SO WHAT DID YOU DO WITH OR ON YOUR C-DORY TODAY??

Got the 200 Honda peehole operational again. Ron's Honda and $230 in Soldotna did the trick.
They found the water pump completely fried including the housing. I always run it with the earmuffs when flushing.
I do fire it up dry for about 2 sec. everytime before launching into the surf. I want to be sure it will run as the surf is real unforgiving. That will have to be done only when the lower unit is in the water. Having the water pump crater on a single motor as main power is not good. Yea for kickers.
As an extra they fixed my fuel gauge. Corroded elec. connection. Found that my tank was 3/4 full of last years cheaper fuel. Yeeehaaa.
 
Launched my boat Saturday and tied up in my slip, soon after i noticed some of my electronic's were shutting down. I switched to the other battery and the motor would not start. Brought the boat home and tried charging the batteries but either would hold a full charge,ended up buying two new batteries. The dealer told me one was totally dead and the other was about 75% good.I bought the two Nautilus Marine batteries new in 2010 and charge them every 3 months..dealer said they are made in Southern Ontario but i think they are probably shipped from China and assembled there. Nothing lasts anymore.
 
Got Salty all washed up, gased up and in the water at Cap Sante today. Even got a short but relaxing cruise by Guemes Island this afternoon just to make sure all is ready for our big trip tomorrow. We are both looking forward to this outing and meeting more of the BRATS and seeing more of the San Juan Islands. Let the fun Begin!
 
Today was another Tomcat work day. I replaced both the house and the start battery. Both were the same, lead acid 4D (I thought 8D but when I measured they were 4D). I replaced them with the same 4D start batteries from Dyno (a local, Seattle marine battery manufacturer). 193 A-hrs/ea, 950 CCA. Excess capacity IMHO but they fit the spot. I wound up re-designing the battery hold-downs as the previous setup had a fir 2x4 and that was starting to rot (inevitable). Replaced the terminal connectors, put in the anti-corosion pads and cleaned everything up.

Then I went on to check the rest of the boat out and found that the fresh water pump must have frozen in the winter. A crack in that demanded that it be replaced but fortunately, the boat came with a spare. So I installed that and things seem good to go now.
 
Spend three days cleaning , patching, spackeling and painting the old house so we can rent it out. Also replaced several doors. Been working til 10 every night. Oh i looked at the boat when I pulled in the drive way in the dark last night..

I only write this so you all will feel better about working on you boats because even thought its not boating its not house cleaning either. God I need to fish soon.
 
Launched Widget for the first time this season at our cottage on Frenchman Bay, Gulf of Maine. Had glass smooth water and not another boat insight save a lobsterman pulling traps. Saw seals, porpoises, eagles and an osprey. The engine started on the second try and ran beautifully after being put away without additives, full tanks/empty tanks, carbs full, as has been the case for the past 9 winters. She gets an oil & filter change, fuel filter change and gear case topped off (primarily to see the lube color). I know, I just jinxed myself for next year.
 
Since I'm towing the boat to Tofino a week from today, I wanted to make sure that everything was A-OK on the boat. We towed it up to Everett and launched a little before noon. I tested the new raw water wash down system while on the dock (and in mostly fresh water). Glad I did. Once the system was pressurized, the hose came of the connector and sprayed water in the locker through which the hose is routed. Now I need to figure out a way to get it reconnected and double clamped in a space where there's very little room to operate. Everything else check out OK and is working fine.

We cruised over to Langley and went into town for lunch. Also stopped at the tasting room of a local winery in Langley. The sun came out on the way back and the wind laid down a little too. All-in-all, a nice quick trip.
 
Installed shore power. Blue Sea 1214 30A panel with 2 15A positions. Marinco 30A inlet. It looks great, and the wiring/panel are well out of the way. I might do a thread on this once it's done.

Next is the charger (still haven't picked one), and possibly a marine stereo.
 
Time for some maintenance: New spark plugs, oil and filter change, new fuel filters on the engines, new thermostats, changed oil on both lower units, lubed all lube points, new rubber boot for the engine controls and fuel lines, found a spot on the port engine (the bar the engine pivots around when trimmed up or down), with rust, so cleaned that off, primed it and will paint tomorrow. Need to check one wheel on the trailer as the lube oil is dropping, may need to put a new rear seal on it. And, mounted an AIS antenna, the AIS should be here by Monday. Time for some adult libation!
 
