♪ ♪
SUE: Hmm. All righty.
There he is.
So, I managed to get a caribou.
And I’ve got Big Red here, and the sled,
and I’m gonna bring him to the river and
start processing him.
And I would like to get a little bit more meat in the fridge.
But, there’s not a ton of caribou here.
This year, they’ve been staying mostly on the
other side of the river.
Everything’s in constant ebb and flow.
Uh, oh.
Uh oh!
This is not good.
All right.
Well, I’m just now noticing that there is an issue that
I need to give my attention to.
Coming across that little bit of water there,
this sled just sunk and took on water.
So I need to think of a better way of doing this.
This animal gave its life.
And I took it.
I can’t go dunking it in the river.
I can’t waste it because of poor transportation issues.
I’m gonna give him every ounce of respect he deserves.
The river crossings I’m gonna be doing
potentially are gonna be high.
Sled’s not gonna work.
Behind the Big Red, it’s not viable.
Distances, it’s not viable.
I have to come up with a different way to transport meat.
Keep it safe, in place, intact for me to get around.
I’m gonna have to find a solution.
ANDY: Everybody has the ability to make their life
the way they want it.
It’s just a matter of putting the pieces in the right order
and taking your first step forward.
DENISE: Looks pretty good.
ANDY: I’d rather it just be functional.
It’s not pretty, but it’s gonna hold.
And I’m just gonna caulk the crap out of it.
DENISE: You gonna do that now, like put another.
ANDY: Yeah, just go wherever the straps aren’t and then
I can fill those in later.
And it’ll work.
And it’s just there to help protect the boat whenever
we run over logs or we beach the boat.
I’ve come up with an idea for trying to build a boat that
runs on an electric motor, and uses the sun to power it,
with solar panels.
The general goal in life for me
is to get away from fossil fuels.
To be good stewards of the planet,
that’s the direction we have to go in.
That being said, now the job is building the boat.
I landed on a trimaran for my design.
Trimarans are more efficient than catamarans are.
I get clean water for a single motor in the middle.
I get better floatation with it.
You’re gonna have more storage.
And then I’m gonna have greater hull speed.
This past summer, I built three hulls.
The entire framework is made out of very
lightweight aluminum tubing.
And then it’s got a ballistic nylon skin.
They don’t look like it, but they’re actually incredibly durable.
This is too much of an angle there.
DENISE: What do you think of putting like a...
ANDY: Ah, no.
It’s just, do I have to go through just to put a damn
strip of plastic on the damn boat.
It’s been a real challenge because when you build a boat
of this size, I’ve spent a lot of time just thinking about
what are the advantages, what are the strong points.
What are the disadvantages and what are the weak points?
And I’ve had to balance all of those different elements
into the design.
It looks to me like it might rain,
so the more I can get done today, the better.
DENISE: It’s getting late. ANDY: Yeah.
DENISE: Okay. ANDY: All right.
This entire project has turned out to be way, way more
intense and way bigger than I ever dreamed possible.
It is definitely the biggest project I’ve ever taken on.
I thought I’d be able to build this boat in about a month and a half,
and I’m going on three months right now.
And all this stuff is building up and now we’re at the point
where we’ve got to build the skid to put the boat on.
But to build the boat, we’ve got to build a skid.
To build the skid we’ve got to build a canopy and then
we’ve got to close it in so we can weld the boat
inside the canopy on the skid.
DENISE: There must be a tune for that.
ANDY: So there’s always three jobs you got to do before you
get to the one job you want to do out here.
And that’s just the way it is all the time out here
for some reason.
I don’t know why but it is.
DENISE: You can’t run to the store and grab what you need,
you’ve got to just adapt.
ANDY: All right. It’s time to go build a skid.
We built a...
DENISE: No, we’re gonna get the stuff to build the skid.
ANDY: Yeah.
RICKO: Even though you venture out in places that
you’ve never been before,
as long as you stay calm and you stay collected,
you could learn and do things that you never
thought imaginable.
Kay, you guys ready?
KEENAN: Yup.
RICKO: Let’s try the shoreline.
You know the name of this lake, Keenan?
KEENAN: Uh-hmm. RICKO: What is it called?
