Back to Solomons

After a most enjoyable stay at the Corinthian Yacht Club we got underway yesterday morning, Wed. the 29th and headed back to Solomons. It was a rocky ride after departing the Potomac and getting into the bay. Waves were 2-3' with 15 knot winds. Quite a few waves broke over the bow splashing over the windshields. Ann did a great job driving on.

This is Point no Point lighthouse on the west side of the bay. We had the whole yacht club to our selves the last few days. Monday night we had dinner on the dock and watched the sunset. We also got to explore the creeks by dinghy one afternoon.

Now that we are back we are starting to plan our next trip. We have time for another 5-6 day and an overnight anchor somewhere. We plan on hauling the boat the second week of October and leaving here by car on the 16th to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway down to Chattanooga and then to Joe Wheeler Park in northwestern Alabama for the Great Loop Association fall rendezvous before heading home. 

Work and more work!

A lot has been going on since the last post obviously. May, June & part of July were spent working on the boat. Inverter problems, steering problems, replacing all the batteries, trying to figure out all the wiring and plumbing as well as many more small things. Ann arrived on June 11th and has been thoroughly emersed into boat life. Thankfully she loves it. We've done 4 or 5 short trips of a couple of hours each to learn the handling of the boat and for me to practice close quarter maneuvering with 1 engine.

 Finally everything has come together and we made our first overnight trip down the bay to the Potomac River and in about 5 miles to Smith Creek. Here is the home of the Corinthian Yacht Club, a beautiful place.

We left Solomons on Friday the 24th of August. It was a 4.5 hour trip down with nice conditions. We are on a T dock just below the club house. All the facilities are very clean and well kept. Yesterday, Sat., they had a Luau which is why we came here. The food was great and we danced the night away. Everyone is very friendly and you feel like family here. The property has 3 covered docks and 2 open docks. Also 5 cottages and rooms upstairs in the club house.

Today has been a lazy Sunday. We went out for a short boat ride with some of the members to return in the pouring rain. Did I mention it has been raining off and on since yesterday morning. Tomorrow it is supposed to be nice again and we'll head back to Solomons.

We launched on Mon. the 30th. Completed the survey on Tue. the 1st. We did a training session on Wed. and had a little champange to celebrate. Today, 3 May we signed all the paperwork and transfered the funds so as of today, Charis is mine. Fulfilling dreams!!

Finally in Solomons, MD

I arrived yesterday the 26th during a rainy afternoon. It was great to see Larry & Joan and of course Charis. We didn't get much done yesterday but did get one coat of bottom paint on today as well as sanding the boot stripe. Tomorrow early we will do the second coat to the bottom and try to get one coat on the boot stripe depending on weather. It has been a great day!

Yeah!!! The sale of Knot a Lot is complete. We closed on Tuesday the 17th and the new owner left for Jekyll Island, Ga. on Wednesday. I'm now focusing on Charis. I will drive up to Solomons MD. and take possession next week. I'm shopping insurance now and have the out of water survey completed. We expect to launch on April 30th and complete the survey on May 1st.

Still working on Knot-a-Lot

This week I had Knot-a-Lot hauled for a bottom job and had the hull compounded and buffed. I got word today of another offer coming in for all cash. Hopefully this one will go through.

Ft. Lauderdale Trawler Fest

I just finished a 2 day diesel engine course with Bob Smith, the developer of the Ford Lehman engine. Yesterday we spent the day on theory and how a diesel engine works. Today we took the engine apart and then reassembled it along with re-torquing everything, adjusting the valves replacing filters and bleeding the injector pump and the injectors. This afternoon we moved it out to the parking lot, hooked up fuel & water and it ran!! Lots of fun and a real confidence builder.

Sale falls through

Well we went all the way to the closing day on Knot-a-Lot and then the buyer backed out. He did lose his deposit which the brokers and I split. At least it gives me a little money to cover expenses. By the way, he gave me his survey which was excellent with only 8 small items to fix. I did 4 of them before they left that day.

Charis

This is Charis, a custom built 42' Pilothouse Trawler. She has a Brunno-Stillman hull and the rest was built by Larry and Joan Ropka over a 7 year period. She was launched in 2007 in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. They cruised her to the Chesapeake and then over the next few summers up the Hudson and through the Eire Canal and some of the Canadian canals. I will take possession in May 2012 when we put her back in the water.

Knot-a-Lot

This is the old boat, a Carver 406