Took a break from Lings and Shrimp and started refurbishing the fiberglass by cutting through the oxidation and waxing.. Boy, that cabin top is tough! Sure looks nice though!
Getting ready to go to Westport, WA for salmon on June 16 and also following weekend 6/23-24. Then back to Puget Sound for crab opener on July 1.
 
Lot of required maintenance, Barry....but it's good to get all that done. Now you have the peace of mind to just enjoy the boat!


So how did it come out, Patrick? Were you able to locate a suitable pad for your polisher?

Tomorrow our new Garmin 18 HD radar unit should be delivered by our friends in the brown truck! I plan on doing the install ASAP, so I can learn how to use it before our Comox trip.
 
Took the tomcat out of the water and cleaned the scum line. Also got a bunch of grease stains out of the splash well. Then I cut out a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to replace the rotten seat bottom on an older garlick chair. The frame is ss, so didn't want to just junk it. I'll use a throw pillow as a cushion.
 
Greetings C-Brats -- apologize for a long entry after a long hiatus, but I think you will enjoy this.

Last Sunday I was out solo revisiting local haunts -- looking at all the boats in the Washington Channel, watching crew races on the "mighty" Anacostia, and cruising the Potomac upstream all the way to Chain Bridge. On my way back from there, just as I slowly passed the Key Bridge, I saw a guy in the water who looked odd - he was holding onto a piece of driftwood and wearing something, but not a PFD.

Me: "Hey Buddy! Are you all right?"
Him: "I'm just swimming here and no one can take that away from me...[babble]...and it don't cost nothing...[babble, babble]"
Me: "Can I give you a lift?"
Him: "Uh...Could you take my shoes? I think they're weighing me down, and I borrowed them and don't want to lose them...[babble, babble]"
Me (pulling alongside): "Sure...but why don't you climb aboard. And what have you got there?"
Him: "These are my important papers...[babble]...and my books... I've got 'em in a milk crate wrapped up in a garbage bag so they won't get wet."

So I get this fellow on board and he's wearing a full-cut synthetic leather jacket that must have weighed 50 pounds wet and he's got a milk crate with soaked, heavy papers inside. His name is Melvin, about 30 years old, and he's friendly and exuberant in a kind of crazy, I've-been-living-outside-on-my-own for-a-long-time, sort of way. He is the first homeless guy I've ever encountered in the water.

He strips down to his underwear and wrings out his shirt, shorts, and jacket as I head over to the Georgetown waterfront dock. All the weekend see-and-be-seen folks' boats are occupying the dock, so I pull up to the space reserved for the commercial tour boats.

Me: "Melvin, gotta get your stuff together -- I can't stay here for long."
Melvin: "Thanks for the lift buddy. I'll get dressed on the pier -- the cops don't like you to be naked around here!"
Me: "Be well Melvin. God's speed."

So off he goes and off I go. 15 minutes later, I am just about at the end of Hains Point, near National Airport, and three emergency boats (police, fire & rescue, and Coast Guard) have passed me with their lights flashing. Over the radio, CG broadcasts: "Pon Pon - we have a report of a person in the water near the Key Bridge. All boaters in the vicinity be on the lookout and report any sightings on channel one-six."

Uh oh.

Me (on radio): "Coast Guard, this is vessel Otter with possible information about man in water at Key Bridge." (CG responds and we switch to channel 22 where I report where and when I picked up Melvin and where I dropped him off.)

Two of the emergency boats came back and took my report. Someone had apparently seen Melvin in the water and thought he'd jumped from the bridge.

But I think he was just out for a swim on a beautiful day. In his coat. With his milk crate. Because, after all, it don't cost nothin'!
 
We have a code for people like that. "220". In Hawai'i they were "Maui Onions" or "M.O." aka in need of a Mental Observation. It's not illegal to be crazy...
 
Yes, Mark. Went to Wesco auto body supply and got 2 pads, one for cutting and the other for polish. They are Schlegel and cutting is black and polish blue. Both made of foam and so far, so good. Lots of work on the top, but the stripe came out great on the brow and sides.
Thanks for the tip!
 
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