RICKO: Itkillik Lake.
I’m on the North Slope right now at my friend’s cabin
on Itkillik Lake.
And I’m up here with my two boys, Skyler and Keenan.
We’re just gonna walk the shoreline, do some fishing off
the shore to try and catch some lake trout.
Okay, this is a good spot right here.
I’ll let you do the first cast with this one though, okay?
Hold it right here.
Just one finger though, like this.
Look. Just like this.
KEENAN: Oh. RICKO: And now go.
And then let go.
Whoa.
You let go too late.
Only one way to learn, you’ve got to fail a few times.
Okay, hold on.
Remember you put this this way.
Okay, throw it.
There you go.
KEENAN: Yeah, I did it.
RICKO: Now flip that there.
I want my kids to see different country.
But not only that, it’s good for them to experience
different kind of fish, different kind of animals.
Just kind of broaden their horizons.
And that really helps them to think outside the box and
learn new survival skills.
Around here we got lake trout, which we don’t have at the
family cabin.
And a lot more grayling.
Do some fishing for some fish that they’ve
never seen in their life.
RICKO: Okay, hold on, we got, flip that down.
Flip this one down.
Okay, now it’s ready.
Holy!
That’s a big cast.
RICKO: I hope so.
RICKO: You like it? KEENAN: Yeah.
I’m smiling right now.
RICKO: Are you? That’s good.
That’s what I like to hear.
Any bites, Sky?
SKYLER: No.
I’m gonna be honest, I think this is just too shallow.
RICKO: I think so.
We got to get out on the lake.
JESSIE: I just love being out in nature.
And I’m hunting and I’m trapping and I’m fishing.
That’s when I feel the most alive.
And it makes me feel part of that country instead of
just observing it.
I got a bundle of number one traps here.
This is what I’m gonna be using to set out for the ground squirrels.
Got quite a bit.
Gonna try to set out as many as I can.
This time of year, I’m trying to stock my freezer and
stock up on food.
Neil.
You got to stay right with me, dude.
Good boy. You’re listening to dad now?
Good boy.
You’re gonna learn a lot on this trip, Buster.
This is gonna be all about going out and trapping ground squirrels.
But it’s also about taking Neil out there with me.
Hoping that he’s gonna get some instinct for these squirrels.
Jack Russell terriers.
This dog is bred to be a hunter.
And for me, like to have a companion that we can do these
fun things and I can train him is exciting.
Who knows what we’re gonna run into out there.
The first time I shot a squirrel, I have a tree
squirrel around my place for him.
He was probably only eight weeks old.
And he looked at it like what in the heck is this.
Here, Neil. Let’s get out here.
We got our first ground squirrel.
Neil.
Neil, Neil. Whoa. Neil.
Neil, Neil, Neil, Neil, Neil.
Neil blew it for me.
I might have to teach him a little bit to restrain and
not mess up my shot.
You know?
But him getting on the scent, that’s good.
There, he found the hole.
Look.
He’s got the instinct, he knows right where it went.
That was a learning experience for me right there.
Not only am I trying to teach Neil, I’m trying to learn from
what he’s gonna do and learn from my mistakes.
I need to make sure when I’m gonna hunt that I teach him
to stay with me.
Not go after the squirrel and scare it off.
Load up, come on. Up.
Good boy, stay.
There’s a ground squirrel.
Sitting there in that bush.
Neil, Neil, Neil.
Neil, Neil. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Neil, Neil, Neil, Neil.
Neil, stay.
(gunshot)
(laughing)
JESSIE: Can’t get them all, but that’s a win right there for me.
You know, I made that shot.
He saw that squirrel and he almost got it himself.
That’s the way I’ve got to do it.
I’ve got to do it with him on the shoulder.
Get it, and then he jumps off.
That was so badass.
Well, definitely having some good sign here is gonna be
the area I’m gonna trap in.
So I’m gonna set traps.
You know, I’m just gonna have to really watch Neil.
Kind of restrain him.
I’d like to get a couple squirrels so he sees
what’s going on.
Gets that taste of blood.
Kind of understands that we’re working together here.
Let them sit overnight and come back out tomorrow.
SUE: There’s a repurpose and a re-use to most things.
