What started as fun watching videos on YouTube became a summer project that led to the creation of the Let’s Go II.
“We saw some people building kayaks and one of them was using drums,” said Barbara Schneider of Des Allemands.
But Schneider opted for materials more easily available and cheap – milk jugs – and that idea gave rise to the jug boat. It was an appealing summer project, as well as fit with the area’s plentiful water. She has a kayak, which provided the seat for their new low-tech boat, and with some adjustments she more evenly distributed the weight so adults could ride it, too.
They started saving the jugs in February.
“Luckily, one of my daughters has three kids,” she said. “Everybody was giving me milk jugs, which helped a lot.”
By the Fourth of July, they had what they needed for the project – 58 jugs.
“It didn’t take long once I figured out how to do it,” said the 68-year-old grandmother. “I’d change it a little bit. It was just this grandma had to take breaks from wrapping the jugs. I would wrap two jugs together with the duct tape and then put four until it was figured out.”
Soon into construction, Schneider was told assembling the jugs cap down, rather than up, would be wiser in case a cap came off. This way, the jug boat would still float.
In all, it took about a week to construct “with a lot of breaks,” she said. The kids got busy with swimming so grandma inherited the project, but she pressed on determined to make it a fun project for her grandchildren.
“Anything is possible if you put your mind to it – you can do it,” Schneider said.
When the moment of truth came at her daughter’s swimming pool, an estimated 15 children and grandchildren stood around and announced, “Who thinks it’s going to float?” Only one kid had the nerve to say no.
So they placed it in the water and grandson Evan, newly 13 years old, rode it first.
[pullquote]“Anything is possible if you put your mind to it – you can do it.” — Barbara Schneider[/pullquote]The jug boat floated.
“I was well pleased,” Schneider said of her creation. “But then I thought, I’ll have to make a bunch more so all the kids can have one.”
But there wasn’t time to worry long because the boat was taken to Bayou Des Allemands and placed in the water. Again, Evan rode it first, but her niece’s husband was the brave one who paddled the farthest in the bayou.
Schneider was happy, and even advised them to approach Papa Joe for an old trawling motor to add to the boat, which they are in the process of doing.
This Des Allemands resident took after her father who liked to make things and the jug boat fit as an ideal project. They built a Thomas the Train bed for her grandson, which taught Schneider about bending wood and other skills she’s carried into her other projects.
“The tree house, I built it last summer,” she said. “Of course, I’m still working on it, but they can get in it. It’s at least two stories. I just need to add more rails, but I did have help with it.”
And then there’s the jug boat, which is another proud addition to Schneider’s creations.
“I always felt it would float,” she said. “They might have all been worried, but I wasn’t.”
The ‘jug boat’ timeline
- February: Barbara Schneider sees YouTube videos on boat building and comes up with an idea.
- Fourth of July: Schneider goes with milk jugs to build her boat.
- A week ago: The boat is in Bayou Des Allemands and it’s floating.
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