They fish together from Pelly's Island in Green Bay, Newfoundland. In fishing communities like this a boat can make a big difference in the well being of a family. The Strickland's own a small open boat that served their needs for lobster fishing along the coast. But these days the money is in the lucrative crab fishery further off shore. When they tried that fishery last year in their small open boat they found it not only very uncomfortable but dangerous as well. As Marcella tells it she announced to Hank she was never going to fish crab again because she was so exposed to the elements that the sandwich she was eating was damp before she finished her lunch.

So the two young people decided that they were going to build a bigger boat with some shelter so they could go offshore for the seal hunt as well as fish for crab. However, they had never built a boat before so friends and family pitched in and to the amazement of everyone, they built the boat in their backyard over the winter. Their biggest supporter and enthusiast was Hank's father whom everyone called Uncle Bill or the Skipper. Uncle Bill showed up everyday to help out and set his heart on joining them for the spring seal hunt even though it would be a first for him. However two days before the boat was launched Uncle Bill died.

But the young couple knew that Uncle Bill was there for them every step of the way. He saw that a bigger boat would set them up for a better life and he wanted it completed as quickly as possible. What had started out as a dream for Marcella and Hank, they now see as a legacy to Uncle Bill who was so proud of all the work and the determination that went into the Marcella Mae. Which is why, Marcella believes the boat should have been christened, "Built with Pride".