It's preparation for emergencies
Sean, Call me McGyver 2, but in between tinkering on the boats and sailing, I imagine what could go wrong and what I could do about it if I had to rely on what was available on a deserted island. A little chemistry, or a little physics, and a little imagination and you can usually find a way that works. Remember the first sailors to cross the big oceans probably did so in boats made of skins and tree pitch, or light logs and vines.
Sean, Call me McGyver 2, but in between tinkering on the boats and sailing, I imagine what could go wrong and what I could do about it if I had to rely on what was available on a deserted island. A little chemistry, or a little physics, and a little imagination and you can usually find a way that works. Remember the first sailors to cross the big oceans probably did so in boats made of skins and tree pitch, or light logs and vines.