HOWB 017 – Dale McKinnon - Wooden boat builder, Long distance rower (800 miles AK to WA) - Interview - 01.12.12

Starting with competitive swimming (including trials for 1964 Olympics), then moving on to sailing, skiing, diving and cycling, Dale has always been adventurous and an ultra active athlete. But after a skiing accident in 1999 that shattered her left leg, Dale was looking for her next adventure – something with low impact to the lower body, but still a great workout.

In Dale’s own words, here’s what happened next: “.... a few weeks later (after skiing accident), I stopped by my friend James’ house and he had plans for a dory spread out on his kitchen table. He showed me a photo of the boat’s designer rowing in a sliding seat rig in the boat, and for some reason lights and bells went off in my head. I had to build this boat, and I knew that rowing it would take me into old age with a relatively healthy body. No jarring, but a lot of exercise for the major muscle groups. And... I’d be on the water...”

Dale has dories in her blood. Her father is from Gloucester, MA and told Dale many stories of fishing and surviving tall seas in traditional planked dories. Dale did her dory research and went on to build several Sam Devlin designed wooden boats, including the 20ʹ dory “Bella” that she solo rowed 800 miles from Ketchikan, AK to Bellingham.

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You can contact me at woodenboatdan@gmail.com to share you comments, feedback, stories, and wooden boat adventures.

Keep the bright side up and the barnacled side down - Wooden Boat Dan over and out :D

PS Please note this podcast was recorded several years ago - some of the links, email addresses, phone numbers, and promos mentioned are outdated and no longer valid.