May 23rd: Putting the Boat on the hard for the summer

So the day was going so well, right? Winds low, sunny, waves reasonable - great day. And then 6 miles from the marina the engine quit! Probably because I was being smug and thinking how good we must be getting. Cutting fuel lines, transferring fuel and doing this without getting any air in the system! Sadly it just took a long time for the air in the system to shut down the engine.

Toss out the anchor and Steve has the job of bleeding the fuel system. Easy - unless you are in an anchored boat with the waves getting worse so there is a bit of bouncing around. Loosen 4 screws in sequential order while pumping fuel through the fuel pump. 30 minutes and we were good to go!

We spent the night at the dock - ready to be hauled out first thing the next morning.

Turned out to be later than that so we just went to breakfast instead!




It doesn't seem like it should have taken two days to get the boat ready to sit for 5 months or so but somehow it did. Fortunately the marina was able to provide 110 power so we were able to plug in two low wattage heaters that will help keep the humidity down inside the totally closed up cabin. We'll see how that goes ...

It was almost easier just traveling around the Loop again as it was to put the boat up for the summer!


There was a cute little motel just down the street (The Ranch House Motel) recommended by friends so that made it easier to get everything done as we weren't trying to stay on the boat.

We were trying to pack what we would need for the summer on Guppy and then some traveling in the fall. Most of our bags were filled with pills and supplements!! Enough to last 6 months.






It looks like bottom paint will be on the list for when we return - along with new zincs and a good cleaning of the rudder and prop.

Not bad though for a boat that traveled 6,500 miles over the past year! Brings the total miles traveled over the past 7 1/2 years to 23,000 - hard to believe - and all at 8 miles an hour :-)








And for our little Corolla keys cruiser? Stored at a home just one street from Banana Bay under cover. We'll see how that goes as well ...

Friday the 19th was a trip to Ft. Lauderdale in a rental car - first a stop to see Dr. Friedman and then on to the airport for the flight to Ohio.

Two weeks in Ohio and then on to New York to put Guppy in the water!

It was a great season in Marathon - not the least of which was to be able to have two functioning hands again :-)

A great thanks to Steve for keeping the blog going - I suspect he'll be back writing it occasionally .....