When you’re going to repurpose something,
you’re giving it a second life.
All right.
So basic rough measurement here.
About 18 and a half.
Maybe fudge a little on that.
So, the vehicle was not created to be a hunting vehicle.
I’ve got to come up with something to transport meat.
So, it’s actually quite charming and simple.
Behind the seats is a lot of unutilized space.
Um... utilize it.
In the Twinkie, I do have some shelving systems.
Maybe I can make some shelves.
Put it back behind those seats.
All right.
My plan, I’ve got to make cuts.
So it’s not a shop floor,
but I’m just looking for a little stability.
What I’m doing here, inexpensive.
On the fly.
It doesn’t have to be beautiful.
But I still have to have it functional.
It still has to fit.
You know I have a set of standards.
Yes, it says find what you can and make it work.
But it doesn’t say cut corners.
Okay. Now.
It’s time to see if it’s gonna fit.
Well, paws crossed.
Paws freaking crossed.
Please work, please work.
Don’t make me into a bonehead.
Thank you.
Come on. Come on. Yes.
(tapping)
I think it’s very good.
Okay.
(tapping)
The job is done.
What do you think, Big Red?
You’ve got some shiny new shelves.
I like the way those look.
So now I want to test it.
I want to take Big Red out, cruise around,
see if I can’t get a caribou.
I need to make sure they can hold a load without falling apart.
Now to see if they work.
RICKO: The best way to lose an opportunity, is to believe
that it’s not there.
There’s a little creek that dumps in here.
I think that’s a good spot for maybe get some trout.
SKYLER: Hopefully.
RICKO: I just hope I get out on this lake with my boys
and teach them how to fish for trout.
And to be honest, I’ve never fished for trout so it’s gonna
be a learning experience for me.
I’m gonna stop right here, and you guys can fish.
Watch behind you.
Okay, you’re good.
Holy.
Oh, fish swirled out there.
SKYLER: Where?
RICKO: Right around there.
Uh huh.
This might be good fishing around here.
You never know.
KEENAN: I got a fish!
RICKO: Did you?
SKYLER: Oh, he got one.
RICKO: Let’s see.
KEENAN: It’s moving.
RICKO: Yeah, there’s nothing there.
I think he caught grass.
Oh, he did catch some grass.
Well, we know there’s some vegetation at the bottom.
This is a whole different game than fishing at home
at the family cabin.
We’re on a lake. We’re not on a river.
They don’t just come flying at your hook all the time,
like those pike.
We’re gonna have to finesse our way around a little bit.
Kay, let’s try a different hook.
Okay, try that one out.
Drop it all the way to the bottom right now.
Bound to catch eventually.
KEENAN: I got one?
RICKO: Wait, what?
KEENAN: It’s moving.
RICKO: Reel it in.
KEENAN: Oh! Oh!
KEENAN: I got one!
RICKO: Okay, let it fight.
Just let it fight.
It looks like a trout.
Oh!
KEENAN: Can we keep it?
RICKO: What do you think?
Do you want to eat this one?
KEENAN: Yeah.
We can eat it.
RICKO: Good job, Keenan.
KEENAN: Yay!
RICKO: Let’s check it out.
Pretty cool, huh?
KEENAN: Whoa, it’s so soft.
RICKO: You want to hold it up? KEENAN: Oh, yeah.
RICKO: Okay, slide your finger in.
Hold it up.
Hold it up like this.
KEENAN: Whoa!
RICKO: You’re a Northern badass.
You caught a trout before I ever caught a trout.
RICKO: Uh-huh.
Cause I haven’t even seen one of these before.
Look at it.
KEENAN: But that was my first time.
RICKO: Keep fishing? KEENAN: Yeah.
RICKO: Okay.
We have something to eat now.
KEENAN: I saved the day.
RICKO: You saved the day.
I didn’t know Keenan was gonna be the hitter today.
I thought I was gonna do it.
I’m just happy that we’re catching.
I’m not jelly.
KEENAN: Is Sky doing good?
RICKO: He’s trying.
I think Skyler wants to catch one pretty badly.
KEENAN: Oh, I got another one!
RICKO: Oh, you did?
