Hey-
I have some advice, but nothing to do with rowing a sixteen footer versus a seventeen. They have had a lot of new hires in the last six months in the shop. Before you drive all the way down there to pick up your boat, have them email you some pictures of the welds. My first Willies had excellent fit and finish. This boat was rough to say the least. When they told me that they had hired two new apprentices I jokingly suggested that my boat was going to be their first project. I was told no, that all of their laborers are qualified. But after driving from Tacoma for nine hours what was I going to do? Reject the boat?
Good luck.
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In the legend of King Arthur, the Fisher King was a renowned angler whose errant ways caused him to be struck dumb in the presence of the sacred chalice. I am no great fisherman, and a steelhead is not the covenant of Christ, but with each of these fish I am rendered speechless.