Slaying My Goliath: A Lesson in Perseverance

This is my latest attempt to improve my kayaking experience which is already as close to heaven as I suspect I will get here on earth. One of the limiting factors for me kayaking is the oppressive sun in the hot, humid summer. I can dip in the river to cool off, but the sun is relentless and I had melanoma a few years ago. I am not supposed to be exposing my skin to excessive sun.

Last summer, I rigged all kinds of crazy contraptions, usually with a melange of umbrellas and bungie cords. However, none were successful. Hats are so hot. I wear them, but not happily. Then, a friend of mine sent me info about making my own “kayak Bimini.” I didn’t know that a sun shade for a boat was called a Bimini. I didn’t really want to make my own, but armed with the name of what I was searching for, I googled ‘kayak Bimini.’ 

There was a brand new product that claimed it was good in winds, did not affect the kayak stability, easy to install, and removable. I ordered it instantly. It came in a million pieces in a box with probably the WORST assembly instructions I have ever seen. I called customer service, close to tears. I am easily frustrated when I try to do something and come up not only short, but impossibly short. I was NEVER going to be able to assemble the Bimini. AND it required drilling into my kayak hull and installing anchor bolts. That did not sound EASY nor a good idea.

The customer service rep, who I will call Carl because I am unsure if that is his name but it might be, was the most patient human being on earth. NONE of the thousand parts were labeled. He told me to take a photo of them and send it to him and he would label it, then send it back to me. Then he would call me and talk me through the assembly.

When he called me back, I told him I did not feel very confident, but I would give it my best. Slowly, step by step, Carl walked me through what I needed to do. Sometimes, I would pause after he would give an instruction, and finally say, “Carl, I am so sorry. But I am TOTALLY not processing what you just said. Can you say it again...a different way?”

And he would.

Slowly, my Bimini began to take shape. After about two hours, I had constructed the Bimini. Carl told me that I had done the hard part. Screwing the hardware on my kayak to attach the Bimini was easy. 

I told my husband I had left him the easy part. I am not sure he was convinced.

Then I woke up the next day, and looked at my kayak and my Bimini. I asked my husband if he would just show we what drill to use, and maybe I would tackle this myself. He was rushing to work and said he could not, but I also think he was concerned about me attempting to use a drill on a vessel that is required to be watertight.

He left for work. I finished breakfast and then crept to the storage room where all his tools were shelved. The light flashed and burnt out. An omen. Only momentarily deterred, I scanned the shelves for anything that looked like a drill. I did not find the high power drill that I knew was what I would need, but I did find THE CUTEST little box with a tiny drill and all kinds of awesome drill bits. It looked very non-threatening. It plugged in and there was a simple on/off switch. It was about the size of lipstick. So sweet! It took me a few minutes to figure out how to install and remove the drill bits, but once I had that conquered, I felt like I could do anything.

The instructions said I was to drill a “pilot hole” and then attach the anchor bolts. First, of course, I was to set up the Bimini on the kayak and carefully mark where I wanted all the anchor bolts. Placement was crucial. I had to be sure all support poles did not interfere with my paddling movements, and I had to be sure all straps that kept the canvas shade secure did not interfere with my phone mount on the bow where I shoot videos of all the exciting things I see when I kayak. 

So I used strong tape to tape the Bimini in place and got in my kayak. I put my phone on the mount and checked the video screen to be sure all was well. I practiced getting in and out to be sure I could with the Bimini on the kayak. I practiced paddling using my actual paddle to insure my arms or paddle did not hit the support. Then I got out and marked all the places where I would install anchor bolts. 

Next, I took a deep breath, and  using the adorable drill, attempted my first pilot hole in my (thus far) watertight hull. The adorable drill groaned and made it very clear it was not up to the task. I hung my head, repacked the drill, and returned it to the shelf. Then I sat down and gazed at my kayak. I would like to say I prayed then, as it would make a better story, but I didn’t. Not exactly anyway. 

But I thought that adorable drill was made to drill and maybe I had given up too soon. I went back to the dark storage room, got the drill and returned to my kayak. This time, I applied less pressure as I tried to drill the pilot hole and eventually, a tiny hole appeared in my hull. It was NOT easy, but I then screwed the bolt down using ALL MY MIGHT. Slowly, it began to make its way into the hull and soon (Well...not TOO soon) I had the first anchor bolt installed. I was ELATED.

Now, instead of minimum anchor bolts, I decided to install all 6 that were provided. Anchor bolts are really useful and my cheap kayak had none. It took me all morning. Lunch hour came and went. At 2:00, I was done. I attached the Bimini and all its straps and surveyed my work with supreme satisfaction.

LOTS of lessons God sent my way which, LUCKY YOU, I will now share.

1. Be nice to people. They will help you. Even salesmen. Carl went way above the call of duty, and my first instinct to just berate him for belonging to a company with the world’s worst assembly instructions would have made him hang up on me. Thankfully, I squelched that nasty instinct and let him know how very grateful I was that he was willing to help a hopeless nincompoop like me.

2. Don’t assume you cannot do something before you have even tried. God has a way of equipping us to do hard things, but most of us look for the easy way out. I sure do.

3. Don’t give up too soon. Sometimes success is one small pilot hole away.

4. Don’t do the minimum but strive for excellence instead. Be all you can be, or as the Bible says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

My only regret for the day was it was just too cold to give my new contraption a try. Stay posted. I am sure there will be many more lessons with that maiden voyage as well, especially answering the question we all are wondering: Is the boat still water-tight?

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Matthew 7:13-14 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.