January Update (Patreon)

Hi!

This is just a little update to keep you guys in the loop on the latest activity here!

This past week has been very different from usual. I haven’t talked about it publicly, but I have been going through a Visa Application for the past 6 months or so. I previously had a visa which limited the amount of time I could spend in the US per year, and which also meant that I couldn’t earn money here. After lots of time working on the application, getting references and so on, last week I went to the US Consulate in Vancouver for the last stage of my application - an in-person interview. Thankfully, my O1 visa was approved, which means that I can stay in the US for as long as I need to for this project, and also means that I am much less likely to have trouble when entering the US (up until now I have always been worried when entering!). It is only a small piece of paper, but this is a massive step forward for Tally Ho! 

After the Visa interview, I had to wait for them to process and return my passport, which takes 5 days - not including the weekend! So, we have had a forced holiday in Vancouver. However, this was probably a good thing, as Cecca and I were both ready for a little break. We had a very nice time staying in a small but lovely AirBnb, we borrowed a Land Rover from a local friend, we did a lot of walking in forests and snow, and we were very lucky with the weather.

Today we arrived back in Sequim. As I have done barely any boatbuilding since the last video, there is not much to document and I am probably going to skip the video this weekend and focus on getting on with the work, and get a video out the weekend after, instead. 

There should be some exciting stuff coming up soon - a few new volunteers will arrive (and an old one), the big purpleheart  timbers will be delivered, and I will soon be starting to replace the centreline timbers forward and aft. 

I want to thank all of you, old and new, once again. Your support makes such an amazing difference to this project. Having a predictable amount of money coming in allows me to plan ahead, get the proper materials, and focus more on the actual work of boatbuilding. I never thought I would be able to support the project in this way, and I never thought I would be able to afford the sort of quality materials that I am now able to use. Most importantly, I never thought I would be able to stop working for other people altogether, and focus all of my time on this project. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

I apologise for not posting more often, and not providing special benefits for patrons. It’s simply a matter of time, unfortunately - there is never enough! ------- But one of the most wonderful things that has happened during this project is the messages I get from people who have been inspired by it to take on their own projects or boats! Sometimes these people are young and skint, and I believe that keeping as much of my content free and accessible is the best way to encourage more and more people to get out there and make something. In fact, it is YOU that is making that inspiration possible, and when those people thank me for my videos, they are thanking YOU for making it financially possible to keep this project going, and keep it documented. 

If there is anything in particular that you guys want me to do (in terms of the way that I post and use social media), please let me know and I will try my best to make it happen. I know there have been a lot of calls for merchandise, and this is something that I will be trying to get organised, if and when it becomes possible. 

Massive thanks to all of you, and a very happy 2019! 

Leo