Sold Boat

August 24, 2016

Boat is sold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New owner hit a coral reef with his boat and it sank in the Caribean.
Same make, model, and year from what I hear.
They have now left the marina on Friday and headed to Ft. Myers, FL.

Glad to be out from under the issues.

July 12 & 13, 2014 - Pat & Grandkids visit

Had a great weekend with Pat and his kids, Jeff, Brianna, & Alyssa.

We went sailing, swimming, & fishing on Saturday.
Then went fishing on Sunday on Fred's boat. Thanks for letting me borrow it.
We filled up his gas tank for borrowing his boat.

Had a great time catching 3 stingrays, a couple trout, tons of sailcats, and both hammerhead and black tip sharks. Ewww...it was close to the place we went swimming Saturday....not there again.

We all had a fun weekend.

11/15/2013 - 11/17/2013 With my Bros!!

What a great weekend!!

Joe, Tony, Andy, & Phil, my brothers, came and stayed the weekend.  Tom, you missed out.
Was a little crowded but we had a great time.

Saturday was a windy, wavy, rainy day, but we made the best of it with the bimini top up and the side curtains up, it was a fair trip out. Only went to about 3 miles SE offshore of Alligator Point. About an 8 mile trip each way. Just with the main sail we were doing between 2-4 knots. Did a little drift fishing but no luck.

Sunday we had some sun in the morning till about 2 pm. Got the sails ready at the dock, but never used them. We stopped at a trout hole just outside the channel entrance. Caught 4 trout, some rockfish, and then the Red Drum started in. Andy, Joe, Tony caught them. From 36-41 inches long. Due to FL regs had to throw them back. But not before pictures.

Had a great time for 3 nights on the boat, even with all the rain and cloudiness.

8/16/2013 ****Shoulda Stayed Home****

Could it have gotten any worse?
Yea, The Wurst!!!!

The marina finally got the finger dock put back in so I don't have to "walk the plank" to get on the boat.

Opened up the boat on Friday afternoon.
MOLD in the cabin, on the walls, ceiling, cushions, almost everywhere.
Not real bad, except in the head. Lots there. Where is it coming from???

Anyway, I wiped some down in the main cabin and left the head for later.
Went and got the cart to load up and bring out my stuff.
Clothes, drinks, beer, snacks, computer case, boat doc folder, & pistol.

When I got to the finger dock, I turned the corner without thinking....
A wheel ran off the narrow finger dock and..........
Everything went in the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Except the cart I had hold of.

SH________T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grabbed a gaff and started dragging the floating things out.
Computer, clothes, docs, and some drinks/snacks.
Beer got away in the tide along with some drinks.
Pistol and OJ went to the bottom. 8-9 ft deep.

Washed/rinsed everything off right away and put PC up in marina store to dry out.
Tried diving down for gun but couldn't handle it.
A local guy heard about it and said he was scuba diver and could do it.
Loaned him a mask and he got OJ 1st try and gun 7th try.
Rinsed it off as well and set up to dry.
Gave him a gift cert for the restaurant at marina.

After all the BS and not being in the mood to stay, I came home Sat noon.
I did get to go to the bar and drink my troubles away and sing karaoke.

PC ruined, got this new one and still getting it set up after a week.
Gun cleaned up w/cleaner, and gun oil, hope it still works OK, only dry fired so far.

Got to go back someday and get the mess cleaned up from mold.

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7/3/2013

Did a little work last weekend, Fri/Sat, on the boat.
Got the boom rigging hardware moved back to go with the boom extension.
Also put up the bimini top since it was rainy all weekend. Getting used to the setup for it.
Didn't go out for a trip due to rain, storms, and wind.

Today I get a call from the marina owner. "Your mast has broken off, and is laying on the dock."
Bout had a heart attack!!!!!!
After talking to him, it ended up it was actually the sailboat next to mine. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEW!!!!
He mistook mine for another one. Too bad about that one, the guy was working on the damage from the tropical storm. Didn't have a bow mast cable on it.

Looks like end of July for the next trip down there.

Anyone wanting to go on a weekend trip?

5/24/2013

Well, I finally made it back to the sailboat. Seems like forever since I've been here.

Got the boom extension tubing made up last week, and started installing it today.
Got the insert mostly done, just have to tighten the bolts up.
Expect the balance to finish in the morning.
Have a guy coming to scrape the bottom, at least the prop and ports. Sink drain is plugged.

