About a year or so ago, I received an intriguing call from a props director working on a Netflix movie. The project name was kept under wraps, but their request was clear: they needed a stunning tandem wooden kayak for a shoot out on Cape Cod. Evidently, our kayaks had gained a reputation for quality, and they were curious if we had the perfect fit for their production.
As luck would have it, around that time, the owner of a microBootlegger Tandem kayak I built years prior reached out. Changing life circumstances left him without a place to showcase or store his boat, and coincidentally, he resided in Cape Cod. I facilitated a connection between the production team and the kayak owner. Although this arrangement did not resolve his storage dilemma, it ensured the kayak was available for filming. Terms were agreed upon, and the kayak was delivered to the location. However, plans shifted when a writer’s strike led production to move to Europe. The kayak owner reclaimed his boat, and that seemed like the end of it.
Fast forward to the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, WA, I received an unexpected message from my cousin. She sent me a screenshot asking if the kayak in the Netflix series she was watching was one of mine. She was enjoying "The Perfect Couple," a new Netflix release based on Elin Hilderbrand's 2018 novel, featuring stars like Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber.
In the days that followed, my social media blew up with messages. Friends and followers identified my craftsmanship from a scene where the kayak was introduced, with dialogue mentioning picking up the kayak from "Nick... ...in Groton". It was delightful to see the kayak on screen and have my work recognized.
The series, a fun murder mystery packed with poorly behaving wealthy characters scheming to get richer, employed the kayak as a minor plot point. Importantly, the boat didn't commit murder.
The boat is still available. If you are interested in owning a beautiful kayak that has a great story around it, you can learn more about it here.
