I Dreamed I Was There

As Scout gets closer to splash time, we get more excited thinking about getting back on the water. I am ready to be done and we are ready to start enjoying the boat.

After another long week of non-stop boat work we decided to make a run down to the lake. The plan was to connect with the marina and get a look at their trailer. When we were negotiating our slip rental, they seemed eager to haul the boat down for a reasonable fee. I wanted to make sure it was still a go. We were also ready for a little road trip.

Until last winter our intentions were to launch Scout in the Mississippi River near St. Louis and be ready to head downstream one day soon. The river marinas that we liked were 130 miles one way from the house. That along with the annual flooding problems on Mississippi made us consider the Lake of the Ozarks as an option for a year or two.

I was born near the Lake and spent many summers on the water there. Lots of good memories but like everywhere else it's changed. Some for the good but mostly bad. Paved roads good. Too many people bad.

Last December, after some research we visited the Village Marina. 74 miles door to door. Covered slip and no flooding.

Close and water conditions won out. We cut a deal.

                                             And....as soon as the check cleared we got a sign! 

Now.... if we could just get them to spell our name correct.

The real truth is these are the nicest most accommodating folks you could ask for.  They absolutely know how to make feel welcome. 

H-Dock Slip 1

14 x 36 slip, electricity, water, wifi and cable. Free washer and dryer in the private bath house.

I'm dreaming here... better get back to business.

Their trailer is identical to the hydraulic trailer we hauled Scout home with. No amnesia about the cost of the move. Soon to be a reality.

I'm ready to get back home and back to work.

But first lunch. It is a road trip after all and that's always my excuse for a greasy burger and fries. We headed around to the 'Strip' by Bagnell Dam. It's kinda like South Beach only with a hillbilly flare. The burger was greasy, no bikinis, bib overalls are still in style.

I really did go home and work on the boat yesterday.....and last night

                                                I dreamed I was there, in Hillbilly Heaven.

Fat Bottom Boats

You make the rockin' world go round.

Ordered the barrier and bottom paint. It's on it's way! I was saving this part for last because it's not much fun and it should be the last thing done before launching.

As luck would have it, Austin just got back from Germany and said he would work for food.

We moved all the stands and blocking as there's still some sanding to be done under those areas. Moving the stands is not too bad but there's some pucker factor involved in moving the blocking.

Luckily I have the floor jack from hell and sang the "Big Jack" song . 

"Every morning at the shop you could see him arrive

He stood six-foot- six and weighed two-forty-five

Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hips...Big Jack".

"Then came the day at the bottom of the boat
When a timber cracked and men started cryin'
Chip and Austin were prayin' and hearts beat fast
And everybody thought that they'd breathed their last-'cept Jack"

It worked. We're still alive and the boat is still upright.

Thank you Big Jack.

The little end.

Big projects of long duration are not for everyone.

It can be difficult to keep your focus on where you are at, where you are going and how you're going to get there.  I happen to be one who likes it.  I love the planning, the doing and the great feeling of accomplishment when done.  There are the occasional "I've been sanding this friggin' boat for a month, now it's time to paint" moments.  I have to keep reminding myself that the prep work is one of the BIG keys to success.  The "let's sand it one more time, give it another coat, check it with the Fluke meter, pressure test it" take time but usually pay off in the end.

END... there's a good word.  I learned a long time ago in the construction business that anyone can start a project.  Learning how to END the project is the trick.  For awhile there I was wondering if I had forgotten that part and I know some of you were (are) thinking the same thing.

I'm rambling here but that's OK.  I'm waiting for the rain to stop so I can head up the boat...and I'm retired...and it's my blog.

Another key to keeping your sanity is dividing up the big project into a number of small projects.  Each has it's own planning, doing and end. 

We've done that with Scout.  The teak deck removal, the window replacements, the painting, the thru-hulls, the windlass and on and on.  We've almost worked away through the lengthy list of small projects each finished, done, complete and ended.
This weekend we finished up two biggies that took a lot of planning and doing to get to the end.  The 3000 watt true sine wave inverter added to the boats electrical system is in.  It's complete and works great.  The Simrad autopilot is in, wired, plumbed and steering lines bled. It's complete and works great.

All the planning and doing was worth the great feeling of accomplishment.

I keep telling myself....end + end + end + end + end + end + end +end = END!

It was a really good weekend!

Life After Boat Work...?

As I'm finishing up the inverter wiring and autopilot plumbing the light at the end tunnel is now shining bright.

Friends and family used to ask "When is the boat going to be done?".  Now I'm getting "What are going to do with all your time when the boat is done?".

Short answer is DRINK.

But, that's not entirely true. While, enjoying a nice bottle (poured from a box into a old bottle....shhh..it's our secret) of Pinot Noir while hanging on the hook in a nice secluded cove is definitely in the cards. I can't sit still for long.

Taking care of the farm, house, vehicles and equipment here can be a full time job if you let it. It's not a bad way to spent the day and I enjoy doing this kind of work.

Another but, I have another love (in the expensive hobby category) besides boats -wildlife photography.
I can get consumed in it and have been in the past. Maybe, just maybe, I can go back.

I thought I'd post some of photo's from the past. They were all stashed away on CD's. Hundreds of them. Some scanned from the 35mm days and some from my transition to digital. I haven't look at them in years and really forgot what was where. So grabbed  the first one I came to and popped it in the computer.
As I opened the folders in CD, I found bird pictures. Not the best of the best but representative of the vast majority. Mixed in with the birds were pictures of pets now gone and some friends now gone. It brought back a flood of memories and tears to my eyes. I stopped with the first CD.

Here are some pictures from the past.

Finch on Teasel

Mountain Bluebird

Sandhill Crane

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Dixie Queen

Kitu Puppy

I miss you Dixie and Kitu.