KEENAN: Oh. RICKO: Oh.
KEENAN: Oh, I caught another one.
RICKO: You can see it down there.
Oh, good job Keenan.
I’ll get it out of the water.
SKYLER: Whoa! RICKO: Jeez, Keenan.
KEENAN: Jeez. That one’s soft too!
RICKO: How do you keep catching?
KEENAN: I don’t know!
RICKO: What’s the magic? KEENAN: I don’t know!
RICKO: I didn’t catch a trout, Skyler didn’t catch a trout
but Keenan got two trout.
We’re having fun out here.
We’re gonna keep fishing, and see what we catch today.
DENISE: I view challenges as a pathway to new adventures.
(sawing)
ANDY: All right.
So this skid has to be really rigid.
Super rigid and strong.
Cause that’s everything that we’re pushing on or pulling on
when we pull the boat out.
Okay? So.
DENISE: Yeah.
That’s a project in itself probably.
NARRATOR: Andy Bassich and Denise Becker have spent
months constructing a solar-powered trimaran boat.
The vessel will allow them to explore the Yukon River
without using fossil fuels.
But before the project can be completed,
they must build a skid.
A platform on which the boat can be further assembled,
towed and eventually launched.
ANDY: To be able to push a boat down over an uneven bank
and through some not too friendly terrain.
That’s gonna take a little bit of engineering,
a little bit of time.
And I want to make sure that it’s strong enough that it can
handle the job that it’s intended to do.
DENISE: Okay! Here goes.
Ca-clunk.
ANDY: Yay. DENISE: Perfect.
It’s like a giant puzzle to think through.
ANDY: This whole project’s been like that.
Every aspect of this job has been custom.
From the very moment I designed it, I have never
taken on a project that has involved so many skills that
I’ve learned over the years, as I have with building this boat.
All right.
DENISE: Okay.
ANDY: So, like you’ve been around me running the sawmill,
offloading, but I think I want you to see if you can just cut
some rough cut three and a half by three and a half.
So that I can keep working on the skid.
I’ve got a bunch of welding I got to do.
DENISE: Oh, man.
ANDY: I’ll just give you a Wood-Mizer one-oh-one
and turn you loose on it.
DENISE: Certainly didn’t wake up this morning thinking,
today I’m gonna learn how to run a sawmill.
I had no idea, that wasn’t on my radar whatsoever.
But challenges are what you make them.
ANDY: So I’m gonna get going and go weld, okay?
DENISE: Okay.
There’s something about a challenge that intrigues me.
It’s almost like a dare.
Can you do it?
Can you, can you try?
To me, that’s how you develop, you succeed, or fail.
But you move to another plateau.
You move to another level.
ANDY: Yay!
DENISE: Wood delivery.
ANDY: Yeah. Those look good.
DENISE: Yeah. Pass inspection?
ANDY: Yeah.
DENISE: And I got both arms, all fingers.
ANDY: All right. DENISE: It’s all good.
ANDY: You can still hear me. DENISE: Well, yeah.
ANDY: No, that looks great.
Denise got these great logs cut up into four-by-fours.
I’m gonna have Denise screw them into place.
So, I’m gonna cut them to length.
I’m gonna get going on the tongue.
That’s pretty much the last thing we need to do and then
we can do a test run with the skid, push it into the water,
make sure our ramp’s gonna be good.
DENISE: All right. Okay, what do you think?
ANDY: This looks good.
DENISE: This is like the main, bracing, framing.
ANDY: Yeah, no it gives a, the keel something to lay on.
I think that was worth the time and effort to do that.
It’s gonna make a much better base for the boat.
And I think we’re in pretty good shape.
JESSIE: Flexibility is the ultimate thing you can have on
your side out here to survive the storm.
I mean, a tree that’s rigid, snaps.
Neil.
Neil, Neil, Neil.
Stay behind me.
Good.
There’s one.
Empty.
Eh, keep moving up.
Well, I’m pulling my traps here and this was a
good-looking spot, so see if we get anything.
Traps is something that’s, something that I can have in
my back pocket for survival.
No luck here.
But really, it’s all about getting out in the country
and hunting with Neil.
Getting him his experiences and being a good partner
for me out in the wilderness.
