Well, after a week in the work yard, one of these boats is ready to go back in the water.
One of these years, when we’re in a country that doesn’t get paid $85/hr to do basic labor on a boat, we’ll give the bottom a good sanding and skim coat, but for now she’s just fine with some blemishes.
Going back into the water the only thing I really cared about was having the ability to turn on the air conditioning (it’s water cooled, so can’t run on the hard). For a week, I had quite literally melted while moving a large fan around the boat whenever I moved anywhere.
The boat splashed, and I was pleased to have the engines fire up immediately as if I’d never been gone—good water flow and no smoke. I hopped in the engine compartment for a look around and was happy to find no water spouts. The only leaking was a steady drip from one of the shafts, but I figured that would remedy itself once the boat was moved around and in the water a bit longer.
I maneuvered into a slip, plugged in shore power, and was now soaking wet and losing about one pound per minute. I’d never been so excited about the prospect of cold air in my life. I flicked the air conditioner switch, and got nothing in return but a clicking noise coming out of the engine compartment. Sweat, or tears, ran down my cheeks.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long to discover that the water pump had a bleeder valve on it. After loosening that, water started to flow again, and when I flicked the switch again, heaven. Florida is no place to be in the summer—that’s just a basic fact.
Last season we couldn’t use our electrical outlets when the generator was running or when we were plugged into shore power. Seeing how charging computers and cameras is one of the main reasons we’d want to run the generator, this was pretty frustrating. The only way we could use our power outlets was to run the inverter, which we couldn’t do while the generator was running because of the battery charger. It’s all a confusing circle of boat power issues. When we were in Nassau an electrician tracked the problem to this switch, but he couldn’t source one of them for me. Nine months later, the switch is in, and everything works exactly as it should again. It shouldn’t be nearly as exciting as it is.
We’re trying to replace all the old mattresses on the boat this year. Ouest was our test subject. Mattress in a box? It’s like this was designed specifically for people who live on a boat.
After just two months, this is what the boat looked like. Washing the boat is normally about a 30 minute job. This time it took me six hours over the course of three days.
I ordered two 16′ rolls of LED lights off of Amazon for six bucks each. By that night Ali was asking me, “Ummm, what the hell are you planning to do with those disco lights.”
Well, let me show you. I turned my already awesome engine room into a floodlit workshop where I could now work in any corner without having a flashlight pressed in between my teeth. And yes, this is another one of those things that shouldn’t be nearly as exciting as it is. But honestly, that is easily the best twelve dollars I’ve ever spent.
Meanwhile, back in Minnesota.
Sadly, after nearly two years of travels with us, and countless taco dinners together, Crabby died. We’re going to miss the little guy.
This little pink car belonged to cousin Lea, and the wheels have seen better days, but that doesn’t make it any less fun for these two.
Life on the boat without the kids.
Life on the boat with the kids.
Honestly, is there any boat cuter than a tug? This will be my Great Loop ride some day.
After ten days of quiet, it feels good to have this again.
19 Comments on “Back Where We Belong”
Poor Crabby! He had a good life, and the places he’s seen! The other crabs in crab heaven will be jealous.
Have lived in Florida since 04. It certainly is NO place for humans in the summer! That people spend thousands to vacation here in the summer, especially to theme parks, completely baffles me.
I hear you! We have been in the Orlando area for over a year now as I have orthodontia done, and I figured our RV park would clear completely out in the summer. Nope! Sure, it was less crowded than during snowbird season, but still, families came all summer long to take the kids to Disney and do whatever else families do here in the blazing heat and humidity. Astounded me, it did! I guess a lot of folks have to take their big vacays when the kids are out of school, but still. I’d go north!
It’s always a good day when the boat goes back into the briney. Nice new zinks on the shafts, new bottom paint and when firing up the engines, the sound of everything moving along as it should makes for that easy feeling. The engine room lightshow is amazing, great idea! Crabby had the best crab life ever!
LMAO here! Yes the little things like finding the right switch to solve the electronic gremlin issues or the disco lights in the engine room make life aboard just grand! Pity the poor people who cannot imagine such fun.
PS
Can’t help but notice Ouest’s mermaid sheets…you gotta take her to the mermaid show!
https://weekiwachee.com/mermaids/
Between the LEDs in the engine compartment and your Great Loop tug, y’all have impeccable taste!
Just….”Ahhhhh” !
Blessings,
Scott
Non boaters will never understand the thrill of nagging DIY fixes!
The Grand Banks is, no question, incredibly handsome . . . but a tugboat – yeah, cute is the right word. A tug is a good choice for a Great Loop voyage.
Cute, yes, but in a pugnacious, manly sort of way.
Heh . . . yeah, cute and pugnacious, Steve – that’s the perfect description for a tug just the right size for a Great Loop voyage!
Your writing makes me laugh out loud! Thank you Pat. Don’t miss that cat one bit do ya? And an engine room you don’t have to hang upside down in either! Cruise on…
Thanks for a lovely post. Your dedication and enthusiasm is inspirational. Looking forward to the next episode.
Been a reader since the RTW on the cat.
You’ve always had a very refined sense of risk/reward, but you’ve gotten SO much better at boat repair and maintenance!
Hi, We would like to pay our condolences to mr crabbs. Sorry for your loss. We fully understand this.
Tug boat??? That would be a fun toy…The next pix has the answer.. Not the older second gemini in, but .. A gemini 105mc That is a good boat for the loop… Or the Bahamas… Maybe you need something just a bit larger than the 105mc. Ok, I like them as we have had ours since when you had the charter cat…
Enjoy reading and seeing the pictures. I would suggest for you, your next boat should be a catamaran sailing condo.. 40+ feet..three or four cabins…two heads..two engines… .This might be the next step up in space and utility… Ok, I like not listening to the engines…and sailing sometimes.
On a more technical note, which watermakers did the charter cat and the monohull have? And, why didn’t you go with the spectra with the clark pump vs the one you have that requires the generator? Was it water output, or power or space or cost…? Or some combination?
Your land trips and pictures were great… We are looking forward to more on the water.
Thanks,
Walt
The stuffing box is supposed to leak a little if you’re using conventional stuffing. It has to be wet to keep cool.
Okay, so probably a T.M.I. situation but we sat around in White Rock BC, Canada the other night and tried to recount the order of boats/cars/trailers that you have adventured in (we were not on the blog). Thanks for clearing it all up with the new-ish header. I think we were running about 80% accuracy. My husband used to wait around at work til everyone left in order to print out the original Bumfuzzle posts when you were on the catamaran. We just recycled all those contraband pages!!! Shhhh.
…aren’t you glad to know you are ALWAYS in our thoughts?? Ha ha!! 🙂 Thanks for all the updates. We love them!!
No boat cuter than a Tug!!