"Rusty" Russell J. Peterson Jr. (10-11 years old) ~ 1974 Gulf Harbors New Port Richey Florida

"Rusty" Russell J. Peterson Jr. ~ 1974 Gulf Harbors New Port Richey Florida. This was the first boat that I ever built (laugh) I would make boats from old construction material from the neighborhood that was springing up around me in "Gulf Harbors" New Port Richey Florida. A fellow who lived at the end of the channel there on Galleon Court (my street) had owned a company that made NutShell Pram Sailing/Rowing Tenders http://www.woodenboatstore.com/Building-the-Nutshell-Pram/productinfo/325-035/
After he saw me daily building contraptions to float on, dive from and spear mullet from....he asked my parents if he could give me a kit he had saved and help me build it. I was 12 years old when I completed building my first boat.
My step dad at the time was Lou Flattum, and I remember him buying me my first in fact "THE" first copy of WoodenBoat Magazine for mowing the lawn...and I still have every issue since 1974, and am a lifetime subscriber. My step dad would catch me up late at night after "lights out" with a flash light under my blanket absorbed by the photos of cool boats and cool places, and how to build boats. That fascination lives stronger today than ever before, even through all the struggles now restoring the M/V SEAL which is my biggest commitment and challenge in life so far, and this is my 3rd large vessel restoration here in Alaska.
All growing up while my mom was with Lou I was his "Mini-Shipwright" he would bribe me with new editions of WoodenBoat Magazine, new scuba gear or spear gun. :)
Sadly the Nutshell Pram Skiff that I built, I never got to put it in the water and see it float. My mother divorced Lou, we moved away to the city in an apartment that I put the last coat of varnish on shortly before I started getting into trouble as a kid. My mom had to sell the skiff to pay her rent while I was away in kiddie gladiator school. I didn't find out it was gone until I returned home even more rebellious until I moved to Juneau and grew up.
<3 the end <3
Now: mvseal.com