Last spot to check here, and it’s the last trap here and
I don’t have anything. Neil, stay out of that.
Neil. Good boy.
So far the setting the traps for them didn’t work out.
But, you know, definitely will continue to try and you know,
I ain’t giving up hope yet.
I’ve still got one more spot.
I just saw a squirrel go in a hole.
Hey, look, there’s a squirrel right here.
(gunshot)
I got it.
Neil, come.
Straight ahead, Neil.
Get him, get him.
Good.
Don’t eat it. Come, come.
Good boy!
Yeah, we got a nice fat one?
Heck yeah.
That thing is so fat.
Good job, Neil.
Sit, good boy.
Yeah, you little hunter.
You’re a good little hunter.
I don’t got anything in my traps right now, but the
hunting is going good with Neil and that’s what I
really came out here for.
On to the next spot.
You’re a good boy, Neil.
You never know what we’re gonna see out here.
You keep your eyes open, buddy.
Good boy.
Here Neil, let’s get out and take a little look here.
Good boy.
There’s one.
(gunshot)
Yeah, I got him! Get him, Neil.
Go get him. Neil.
Neil, get him before he goes in his hole.
JESSIE: Get him Neil.
Good boy, Neil, good boy, yeah, Neil good boy.
You got him.
No, no, no, don’t tear him up.
That’s our food.
You got him, you did it.
Yeah, you’ve been looking real hard.
Yeah, look at you covered in blood.
Look at you, yeah.
Yeah, you helped Dad, good boy.
See me and you work together, we’re better as a team.
This is a proud moment whenever you see your hunting dog,
you know, just turn on at four months old,
into a complete savage.
He understands that we’re working together now and
that’s the most important thing that I can teach him.
Neil, let’s go check this trap.
Oh there’s something in that one.
Get it Neil, get in Neil, Neil get it.
You know a dog, they need a job, you know.
It’s a, especially a dog like this that was
bred and raised to hunt.
It’s so rewarding seeing him do what he loves.
And I mean at such a young age.
You know, getting this good experience on him, whenever
he’s this young, by the time he’s a year old he’s gonna be
a purebred hunter.
DENISE: The greatest things I’ve learned or feel that
I’ve accomplished have been when I have been
100% out of my comfort zone.
Got it.
I need a debriefing on how this, what your plan is.
ANDY: Stick it in the water.
DENISE: Yeah.
ANDY: It’s heavy, so be careful, I’m gonna just try
and pull it all the way down to the beach and down the ramp
and see what it does.
The big challenge with this skid is it needs to be strong
enough to withstand the weight of the boat but also
strong enough to take the stresses involved in
dragging it over the ground,
pushing it down a very steep boat ramp
I don’t know what it’s gonna happen when it gets to the
bottom of the boat ramp because it’s not a steady grade.
So that’s when it’s gonna fail, if it’s gonna fail.
This is just a test.
I wanna see what’s going on,
where we’re gonna have to modify stuff.
DENISE: All right.
ANDY: That, that’s what this is all about
that’s all this is about.
Seeing what, what we have to plan for when we have the boat
on here, okay?
DENISE: Yep. ANDY: Okay?
DENISE: Here we go.
It’s dragging it okay.
ANDY: So the concept for this boat started about a year and a half ago.
When I really started thinking about how important it’s going
to be to move towards electric, to use less fossil fuels,
to be sustainable.
Not only out here for Denise and I, but to do our part and
hopefully lead by example for people.
This is gonna be a hard turn to make.
DENISE: I just don’t see how this is gonna work.
Cause the back end’s gonna swing and hit this pole is
what I’m worried about.
Okay.
Oh, no stopping.
ANDY: I feel there’s a responsibility to do things as
friendly to the earth as I can.
For example, we live on battery banks and solar panels,
that’s our power.
Designing a boat that can make us as independent and
self-reliant as possible was the number one goal.
Planet earth is our home and we gotta take care of it.
DENISE: Tight right there.
Come on, little tractor.
ANDY: That’s good, go ahead and unhook me.
I’ll get turned around and.
DENISE: Oh, man, that went good Andy.
That angle was perfect, good job.
ANDY: All in all, that’s pretty good.
