After lurking here for about a year, I finally signed in, and started asking questions, and looking at boats for sale. I too, found I was number ?? on the list, and they would call if I got to the top. Well after about 8 months, I found one, and was number 2, and waited and it was even in my state. Finally got the call, it was sold ---- again. At least Larry had the decency to call me. Some owners never called back. So I was still looking, and at one time I was on 4 different lists. Then one day just taking the long way home went past a long cul-de-sac and there was a covered boat in there, but the shear stripe showed, and it had the C-Dory lap strake hull. A quick U-turn and find the house is up for sale, there is no one around, there is a washed off 3x5" card on the spare tire carrier, unreadable except for a capital "F and then over a ways, what looked like an "L and E". I pulled the cover loose enough to find the "C-Dory" inside. The side logo was not there, but it was a C-Dory.... Easy, call the realtor listed on the sign and it should be easy to make contact with the owner. WRONG, The realtor was really interested until he found out I did not want to buy the house, just the boat. He would not give me the owners name or contact info, and was not interested in any way to help me. Believe me it took some digging. I canvassed the neighborhood, looked for city or county records and got nowhere when friend at church suggested I contact another realtor that he knew who could help me. I did, He did and I made contact with Dorie, the widow of the owner, Jim. It was his 34th boat and he had passed before he even got to do his dream trip which it was fully (almost) outfitted for a fishing trip to Alaska. The first thing when I got to talk with Dorie was that I wanted to send her a check, over-night express, so she knew I was serious, and would be first in line to buy the boat. I took a bit to convince her, but it did, it worked and I finally drove the 5 miles to where Jim's Dorie was, and brought it home. It only had 80 hours on it. The Yamaha out board engine warrantee was transferable and good.
For me it wasn't the miles, but the wait, that was so long. (At the same time I found my boat so close, there was another C-BRAT in Alaska that found his, in Florida. I think we had the longest and shortest transports at close to the same time.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