Plan to "Take Her Out!" in the afternoon and probably anchor out on a reef.
Might catch some supper....If my fishing skills aren't totally crap. For bass they are!!!
Photos of the boom extension later.

4/19/2013

Got the bimini top installed...at least the top part...windows later.
Have a few screws to replace with bolts and backing plates at the main brackets.
I'll get the backing plates made up and install next trip.
Have to do some work on the boom and rigging to fit with the top.

Looks good...Thanks to my brother Andy at Delphos Tent & Awning.

4/18/2013

Well, I finally get back to the sailboat.
I was here for a short trip the end of Feb just to check up on things and pay the bills.
Got the front rail mount fixed today.
Fired up the engine and idled it for a while. Seems fine.
Tested the new/used Navionics chip from the Sea Tow guy. I owe him now. How much $$$
It covers all of FL and the Gulf up to New Orleans peninsula. I plan to use it "WELL!!"
Getting ready to install the new Bimini Top built in OH at Delphos Tent and Awning.
Getting the bottom scraped this weekend sometime.
Pat and Jeff plan to stop by on Sat.
Maybe take them out for a sail???
Weather looks to be windy on Fri & Sat...25 knots of north wind.....wind is supposed to be good for sailing!!!

More to follow....

Time to check on the boat

Guess I'll take a day trip to go check on the boat this weekend.
It's been over a month since last there.
Hope the boat is still there and doing OK.
No sailing, just checkout and pay the slip fee for the next couple months.

11/04/2012

Here is the culprit...what was this crap doing in my boat slip?

And then there were the additional crab traps near the back of the slip. One hanging off the dock and the other one was on the bottom, near the back of the boat.

Then the diver found this PVC pipe bracket that had solar panels and a cable on it.

My boat is docked in a junkyard!!!

Anyway, sailed for about 3 hrs on Saturday and 4 hrs on Sunday.
Dragging a jig and swimming bait behind the boat the whole time Sun without a bite.

11/3/2012

Well, I finally got the junk off the prop.

Had to have a diver come and work on doing it. The marina just couldn't see fit to help me out with pulling the boat around the dock, and lifting it on their forklift. Took a month for them to figure out they didn't want to help me. At least they covered the cost of the diver to cut it all loose. A crab trap on the bottom in the middle of my boat slip was the culprit. Then the diver found 2 more crab traps, and a pipe bracket for some solar panels. Wonder what else is laying around on the bottom in the Marina?

Pics to come as soon as I get back home. Don't have my SD card reader or my phone USB cable. My smart phone is DUMB!!! Or maybe I am...Duh!

So, I got to go for a sail today for about 3 hours. Might go out again Sunday for a while if the wind picks up a bit.

Should be back in business if anybody wants to visit and go for a trip. In between all the holiday travel coming up. Thanksgiving in Delphos, then XMAS party at Lake Erie.

10/1/2012

What a bust!!!!!!!

The sailing adventure with Chris and Michael started out great this morning. They arrived about 9:30 am and I had the boat ready to go. The rigging was all set for the sails, the jib was ready, fuel good, oil OK, GPS track with three points down to Carrabelle loaded into the Lowrance, a wet slip reserved at the Moorings in Carrabelle, cooler and food ready, and everyone aboard ready to get on with it.

Drop the mooring ropes and the engine fired up. Start to pull out of the slip and 10 feet of movement and.........CLUNKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The engine quits.  Duh??? Restart it,  put in gear, and CLUNK and quit again. What the H _ _ _!!!!
Tried reverse and the same thing. Drive shaft/prop locked up. Don't know what's going on.

So I end up fishing around with the gaff and can't find anything like ropes or cords in the area. Then I go in the water feeling around the prop area with my foot first. I feed a bunch of stuff not supposed to be there. I dive down and feel around by hand a feel lots of small wire and some sheet metal. Can't see anything in the green colored water. Must be a crab trap or something similar. Tried cutting the wires and pulling but no go. It's locked in real good. Asked Marina guy to pull boat around and raise back end w/forklift. Too windy today and tomorrow to do it. Ended up.....I'll come back in a few weeks and take care of it.

SO................10 feet is the length of the cruise for us.
Packed it in and went to their rented house for the night.

Sorry Chris and Michael, I was looking forward to the trip too. But we did have a nice visit.

9/30/2012

Got to the marina Sat afternoon and had a beer...1st things first. Got car unloaded and loaded up on the boat. Went to work on the pump issue and found a tripped thermal breaker I didn't know about. Got that reset and checked things out. Pump working OK now. A few other issues rsolved as well.