We know what we’re up against.
The lesson learned there is when I grade this, I’m gonna
bulldoze out right there so we have a hell of a lot more room
to work in this turn here.
And I think this is gonna work pretty good.
DENISE: Yeah.
ANDY: I’m gonna take the skid back up, get it into position
so we can build the boat.
DENISE: Okay.
ANDY: That was good.
SUE: Sometimes opportunity knocks,
sometimes opportunity kicks the door down.
You just gotta be ready.
On the agenda today is, it’s a little bit of scouting,
hopefully a little bit of hunting.
See if I can get a caribou.
My shelving idea, I think I did a pretty cool job.
But now’s the test.
Put a little weight on ’em, give ’em some practice.
The caribou, this year they still have a real dark coat
and there’s just something drawing my eyeballs this way.
So until I can register what in the world I’m being drawn to,
I’ll just kind of slowly amble around.
Let’s see, what am I seeing over here?
Could just be a mud ball on my window.
Okay I see some caribou.
It is a really big bull.
Okay.
There’s four of you.
He’s looking at me.
If I try to drive, I’m gonna push ’em.
Decision time.
♪ ♪
(gunshot)
♪ ♪
(gunshot)
SUE: Okay.
Thank you.
Two down and two to populate the rest of the herd.
So it is time for me to go get Big Red.
And get these things cut up, loaded up,
and get the heck out of dodge.
All right, buddy, you are a beautiful bull.
Thank you, my good-looking man.
All right, time to get to work.
I’ve got two animals down and fog is coming in,
night is coming in, I’m gonna have to work quickly.
Wonderful, good bulls, so much good meat.
So much good fat, and I appreciate it so much.
And you’re gonna help me test my new shelves, how’s that?
In an outside the box lifestyle, it’s an out of the box vehicle.
I’m finding an out of the box solution.
You go here.
Two caribou, two sets of shelves, I think I’ve got
a pretty good system going,
everything fit in there pretty neatly.
This is the last of it.
But I’m proud of myself and I’m damn tired.
You need to be tied down to make sure these all stay in place,
and it don’t get no better than that.
Big Red got a new little makeover and I think it’s
gonna work out good.
I think the shelves turned out really cool.
Um, for being kind of a simple thing,
it’s holding up great so far.
So, woo.
Suegenuity, battin’ 1,000.
RICKO: I guess it’s in our nature to try to
look out for our offspring and hopefully
they carry on the torch of survival.
SKYLER: We’re going over here?
RICKO: Yeah, let’s look for the creek over here to our right.
It drains into, um...
SKYLER: What’s this?
RICKO: That’s a ground squirrel trail.
They walk here so many times, look at that little trail.
Keenan had some luck catching trout, but me and Skyler were
having zero luck.
My friend that owns this cabin was telling me that there’s
grayling at the south end of this lake in a little stream
that connects to the Itkillik River.
So we’re gonna go down to the south side and
try our luck with grayling.
Oh, here’s the creek flowing in.
SKYLER: So there would be grayling in this?
RICKO: Yeah, but we got to find where there’s a big pool.
Oh, swirls.
You see all those swirls?
Watch their fins come up.
Oh, you see that?
SKYLER: Yeah.
RICKO: Just cast down there. There you go, Sky.
Oh look at ’em go after it.
Little faster, oh, there you go.
KEENAN: I got one!
RICKO: You already got one?
KEENAN: Yeah.
RICKO: You got a big grayling.
Whoa!
Pull it right up.
KEENAN: Is that a good one?
RICKO: Yeah, that’s a good size one.
Look Sky.
SKYLER: Whoa.
KEENAN: Oh, that’s a good one.
RICKO: Well, we know there is grayling in here.
They moved further down, there’s like schools of them.
You wanna hunt more fish?
KEENAN: Yeah.
RICKO: Okay, let’s go fish hunting.
Yeah we gotta find another little pool down that way.
Oh, big old ground squirrel hole.
Huge, they own this whole area.
KEENAN: What does it look like down there?
RICKO: Oh, oh, you okay?
RICKO: Hold on, hold on.
(grunting)
You all right?
KEENAN: Yeah.
