[TheForge] new year to get on with living (long)

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

CONGRATS AT LAST TERRY!!!!!!!!!
My advice is, spread your bets...wide..
I've been involved with a number of boats and capable folks trying to 
make a living with them. Most don't make it economically. Lots of heart 
break. So many people dream of it. Be extremely careful buying a used 
boat..the hidden costs are often unimaginable.
With so much of the fishing industry collapsed on the west coast, 
trawlers and the like are pretty darn cheap, last heard.
To function on a ship in heavy weather, you'll have to be both strong 
and spry. Being an absentee boat owner is even harder...best of luck..pf

terry l. ridder wrote:
> hello;
> 
> at the stroke of midnight jan 6th 2009, legal nightmare 1, the 12+yr
> legal nightmare came to an end. no more court hearing no more appeals no
> more delays. the settlement agreement was worked out before christmas
> and now that the 30 days has passed since the last court ruling that
> settlement agreement goes into effect by default. it in many ways seems
> surreal that both legal nightmares have come to their respective ends.
> i had been making plans for this day but part of me honestly never
> thought it would occur. what is sad that i am the same disabled, broken,
> and damaged person that i was one month ago. suddenly people will talk
> with me and listen to what i am attempting to accomplish now that my
> name is backed by a sizeable amount of usds. with the end of the legal
> nightmares comes serious responsibilities. i am going to try and do my
> small part to help those who also find themself disabled, broken, and
> damaged and just need a break and a helping hand.
> 
> i have not gone over board on wild shopping sprees. i have purchased a
> few items. a kubota bx2360 3 cylinder diesel engine tractor with
> front-end loader, 60 inch mower, and 48 inch cat 1 3-point hitch tiller.
> 
> that takes care of the snow, lawn, and garden work.
> i have purchased an enclosed 12 ft x 6 ft trailer with ramp and
> side-door. it was onsale at blain's farm & fleet. that takes care of
> moving the adult children back home again and back out of the nest when
> they are ready once again.
> 
> the big purchases are yet to come. i am currently talking with several
> ship dealers. so far i have tendered offers on 2 out of 3 ships. since
> no one would hire me for any meaningful work i decided to create my own
> job.
> 
> the first ship is located in canada, it needs a paint job and some
> engine work but she is sound and seaworthy.  the minesweeper is located
> in sweden, and the mother ship in new zealand.
> 
> For Sale: 46.45M work vessel 
> http://commercial.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=84250
> 
> For Sale: Mine sweeper
> http://commercial.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=97330
> 
> For Sale: Mother ship, Standby Vessel
> http://commercial.apolloduck.com/feature.phtml?id=87001
> 
> basically, search and recovery. the first jobs are all ready lined up.
> search the waters around the solomon islands for a wwii usn submarine
> that was sunk in 1943 and a wwii usn destroyer. after that there is a
> vessel off of nome alaska that several non-profits would like to raise
> and place in a museum.
> 
> the mine sweeper will be doing duty recovering sunken old growth logs in
> the great lakes for 6 months out of the year.
> 
> i am still working on finding a home port for the ships. since the state
> of illinois is so corrupt i will not be bringing the ships into state of
> illinois waters. the port of chicago is controlled by gangs, unions, and
> the mob. the canadians are offering a nice package to home port the
> ships in windsor ontario canada.
> 
> on the blacksmithing and metalworking front the lawyers are busy
> figuring out setting up a trust/foundation that will provide educational
> opportunities to disabled and financially disadvantaged people who have
> the aptitude for blacksmithing and metalworking and the arts and just
> need a break and a helping hand. the basic outline at the moment is to
> look a what is offered locally at the community college , continuing
> adult education programs, and local known blacksmiths, metalworkers,
> and industrial artists. 4-yr colleges/universities and trade schools
> will be looked at next. the folk schools like john campbell will also be
> considered. i am writing the part which covers 'non-paid work
> experience'. this is where a known blacksmith, metalworker, industrial
> artist agrees to take on a student for a period of time. the student
> will receive a stipend from the foundation and the instructor will
> receive an agreed amount for each student. the student will be coached
> in to dealing with a normal work schedule to find a working arrangement
> that takes into account the disability/disabilities of the student.
> basically, the entire purpose of the foundation/trust is to give the
> disabled and financial disadvantaged the helping hand and breaks that
> they need to get on with living. there will be medical support and
> counselling support for those provided the help. all this needs to be
> done in such a way so that the person does not face a tax liability for
> the help given to them. this is not going to happen overnight. i am
> still working with the lawyers and accountants on just how to accomplish
> what i want to accomplish with the least amount of liability and red
> tape.
> 
> i see opportunities for the disabled students to be part of the crews on
> the ships providing necessary skills to make the tasks at hand but also
> to learn and experience life in a way they may never thought possible.
> 
> i am currently looking at putting together a crew to fetch the
> minesweeper from sweden and bring her back to florida via the southern
> route, basically follow columbus' 1492 voyage route.
> 
> the trawler will be moving to a ship yard in either wilmington, north
> carolina or charleston, south carolina. suggestions for a paint job
> that is subject to ocean salt air would be very welcomed.
> 
> anyway, things are being to happen here. time to get on with living.
> cannot make up the lost 12+ yrs  but i can try to live a life with
> purpose from here on out.
> 
>