Restore a sunken boat and lift a sunken spirit

Hi, my name is Kim Most and I’m fundraising for my 17 year old son son, Jaden, after his boat sunk on July 3, 2023. I am creating this go fund me in the hopes that I can raise $10 donations to help get him back on his feet and back on the water. Thank you.

I am writing to share our utmost unfortunate situation and am asking that our story be shared with anyone and everyone that shares a love of boating and being on the water.

My 17 year old son, Jaden, made a decision to purchase a brand new 75hp outboard motor for his 16 foot skiff. Jaden is a smart, mature, hard working kid who loves being on the water in Key West. He just finished his junior year of high school and was excited for his summer work opportunities. He has two jobs, one in which he has learned to build and repair custom fishing rods and the other as a mate on a commercial fishing vessel. He loves his work, brings in decent money and made arrangements to take on an 18 month loan in which he planned to pay off the brand new motor and additional work done to his skiff . He was so proud, excited and his future boating days felt secure knowing his engine was brand new and he had the assurance of Suzuki’s 5 year warranty. He had plans to work towards his commercial bait license and planned to bullynet lobsters during the season. He was well in his way towards achieving his goals all while doing something he loved.

He and I had a really joyful day first day on the water breaking his motor in We returned feeling happy and tied the boat at a low tide to our newly rented canal front home. He washed the boat off, flushed the motor and when done stared in awe at the biggest expense he had ever taken on. The summer was going to be great. Jaden went to his job the next day, feeling glad to be there knowing he was working towards his newly outfitted boat and brand new motor. We came home that night after a long day , he jumped out of the car and ran to the sea wall to look at his boat. To our utter shock, the boat had capsized and was sitting at the bottom of the sea floor. His brand new 3 day old motor was submerged. His newly installed batteries, speakers, lights and instruments were under water. We were in absolute disbelief. The full moon had presented a well below normal low tide, alnost a foot lower than when we had tied off the day earlier and we surmised between the low and slack tide the boat had gotten wedged under a section of pvc pipe attached to the sea wall, as the tide rose the boat was stuck and tipped slightly with the pressure of the rising tide and started filling with water until it finally flipped and sunk. It was the night of July 3rd and the anticipated summer holiday was the following day. Sea tow recommended keeping the boat and engine in the water until we could get it to a mechanic immediately to minimize the effects of corrosion on the motor. All we could do was wait. We read that the warranty was now void, my son was crushed. The 4rth passed with a lot of rock bottom emotion, in his frustration and anger he punched a wall and broke his hand, by the end of the day exhaustion set in.

Sea tow pulled the boat out of water on the 5th and we got it right to a mechanic but the news was that it was going to be a very, very expensive fix. Jaden feels defeated, he can’t feasibly take on another loan and the expense of paying so much only to get a submerged motor running again feels like it’s goes against his original purpose of buying a new motor primarily for the added benefit of its warranty. He says it pains him to see other boats, he doesn’t want to go on his friends boats , he has become moody and irritable, and he can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. I have never seen him so low spirited Yet he continues to go to work, he is determined to take on his responsibility of repaying his loan.

Now that you have read our story, I figured I would create this go fund me for my son in the hopes that anyone that commiserates with him could kindly donate $10 towards a crowdfunding effort to raise money to get Jaden back on the water. His boat is a total loss , the motor will cost almost as much to fix as it is to replace new .

Jaden does not know I have created this go fund me and I can pretty assuredly say he would be dead set against it as he sees handouts as weak. I however see this as means of crowdfunding and have the years and experience to know that miracles can happen when people work together. I’m kindly and humbly asking that anyone that is moved by this calamitous story, commiserates with him or wants to help him get out of this slump, please donate $10 to my son Jaden. 100% of the money raised will be used towards restoring and repowering his boat which will in turn restore his confidence and

spirts. Anything raised over his goal

amount will be donated to someone else on this forum in a similar situation. Thank you for listening and I hope this reaches 750 folks that can change a good kid’s outlook on the world right now.