RICKO: You went way down there.
To the ground squirrel world.
KEENAN: Uh-huh. I almost got stuck in it.
RICKO: Yeah you almost joined the family?
The ground squirrel family?
This makes me the super dad right here with my kids
because they look at me like someone that brought them to
a magical land and that’s what this is,
this is very beautiful country.
Oh, let’s try right here.
Sky throw out there, throw from right there.
KEENAN: Might be a fish right there.
RICKO: I don’t know, you’re lucky.
KEENAN: I know.
Did I got one?
RICKO: What? KEENAN: Oh, I got one!
That’s huge!
RICKO: Oh, it’s a monster.
KEENAN: That’s a monster!
RICKO: Okay. KEENAN: Might get away.
Oh, Sky, look at this!
RICKO: Geez, Keenan, look at the size of this.
KEENAN: Oh!
I got a huge one.
RICKO: That’s a trout.
Here, you wanna hold it?
KEENAN: Yeah.
Whoa.
Ugh.
Jeez.
RICKO: You hungry?
KEENAN: Yep.
RICKO: Let’s go cook some fish.
KEENAN: Yay.
RICKO: Pretty one. KEENAN: I know.
RICKO: We’re gonna fry it up.
Fried Arctic trout.
SKYLER: Today, Keenan ended up lucking out.
I’ll be a little competitive sometimes but I love Keenan,
and seeing him catch fish is just, like, awesome.
I’m proud of him.
RICKO: How’s it taste?
KEENAN: Good.
RICKO: Hmm, that’s so good.
KEENAN: Uh-hmm.
RICKO: Good job, Keenan.
ANDY: With the more experience and the more skills you have,
the more knowledge you have.
The more knowledge you have, the more creative you can be.
You ready?
DENISE: Ready as can be.
(exhales heavily)
I can feel the weight on this one for sure.
ANDY: Good. DENISE: Okay.
ANDY: That’ll work. DENISE: Yes.
ANDY: Now it’s time to take this hull out, put it on a skid and
use the tractor to pull it a couple hundred yards to where
we’re gonna start to assemble this boat.
Up to this point everything’s been all about just building
parts and pieces, now we get to actually start making a boat.
And when you spend months and months just making parts and
pieces and all that, sometimes you don’t feel like you’re
making much progress.
But, uh...
DENISE: Starting to come together.
ANDY: When I moved out here to Calico Bluff and I finally
quit working as a riverboat captain.
My dad always introduced me as his youngest son,
the one who lives in Alaska and is retired.
I guess retirement is different for everybody.
For me, retirement is defined as the time in your life when
you can pursue anything you want to pursue.
And that’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last 25 years.
Here you go, okay?
DENISE: Okay, I got it.
ANDY: Good.
For me, retirement is about having the time to pursue
whatever goals or interests I have, and I’ve been very
fortunate in my lifestyle here, that’s every day.
I wanna do things to continue learning,
developing more skills, better my life,
and make a good life for Denise, myself, and our 17 dogs.
That’s our goal in life.
DENISE: Three hulls on.
You’re kinda warm.
ANDY: Yeah.
DENISE: That was a lot of lifting.
ANDY: Okay.
DENISE: Look at that, you gotta feel a little proud about that.
ANDY: Yeah. DENISE: Look at that!
ANDY: Well, skid was right, so far.
DENISE: Looks like somebody’s been busy building hulls all summer.
I always wanna sort of bask in the moment.
I really feel like it’s been a success, today,
getting that skid down there,
through the yard the way we wanted to and
I wanna take a moment and feel that success.
ANDY: The really fun part about it for me is that it’s
everything completely created from scratch.
DENISE: It’s a real vision that you’ve had.
ANDY: This is the point where the real payoff is starting to
happen because it’s gonna come together as a boat now.
DENISE: Uh-hmm.
ANDY: And hopefully it’ll continue to end up
the way I envisioned it, in my head.
We’ll see.
Spent a lot of mornings staring out the window,
making blueprints so we’ll see if it all works out.
DENISE: Excellent.
ANDY: Hulls are on the skid, we’re ready to build a boat.
Let’s go drink some whiskey.
(laughing)
Captioned by Cotter Media Group.