A Chicago shed isn't a likely location for a Galway hooker, but Connemara native Steven Mulkerrins has been involved in a labour of love. "She's all planked and covered, and she'll be ready for the water in February," he says of his "bád mór", which he intends to sail west to east next year.
A carpenter by trade from Maumeen, Co Galway, Mr Mulkerrins (40) has lived for 12 years in Chicago and was in Boston before that.
He still has his Connemara accent, is now married with three children, but admits that the family hasn't seen too much of him during his work on the hooker project. Both Christmas Eve and St Stephen's Day were spent in the chilly warehouse.
He imported the wood for the 47-foot craft from Wicklow in two 40-foot containers, and spent a substantial amount of his own money on the construction so far, he says.
Although the record for first Atlantic crossing by a Galway hooker was set by Irish sailor and explorer, Paddy Barry, just over 15 years ago, Mr Mulkerrins intends to set a few of his own records with this venture. "It will certainly be the first hooker to sail west to east with its owner and builder. And I also intend to insure that it is the first Galway hooker to make it to the Great Lakes," he says.
In fact, the Great Lakes voyage may precede the transatlantic journey, and he has already investigated the 2,000-mile journey from Chicago to the Hudson River.
"By the time we have returned from that, and taken in a few races with classic boats in between, it will be too late to head for Galway," he says. "We'll be doing that leg in 2004."
With him will be his working companion and accomplished balladeer, John Flaherty, who has laboured with him on the boat. The decks are now done and they intend to start on the mast over the next couple of weeks.
Mr Mulkerrins isn't quite sure if his wife, Agnes - also from Connemara - is in total agreement with the adventure.
"I don't know if she wants me to go, but I am going to anyway," he says.
