Scottish man's garden yacht lights up community spirit
Ian Rankin, 82, from Bearsden, Scotland, built a 30-foot yacht in his garden last year. Despite suffering from colon cancer, his primary goal was to bring joy to people during the Christmas season.
According to "Bild," Ian Rankin's yacht features a 33-foot mast adorned with hundreds of Christmas lights, capturing the attention of passersby. In an interview with the BBC, Rankin shared that he often hears how his creation "brings a smile to the face" of onlookers. One neighbor even remarked that the yacht brightened her Christmas season.
For Ian, building the yacht served as a form of therapy. It gave him a reason to "get up in the morning and do something," despite his battle with colon cancer. Rankin, who is an avid sailor, was inspired to build the enormous yacht after a passerby mentioned that seeing a small boat model in the garden made him happy. This encouraged Rankin to undertake something on a larger scale.
Local children refer to the yacht as the "boat in the sky" because of its tall mast and elevated position. Rankin hopes to show young people that even when one is older or ill, creating amazing things is still possible.
Rankin encourages those who felt "cheered up" aboard the yacht to donate to the Beatson Cancer Charity through the Bearsden Christmas yacht. He selected this organization for a personal reason. "The charity has done a tremendous amount for my family," he admitted in an interview with the BBC.
People have taken time and effort and money in tough economic times to donate to the cause - and that cheers me up no end, he emphasized.
The yacht has a permanent place in Ian's garden
The yacht now has a permanent place in Ian's garden. "It's a thing of beauty. I love looking at it," the 82-year-old said. "It gives me pleasure, and I hope it gives other people pleasure," he added.
After the holidays, Rankin plans to transform the yacht into a "man cave," where he can return to building his small boat models.
