Blekingeekan 1962

Blekingeekan, 1962, Long 4,75, 15’ 7’’ Beam 1.7 meter

When as a young man I started with boats. The idea was to find a hull or boat that I could convert to suit my needs. To start with a white paper and draw a boat on it and proceed to build the boat, I did not have the courage or knowledge, but I read kept my eyes open and asked questions and finally I had the knowledge and courage.

 

1962 I found myself an outcast despite being hard working, wise and a good person, generally speaking. Being dyslectic was the root of all my problems. As child, before school, I did very well. When I was seven years old I had to start school. The first day I was sent back with a note that I was a problem child and was not welcome back.

Mother had something to say about that, so back I went. Rote learning, the schools preferred pedagogical concept was not for me. When I had not been able to do my homework I got beaten up. Not only did my teacher beat me plenty, during breaks my mates mobbed me for being so stupid. It was hell, but it did not break me, instead it made me hate school and I lost respect for grown ups as I could not make sense of it.

Luckily my mother did everything for me and after four years she had found a way, she sent me to a boarding school with reform pedagogy. If elementary school had been hell the boarding school was paradise, the teachers were wonderful my schoolmates likewise. It was a different world. For six years I enjoyed the boarding school. I loved it. Still I was gravely dyslectic. I had top grades in mathematics, physics and chemistry, but I was never able to obtain a pass in languages. I had no chance of getting a higher education so I dropped out rather early and got work in as a machinist. I enjoyed that.

One day I got a letter from the military. I was time for the compulsorily military service. That sounded exciting, shooting blowing up things and the like, but like elementary school from the very first hour of the first day the sergeant started to pick on me shouting and being rude. It was just like elementary school once again, except I did not got beaten. Dyslexics had made me lose trust in grown ups. The more he shouted the less efforts I made. It escalated. I ended up in prison. I did not think they had the right to put me behind bars as I had done nothing wrong, I was still hard working, wise and a good person, generally speaking. The prison authorities thought otherwise, I was accused of starting a mutiny and transferred to a high security prison. There I was put into solitary confinement. Being a recluse and enjoying my own company it was OK.

Finally the door opened and a man in white coat came into my cell he behaved civilized and spoke gently. He said that I had caused so much trouble that either they was going to keep me there forever or if I signed a paper admitting that I was a psychopath the would let me out. It was a no brainer. They let me out, however the certificate stating that I was a psychopath was of no use. I had the bright idea of becoming captain of my own ship.

Being raised on a small island – see boats I grow up in – I had no problem converting a rowing boat to a floating home. This was before harbor dues were invented and there was plenty of free docking along our coast. Putting a box on the boat made it not very seaworthy, but it was not far between sheltered harbors and sailed in good weather. I had an inquiring mind and libraries where free and worm in the winter and had bathrooms. I was all set. I had chosen a good way of life.

 

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