Getting ready to splash!

Always Starboard came home this morning! The day was spent bottom painting.  This was the first time I have attempted to do this task.  Actually, not as bad as I thought.  I was planning on having this done professionally this spring and called around last fall to get an idea of the cost and details.  It ranged from $850 - 2,500!  We had worked out that the bottom paint and some fiberglass repair at the same shop and had planned on calling him up this spring.  Well, this did not happen, and it was mainly due to moving recently.  Over the winter we sold our house and moved in to a new place at the end of March. Needless to say we have had plenty of miscellaneous expense and have plans for some cosmetic updates through-out the house, so money is tight.  This job was physically strenuous, but I do not think at my age and physical condition is worth having someone else do it for even $800.  It took my about 4 hrs. Granted I did not get all the way under the boat, but it was good enough for what we wanted.  Maybe I will find some jack stands so that I can do it off the trailer some time.

Last season before putting her away I did perform the impeller repair and thank goodness I did not put this out any further. They were toast.  About half the blades were missing or damaged.  I replaced both without incident. I wish I could say the same for the rest of the winterization. I had one mess up.  I pulled the wrong plug on my generator.  This was not the first time I had done this, however, as soon as the fluid released I realized what I had done.  In my urgency to replace the plug to avoid all the antifreeze leaving the cooler and reservoir I dropped the plug in an attempt to thread it back in. I quickly bent into multiple contortions trying to locate the plug in the bilge, but failed to find the damn thing before all the fluid had drained.  I then spent hours attempting to find it and was not successful.  I will be ordering the plug tomorrow.

I purchased one new battery (one of four).  I hope this was not a bad idea to only to replace the one and not as a pair.  Only time will tell.  I just have to put the batteries in and put her in the water.  Launching it can be a task in itself as I need to put up the radar dome and put up all the canvas so we may just be waiting until next weekend.  Oh almost forgot...I don't think I filled up before we put her away....this will be a treat to fill up at fuel cost over $4.00 a gallon at the local stations.  Cant wait to see what the no ethanol on water prices are!

Neenah

I love staying in Neenah!

I have said it, and have witnessed others state it...if I came across this city on lake MI I would love it, and it may be a favorite.

This little city with shattuck park, the public library, walk through fountain, downtown and first class national recognized hospital all within a few steps is amazing. Tomorrow we will wake up to a farmers market outside our dock. We will walk maybe one hundred steps downtown (i will count tomorrow) and hit the coffee shop and bread store for a iced intelligenceia americano and a cinnamon roll to die for. On our way back from downtown we will grab some fresh egg rolls and fresh vegetables for the weekend and will be off for our weekend on the lake. We will go to another spot where we can have a camp fire, but it will not be as nice as what we have at home. The only reason we leave is to make sure the boat runs!;-)

Happy independence America!

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