anything from my kayak i started into
    woodturning/blade making and I ended up making a number of really nice exotic hardwood fish thumpers from materials like Eucalyptus, Suriname ironwood, black walnut, Lignum vitae, purple heart, rosewood, Zebrawood , mahogany, ipe, bloodwood etc...and making blades more for the fun of it but I have been taking it more seriously as time goes on.

excited to get back into it and build a new rig. I'm gonna be in the market again for something smaller than the Ride135 that I used to use..
looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

WetBehindTheEars...

I made a chess board of cocobolo and Tasmanian Blackwood with a paduak border. Exotic hardwoods are addicting.

Welcome back!

I made a chess board of cocobolo and Tasmanian Blackwood with a paduak border. Exotic hardwoods are addicting.

Totally agree. I have borderline developed an addiction to collecting unique pieces with interesting grain structure (within reason of price obviously) some stuff I just CAN'T pass on though...

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I made a chess board of cocobolo and Tasmanian Blackwood with a paduak border. Exotic hardwoods are addicting.

Totally agree. I have borderline developed an addiction to collecting unique pieces with interesting grain structure (within reason of price obviously) some stuff I just CAN'T pass on though...

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The local shop has koa that’s flatsawn 8/4 in 8 to 12’ lengths live edge intact. They will only sell whole boards and won’t cut them for you. At $45/bf the smallest boards are about $400.

I haven’t bought one yet, but I’m quite sure they are taunting me.

Nice.  Welcome back.  I also share a semi-addiction to exotic hardwoods.  I built a coffee table top out of 4/4 super curly bubinga, and that thing is trippy af.  Finished it with a tung oil varnish and it pops.  I even replaced the black composite rigging inserts on my predator 13 with Padauk inserts.  Finished them with spar urethane and keep a good coat of wax on them for the salt.  They look nice and feel sturdier to mount things to.  More importantly, it represented the merging of two hobbies!   

WBTTM

a Healthy you will be good to see

Welcome back!

 

Sincerely,

Jim