Why do I always find myself smack dab in the middle of winter with a tarp flapping around — and me aghast?
I have the best of intentions toward this boat, and here we are, facing the reality of tarps: given half a chance, they will always somehow end up flapping around.
There is much evidence of this here on the yard. I won’t point fingers -- or they might be pointed back at me.
I drove up and found myself with the smarts to know that if it is merely overcast, it is not yet raining, and that could go on for hours. I had a gap in the rain, and that presented me with an opportunity to DO THE RIGHT THING.
So I yanked the torn old tarp off and sent it to the tarp graveyard, headed down to Harbor Freight, and pulled out my checkbook.
Oh, well.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. If that isn’t the prettiest thing for a thousand bucks, I don’t know what is.
I always fall in love again.
We are just past the obligatory Mid-Winter Boat Blues Attempt to Sell, like two or three other boats in the yard. This time, the looker was a gentleman and wife from Central Oregon who planned to buy a trailer and truck her down. Unfortunately, the trailer had seven flat tires, and they didn’t relish being stuck on the I-5 with a dead boat in the middle of Christmas. So we wish them well. They ended up with a reasonable boat, that I saw hooked to the truck, 19’ turnkey ready-to-roll, and I thought to myself, Why not stop when you’re ahead?
Oh, well. A week and a half for sale on Craigslist actually forces me to reevaluate the vessel and my approach, not to mention the general level of various kinds of expertise in the potential buyers. The experience always imparts something.
I don’t know what this thing is doing here. It used to be parked by the blue building.
Clearly a cynical commentary on modern life.
There was a certain amount of clambering about on the vessel, followed by success. She is expected to remain dry until the spring, at which point, something will be done. We are getting the hang of a few things done every year.
I decided I didn’t like the skinny polyester rope. Once wet, it is impossible to untie in the dark, whereas bungees, and the newer approach to the bungee, the tie-down with adjustable orange webbing, is smarter. Just unclip and you’re in the boat. Nice.
All snug and ready for the rest of the off season.
