Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Final days and winter storage

Our final days in Solomons were spent getting the boat ready for winter storage on land. The engine and generator had to be serviced and all filters changed. General boat clean up and then deciding what to leave and what to take home to Florida with us. By now most of the crab boats have either left or been converted to oyster boats.






To convert, they add the mast and the giant hydraulically operated claws to gather the oysters from the bottom.








Here is the haul from the same boat on 2 different days.


Today the 11th of Oct. we just had to go across the creek to be hauled at Washburns Boat Yard. That morning the wind was blowing pretty good and we had a long fairway to get down to the lift with boats on either side but we made it.






In the slip with the lift.



And we are out!



Off we go after a good pressure wash.









Back in the yard to the the spot she has occupied for the last several years.



The frame for the shrink wrap.


On it goes!


Sealing it with a blow torch.

The final product. It took 1 guy about 4.5 hours to complete. He will keep an eye on it over the winter and fix it as necessary.


Our original plan was to depart the 16th but we finished up early and will leave the 15th. Our plan is to drive northwest to meet the Skyline drive in the Shenandoah Valley and head south on it and the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chattanooga and on to Joe Wheeler park in north western Alabama for the fall rendezvous of the Great Loop Cruisers Association. We will be back at the boat the middle of April 2013.

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