Meet the 87-year-old Quebec man who spent the pandemic building a boat
CBC
Mike Waters built his first boat when he was just 12.
After reading Arthur Ransome's beloved children's classic Swallows and Amazons, Waters embarked on a project that would spark a lifelong passion for sailing.
"I went to the library and got a book which says how to build a boat, and took it home. And, with my father's help, bought some wood and started building it. And that was at 12. I finished it at 13 and put a sail on it at 14."
Waters, who lives in St-Bruno-de-Montarville on Montreal's South Shore, said that he took to boat-building naturally.
A retired naval architect, Waters thought he had built his last boat at the age of 78.
"I wanted to build something that was really very efficient and it would make me happy for my last days. So that was really supposed to be my last boat, and if COVID had not come along, it would have been," he said.
Waters, who turns 87 next week, said that with the borders closed, he was unable to travel to Vermont to sail on Lake Champlain as he usually does each summer.
WATCH | 87-year-old's pandemic project makes maiden voyage on St. Lawrence River:
"Without the ability to go sailing — and I've sailed every year of my life since I was 15 years old or something — I decided to get occupied with building another boat," he told CBC.
The boat he built ended up being a 3.6-metre, four seater which Waters describes as a "Swiss Army knife" because it can do almost everything.
On Wednesday, Waters put his boat in the water for the first time, taking it on a maiden voyage on the St. Lawrence River.
Mark Simons, who's been friends with Waters for 30 years and shares his love of sailing, said it was special to see his friend taking on new projects in his retirement.
"It's quite inspiring to see him at that age, with that enthusiasm," said Simons. "I think he's got more energy than I have."
The boat, which is constructed of marine plywood and fibreglass, was originally designed for a friend who was interested in getting into boating.
When the government touts that its auto insurance reforms might curb premiums by $400 come 2027, the ministers and premier don't readily mention what's to come in the three years leading up to that.
Who poses the greater threat to the free speech of Conservative MPs — the Speaker of the House of Commons or the leader of the Conservative Party?
As city council prepares to vote on a temporary shelter village for people experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay, Ont., opposition is growing among the area's business community.
A Toronto centre for Black art is hosting an exhibition this weekend that exclusively features work by artists from across the African diaspora.
Click on the video player above on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET to watch the 2024 Vanier Cup.
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
Some Canadian seniors say they're feeling abandoned by the Liberal government's latest inflation relief measure after learning they don't qualify for it.
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The weather has certainly been gloomy, damp and windy over the past 10 days in Nova Scotia and it's going to continue this weekend.
Premier Susan Holt says the federal tax holiday on some goods announced Thursday could cost New Brunswick $62 million in revenue.
Thousands in Quebec's Montérégie region will not get their flu and COVID-19 vaccine directly at their seniors' residence anymore.