Busy, busy month
It all started with us having a few bareboat charters lined up this this year through ABC Yacht Charters. Thrilled about that (it helps us a lot when KJ helps pay for herself – this is our current reality, plus she’s really fun to share with people who appreciate her beauty), we planned all sorts of ways to spend the money – about 3x over.
Then came the phone call Saturday morning at 7:30 am – the chartplotter was acting strange and not working. We had checked her out to the charter clients the afternoon before at 3pm and everything was working fine then. Of course my thought was that it must be user error (though it seemed odd, given the fact that they seemed like pretty smart guys). Up to Anacortes, only to discover that half the screen was blacking out, the machine was just cycling over and over without booting…yeah, it was clearly done.
Enter the new, sexy, and only $6K Mr. Raymarine e120w:
We got it installed as quickly as we possibly could & sent the guests on their merry way into the San Juans and Canada. Then I had to spend the next week listening to Brock who was jonesing hard for his new toy. Nothing like buying your man the most cutting edge tech toy you can – then giving it to someone else for the first week! We’re both glad to have it onboard though and it will be worth it in the long run (even though it was NOT on my list of how to put the charter money back into KJ).
Then came the next charter. We had a two day reset in between the charters (it was going to be three, but we encouraged the guests to take an extra day in exchange for the inconvenience of the failed electronics – I’m glad it worked for their schedule) and headed off into the islands to clean and polish the boat.
The above picture was not part of that plan.
The steel rudder on this 59 year old vessel was filled with oil back in 1952, presumably to decrease corrosion in the interior. All well and good, until she develops a tiny leak on the top trailing edge of said rudder…and threatens to leave oil slicks wherever we go. Clearly not an acceptable situation.
So we got her out of the water STAT. Yay to the guys at La Conner Maritime Service – Mike and crew made it the most pleasant hour I never hoped to spend hauling my girl out of the water. Mind you, we were now three hours prior to the next charter and I should have been fluffing the comforters and putting chocolates on the pillows — not holding my finger in the hole that Brock drilled in the rudder to drain out the 25 gallons of oil that was inside.
It was the longest day I can remember in a long time. We were exhausted when it was over, but I had to agree when Brock looked at me and declared “Together, we are unstoppable.” We can both work our asses off to get an emergency handled.
There were a few restful and relaxing moments prior to that $700 expense (again, not on my list for how to spend charter money, but that seems to be how emergency funds go – there’s always something that comes up!).
The islands were beautiful as always and we are looking forward to our own week of cruising in the Gulf Islands, just the two of us, in September.
experience
Great post as usual Jamie! what a shame about the unexpected expens? but then its a good nvestment for the future! I can certainly appreciate Brocks excitement at getting a new toy :o)) have a great holiday !when you get KJ back of course :o))