It Floats

It floats  -- Monday, July 01, 2013 – It took five months and some messing about, but the boat went in the water – well it took two tries, but it is tied up at the guest dock and my friend, Tony and I will go sailing tomorrow morning. 

About a mile from the house, I realized I hadn't added fresh grease to the wheel bearings.  Asked myself what else I might have forgotten--LIKE the RUDDER.  So turned around in a parking lot went back home, picked up rudder, and filled the bearing buddies on the bearings.

I got down the ramp bright and early this morning, 7:30.  It was surprisingly busy—I guess people wanted to take advantage of this week of good weather.  It took about 40 minutes to get everything set up—not bad for only the second time.  I looked up for one final check----damn, damn—enough to piss off a preacher—the port spreader had a big crack.  It is a small piece of tubing with a too-large hole in it--that makes it vulnerable.

 

After a few minutes of cussing, took the whole thing apart and restowed the rigging.  Headed for home; stopped by Zeigler’s welding.  Hooray!  I could find a place to park.  Double Hooray! The had some of the tubing in stock.  Went on home and made three more spreaders (two spares) with heavier metal tubing and smaller holes.  Helped the neighbor unload three logs and still got back down and launched the boat, but no time to sail. 

 

Only mildly embarrassed by my bad trailer backing.  Looking forward to tomorrow.

 

Lousy design--guaranteed to break.