Good morning brats!
It's a cold and frosty Sunday morning here in northern Ohio and Marcia, my veterinary internist wife, is headed off to do MRI's on an Explorer full of dogs (a human facility lets her bring in dogs on Sundays when they are closed) and I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee, two Airedales sleeping at my feet and I'm feeling creative, so bear with me.
I had to take Valkyrie to a boatyard in Vermillion, OH last week to have a wiring problem scoped out. The wire from the battery charger went to an accessory switch rather than the charger-labeled switch and when I would throw the charger switch, the batteries got nada. The guys there were good, found the problem in a few hours and added a neat digital voltmeter with a toggle switch so I can check out battery condition and charging status.
When they called to let me know that the boat was done, they asked if some people could ask me questions about C-Dory's. No problem!
It was classic. We haven't had Valkyrie a year yet, but I know that you verterans out there know the drill. I like using those certain lines that get a good response, especially from those with big floating second homes that seldom leave the dock. Two couples fit that profile.
Line number one, "It gets on plane at about 10 knots." Both pairs executed the required response- synchronized head turning to spousal unit with look of amazement. Olympic quality timing for both.
Line number two, "Cruising at about 15 knots uses less than three gph." Excellent response: eyes open wide and synchronized jaw dropping to waist level. One guy's timing was off so he lost style points, but lower jaw to knee level got him extra points for effort.
Oh, yeah, they prompted the previous comment when one wife queried, "Where's the GPH meter?" You gotta love it.
I understand that at least twelve people stopped by to see the boat during the five days that it was there.
Do any of you cringe when you hear, "It's so cute"?
Spring Fever, I've got it bad. It seems like every minute of the last 2-3 weeks has been obsessing about the boat, Lake Erie walleye fishing, the East Coast Gathering in June and related issues.
I've been pouring through the Defender, West Marine and Boater's World catalogs, working out plans for a shelf under the galley and drawers under the helm seat, trying to select a new inflatable and anything else to stave off the shakes associated with Spring fever.
Yes, I even fire up the Wallas and have lunch in the boat in the driveway. I've even considered sleeping on it at night, but I think the neighbors are starting to talk, especially the old lady across the street with the binoculars.
It's a cold and frosty Sunday morning here in northern Ohio and Marcia, my veterinary internist wife, is headed off to do MRI's on an Explorer full of dogs (a human facility lets her bring in dogs on Sundays when they are closed) and I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee, two Airedales sleeping at my feet and I'm feeling creative, so bear with me.
I had to take Valkyrie to a boatyard in Vermillion, OH last week to have a wiring problem scoped out. The wire from the battery charger went to an accessory switch rather than the charger-labeled switch and when I would throw the charger switch, the batteries got nada. The guys there were good, found the problem in a few hours and added a neat digital voltmeter with a toggle switch so I can check out battery condition and charging status.
When they called to let me know that the boat was done, they asked if some people could ask me questions about C-Dory's. No problem!
It was classic. We haven't had Valkyrie a year yet, but I know that you verterans out there know the drill. I like using those certain lines that get a good response, especially from those with big floating second homes that seldom leave the dock. Two couples fit that profile.
Line number one, "It gets on plane at about 10 knots." Both pairs executed the required response- synchronized head turning to spousal unit with look of amazement. Olympic quality timing for both.
Line number two, "Cruising at about 15 knots uses less than three gph." Excellent response: eyes open wide and synchronized jaw dropping to waist level. One guy's timing was off so he lost style points, but lower jaw to knee level got him extra points for effort.
Oh, yeah, they prompted the previous comment when one wife queried, "Where's the GPH meter?" You gotta love it.
I understand that at least twelve people stopped by to see the boat during the five days that it was there.
Do any of you cringe when you hear, "It's so cute"?
Spring Fever, I've got it bad. It seems like every minute of the last 2-3 weeks has been obsessing about the boat, Lake Erie walleye fishing, the East Coast Gathering in June and related issues.
I've been pouring through the Defender, West Marine and Boater's World catalogs, working out plans for a shelf under the galley and drawers under the helm seat, trying to select a new inflatable and anything else to stave off the shakes associated with Spring fever.
Yes, I even fire up the Wallas and have lunch in the boat in the driveway. I've even considered sleeping on it at night, but I think the neighbors are starting to talk, especially the old lady across the street with the binoculars.
