One farmer creates a masterpiece with Missouri hardwood and stainless steel. The stainless steel tackle is fashioned from the family's old dairy equipment.

In the winter of 1994, Paul Nanneman almost died. At the young age of 39, he experienced re-occurring chest pains that were making him take frequent breaks while at work on the farm. The pain was baffling doctors right up until he had a massive heart attack while at the hospital for a checkup. Nanneman's brush with death changed him forever.

"I just don't let stuff bother me like it used to," said Nanneman. "No matter how much you worry, you're not gonna make it rain when you want it to, and you're not gonna make it stop flooding." Since, he has taken up riding a bike and eating healthy. He has also taught himself a rare art--building wooden boats.

The master's touch
Nanneman is a master craftsman. He works magic with wood. When you visit his home, you see his handiwork in the grandfather clocks, the custom entertainment center and trim work in the home. When you walk with Nanneman to his machine shed, you'll most likely see a smile when he introduces you to his masterpiece: a 19-foot lightning class day sailor/racer.

He named her the Vicky Lynn after his wife. Nanneman originally planned to name her Victoria's Secret, but was denied permission after contacting the company for approval.

Nanneman followed plans from a 1938 design. The construction of this boat required him to make a 25-foot workbench in order to assemble the pieces alongside the full-size plans. "There are no straight lines, so I had to pretty much follow the plans exactly and hope each piece fit," said Nanneman. But don't believe his humble portrayal of his masterpiece. He had to create some tools, just to make certain pieces of the boat.

Labor of love
The project is the result of more than 2,000 hours of meticulous work of a craftsman. The boat is handcrafted from Missouri ash, walnut and cedar. In fact, all of the wood is Missouri wood, with the exception of the Western cedar used for the hull. But that's OK. That cedar is hidden behind five coats of paint and eight coats of epoxy. The deck is made of 1-inch strips of ash and walnut. The interior and bench are all cedar.

The 28-foot mast is removable, so it will fit in the shed and clear electric lines while en route to water.

Another interesting feature is the stainless steel tackle. Much of it was fashioned from stainless materials from the family's old dairy equipment. Nanneman's father ran a dairy on the farm until his cancer-related death at a young age.

"My dad loved the dairy, but I found that running a dairy just wasn't for me. In fact, using the metal on the boat was the first enjoyment I've had from the dairy," he said with a chuckle.

What is next for Nanneman's burgeoning craft? He's got his eye on a bigger boat. "For this one, I'm gonna need a bigger workbench," he said.