Now on to the keel crank today. Hope it's just a loose bolt, clamp, or something easy like that. Need some GOOD luck this weekend.Chris and Michael to be here Mon morning to go for a sail. Hope the weather holds out. Looks kninda rainy.

8/22/2012 and 8/23/2012

I finally talked Jeannie into an overnight on the sailboat, and a short trip out sailing, and back to the dock. We had a great morning, with a beautiful sunrise with our morning coffee at 7 am.

We got the boat ready and went out for a sail later in the morning, planning about an hour out and same back. Got the sails up before even getting out of the channel, and sailed an hour east from the last markers. Had good winds and made about 6 knots just under sail. U-turned at 10:30 am and headed back in. Winds changed some, and we only could make about 4 knots. Jeannie saw a dolphin right next to the boat while she was at the helm. YEA!!! She was acting captain!!!

Not sure what she was looking at, but it sure wasn't the GPS or the Compass. There were a lot of butterflies that we saw out about 2-3 miles offshore. Not sure where they came from.

Had some snafu on the trip back in the channel.
The centerboard crank up winch broke, or the cable came off, so I tried to raise it by pulling the cable directly....no go. Then we hit a sandbar, accidentally cause I wasn't paying attention, and that pushed it up, so I tied the cable off in the up position.
Jeannie pulled or braced on one of the front rail poles and finished breaking the base off.
One of the bilge pumps in the head isn't working for the floor drain.
Needless to say, I have some work to do for next weekend.
I should be able to get it all fixed up for Chris and Michael to go for a sail next week.

All in all, I think I might talk Jeannie into going again. YES!!!

9/8/2012

Was a rough move 2 weeks ago, to avoid huricane Isaac, over to St. Marks River. Got stuck on a sand bar Sun afternoon takin a shortcut and had to wait till Monday to get the boat at high tide.

All went well and docked out of the way of the "non-existent Isaac". Moved back to Panacea on Labor Day weekend.

This weekend, just some minor items to fix, curtains and wiring. Won't be here next weekend, plan to go Bass Fishing for only 2nd time this year. Still can't get Jeannie to even come down for an overnight stay on the boat.

Not much sailing in the next couple months with some travel, Guy's Weekend, Machine Show in Chicago, Thanksgiving, Machine Show in Vegas, Wurst XMAS, maybe more bass fishing too. Chris and Michael might come for a short sailing trip. Will be a welcome change to me going it alone.

Still.............livin the adventure when I get on board!!!!!!!!!

8/25/2012

Having to decide where to put the boat for hurricane Isaac. Most probable is up the St. Marks River. Plan to make a decision tonite, and move the boat Sunday if needed. Hope the hurricane takes a last minute left turn and heads for TX....(sorry Sarah)  :(  ...so I don't have to move the boat.

8/18 & 8/19/2012

Sat/Sun trip to do some more work on the boat. Got some wiring work done. Installed a horn, and radio speaker near helm. Raining hard/thunderstorm this moring. Can't even get to the marina to get a cup of coffee. Got all the stuff I picked up in Canaveral stored in a local storage unit. Too much to keep on the boat. Now have a little more room on the boat for guests to go on a sailing trip. 

8/12/2012

OHHHHHH! my head is swimmin.
Drank a little too much at the Reunion, Marbletown Street Party, Moe's, Sat nite concert - somewhere??
Got up and had to walk 1/2 mile to go get the car. At least I parked it early.
Not too many showed up at the reunion, about 30.
A LOT showed at the street party.

Went to the Ft. Jennings Festival Sunday and saw a bunch of old friends there too, as well as a couple of Aunts I haven't seen in ?? years.

8/7/12

Drove down to Cocoa Beach, FL to get my truck. Was gonna fly down with another pilot and he could fly back, but the fog was too bad in GA. Anyway, 5 hrs down there, get the truck, rent a tow dolly, hook up the car, load all the spare sails, booms, anchors, ropes, holy cow what a lot of stuff. Filled the truck and had to put some in the car. 6 hours back home. Now, unload the car this morning, and head out to yankeeland for the "Wurst" Reunion. (I've been a redneck longer than a yankee - 25 of growing up, 35 of Git-R-Done)

Maybe some posts of the reunion this weekend.

More Videos

Storm snuck up behind me.

Dolphins....Where did they go??....Where did they go??