My first project boat, a Ken Bassett Rascal

Having been looking for a project boat for some time, I came across a Ken Bassett Rascal in the classifieds of Wooden Boat magazine. I had to call. Turns out that two guys that were in the cabinet making business had built this boat about 5 years earlier. The just never finished it. It was located in Kitchener, Ontario and since I was regularly traveling on business from Chicago to Toronto, I had to see it. On my next trip to Canada, I bought it.

The builders had disolved their partnership and just parked the hull under a tarp and completely lost interest. As a hull, it was virtually complete. As a project boat, it had a long way to go but quite "do-able" for me.

All said and done, on New Year's Eve 1997, I climbed in my car, trailer in tow and drove from Rockford, Illinois to Kitchener. Mid day on New Year's Day 1998, I was pulling into an old airplane hanger.

This was the quintessential men's toy shop. Boats, motorcycles, airplanes, cars, all the toys you could dream of. In the darkest corner of the hangar was the Ken Bassett Rascal. In mint condition. After years under a black tarp the mahagony had beautifuly darkened to a very handsome patina. The seller had a family member with him. The three of us lifted the empty hull onto the trailer. We wrapped it in a blue tarp I brought, sealing the seams with duct tape.

I was quickly on my way back to Illinois. After a few hours back on the road the adrenalin just couldn't sustain me any further... I couldn't drive another mile and had to take a hotel room before crossing the border back to the states at Detroit. A few hours later, at 2:00 am, the adrenalin kicked in again and I was off.

The border crossing was an interesting event. I was pulled to the side for questioning. Fortunately, I had a detailed bill of sale from the builder and was ready with my checkbook to cover any duty fees. Question #1, where was the boat manufactured? Canada, it was home built. Where was the motor manufactured? There is no motor. Where were the gauges manufactured? There are no gauges. Where were the fittings manufactured? Canada, they were hand made. The officer asked, is there any part of this boat that was not made in Canada? Yes, the trailer. I showed the owners pink slip since I just purchased it to retrieve the boat. The officer says this is your lucky day. Affective at 12:00 midnight, all duty on Canadian manufactured goods has been discontinued. I was in disbelief but quickly sobered up and hustled out of the office and on my way.

Several hours later, after dealing with Chicago traffic, I was backing into my driveway exhausted but thrilled to be onto my first project boat. The difference from most, when it would be complete, it would be a brand new boat. A classic unto itself. A Ken Bassett Rascal.