A Boat in the Woods · video

What this video covers

Joshua, a former carpenter, spent 18 months living off-grid in southern Nova Scotia to restore a 1966 wooden sailboat built in Yokohama, Japan.0:04 The 20,000-pound vessel, designed by Hugh Engelman, features mahogany and teak construction with a marinized 1.6-liter Volkswagen diesel engine.1:21 After purchasing the boat for $5,000, he paid $2,000 to transport it via a hydraulic trailer to a friend’s land.1:26:31 He initially lived in a tent on the boat's deck before constructing a 14-by-16-foot prospector’s tent for shelter.5:36 He built a gothic-arch frame over the boat using birch poles and tarps, though Hurricane Melissa damaged the structure.19:46 During the restoration, he stripped toxic bottom paint using infrared heaters and chemical strippers, removed the cabin top, and gutted the interior teak furnishings.24:35 He also converted an abandoned boiler room into a workshop with a custom miter saw station and workbench.57:46 The project remains ongoing as he prepares to overhaul the engine and replace structural timbers.1:24:37

More from A Boat in the Woods

Huge Progress on the Boat Shed - No. 43Aug 2026Learning to Weld So My New Boat Shed's Roof Doesn't Fly Away - No. 42Jul 2026Moving Two Massive Containers By Myself for the Boatshed- No. 41Jul 2026After 2 Years Under a Tarp, It’s Time for a Shop Upgrade (And Puppies) - No. 40Jul 2026

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