The Big Sailboat and the Bad Luck House

My grandparents had owned a tiny house, actually more like a cabin that my father would inherit. The house was rented to some undesirables who sued my father because they claimed the fuel oil tank leaked. They won a settlement but my father kicked them out.  In looking for a new renter my father knew of a guy that was building a large sailboat out of steel, he needed to find a new location to work on this huge boat that was over 50 feet long. The sailboat builder was a great renter and had room in the large backyard to build his boat.

What wasn’t ideal about this location was that it was behind a tee intersection; twice someone missed the corner and crashed into the house. The first time the driver’s insurance company did not want to pay, so my dad made a trip to see the insurance commissioner, amazing how quickly the insurance agent was able to help after that. Unbelievably the house was driven into again by someone with the same insurance company, they were more cooperative the second time.

Building this sailboat was a huge undertaking and the renter (Perry) would need ten years to complete the boat, my father created some parts for him in his shop. The boat would have to be loaded on to a huge trailer by crane and taken to the Mississippi River 30 miles away.  My family was invited to visit the boat in the harbor one time and go aboard but we never went for a ride.  Perry and his family would pilot the boat down the length of the Mississippi River and out into the ocean, the boat did have a diesel motor.

In the water at Lake Pepim - Mississippi River

We received a couple of video tapes documenting the journey down the Mississippi. The family did some sailing in the ocean but would later sell the boat, they had relocated in Florida.

Ready to Truck to Mississippi River 

The next renter was a carpenter and it was a good thing because the house burned down. He did build a new house on that location however.

 Bill Kuhl

http://www.ideas-inspire.com