At long last, Blewtooth gets a new bottom coat!

HOORAY!!!!

I finally saved enough money to get my little Tiger hauled and painted.








I found some damage from when Blewtooth and I decided to kiss a rock in the Savannah River one day. As I recall it had happened on my first trip back out to Tybee Roads and there was almost zero wind. We had turned around with the tide at the mouth of the Savannah and made it a liesurely sail back up the river when the wind died completely. I was feeling too lazy to crank the motor up yet so, because it was such a calm day I let my guard down and started chatting with my guest on board as I let Blewtooth just drift along. I'd had a drink or two and after spending so much time outside I had become stupidly relaxed. Suddenly I heard an ever so slight THUNK! I jumped up and looked up to see the "WARNING...Rocks" sign looming above the bimini. We were next to the Elba Island Cut which crosses the Savannah and then jogs just a little to become Fields Cut going north. I was glad my guest weren't paying too much attention and didn't realize that I could have just holed the boat if we had been going any faster. Because I didn't feel much and or it wasn't too loud I felt like the damage if any would be slight (except to my pride) and I was right. However, "slight" winds up being over a hundred bucks when you are in the yard!




It hasbeen over 4 years! But at last she is clean and painted with two coats of Pettite Trinidad.



I don't like ablative paint because of the bad experience I had with Pettite Ultima on Narenba.

Nowshe'll be sooo much smoother and faster!!!

Ready to Splash!

Well, after all of that hauling and expensive yard bill, she was put back in the water and I was ready to motor her back up the creeks and through the bridges to her dock on Whitemarsh and wouldn't you know it; the Tohatsu 9.8 finally decided to take a huge crap! I shouldn't complain too much because it has been a very faithful little engine up until the last couple of months. I think it might be because of this ethanol in the gas. I had to clean the carberator in the spring after it stalled out and there was allot of jellified gunk in it.

At any rate, I have taken it to the shop and they say it will be at least two weeks, maybe three before they can order the parts needed ie..water pump kit and probably another carb kit and install them. I am just replacing the water pump because I think I should after five years of service but am concerned that there might be allot of corrosion in the water jacket because of all of the years it was left mounted on the back of the boat with very few freshwater flushings.

I am now going to have to pay for her docking at the boatyard/marina docks as well...ouch!! but at least I will be able to hang out on her and do some cleaning. Also will be nice to tie up next to cruisers and their boats again for a change.

I have done little sailing and am worried about this hurricane season as every boater on the SE coast is. We have been lucky so far and am praying our luck holds yet another season.

Not much else is new.....but ....OH by the way, I did manage to get my Coast Guard Captain's license while rotting here in port. So, with Blewtooth with her new bottom and reworked engine I hope to get back out there again soon!

All the best and happy sailing,
Rocko

Here are a few more links:

USGS Georgia Water Science Center

I recently read the new book about Wanderer by Eric Colonius
Interviews with Wanderer and Clotilde survivors

Archive boat data from Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales

Small boats, long distances... sailFar.net