There are some people who sniff contemptuously and say that year round summer is all very well but they'd much rather live where there are seasons. These are of course the same people who end up groaning about all the snow and mud that precedes summer. They are welcome to it. I know spring has sprung because my skiff is back at my dock behind my house:
Snowbirds like to use their boats during the winter because, poor things, they know no better but the waters are cold, 70 degrees or so (19C) and winter winds ruffle the waters all the time. Far better to haul your boat and devote your time to riding a motorcycle, boating is for the summer months.
The hassle is getting the boat ready, and because I leave my 14 foot Dusky in the water all summer long I paint the bottom with anti fouling which requires sanding first, a foul job, and then painting which is almost as bad. Bottom paint is monstrous expensive as it contains copper but I got a couple of tins at sixty percent off this year. It was red which is a bit bright for my taste, but needs must and I slowly covered last year's black leftovers:
Luckily I won't be seeing this view too much this summer except when I'm swimming and then I shall cheer myself up by remembering the deal I got on the red bottom paint...
The other rite of spring is changing all the little fiddly bits that make the engine go. I skipped the impeller this year but I may do that later. I did clean the starter which was giving me fits last fall, and I spent a happy hour trying to get the brushes back the way they came out without losing any springs or breaking any wire connections. 
Eventually it went together and so far the electric starter seems to be working...for now. Luckily my experience with boats is such that I like to go small and simple where possible and three years ago I bought a 25 horsepower Yamaha with a built in pull start so my back up is ready to use any time electrons let me down. And they will, believe me, around salt water electricity goes walkabout all the time. I put my tools away, cleaned up the clean up:
And towed the trailer down to the community launch ramp at the end of the street. That's quite the round trip when I'm on my own. It's a bit like ferrying the wolf the lamb and the cabbage across the river. First I tow the boat to the ramp. I leave the car in the lot after the boat is the water. Then I drive the boat down the canal to my dock. I get my bicycle and ride back to the launch ramp. Then I secure the bike to the boat trailer and drive back to my house. Then I park the empty trailer:
I give it a fresh water rinse, park it for the summer and rejoice in the knowledge that my boat should be ready to give me six months uninterrupted service:
The only problem is that spring has sprung in Florida and that means honking winds are sweeping the islands, as they do until calm and thunderstorms come with the advent of summer. So I have yet to take the boat out into Newfound Harbor for my first swim of 2009. Call me fussy (and I'm sure the winter visitors would) but I hate swimming in rough water. It's not easy coping with Florida's seasons, but we struggle on.
Snowbirds like to use their boats during the winter because, poor things, they know no better but the waters are cold, 70 degrees or so (19C) and winter winds ruffle the waters all the time. Far better to haul your boat and devote your time to riding a motorcycle, boating is for the summer months.The hassle is getting the boat ready, and because I leave my 14 foot Dusky in the water all summer long I paint the bottom with anti fouling which requires sanding first, a foul job, and then painting which is almost as bad. Bottom paint is monstrous expensive as it contains copper but I got a couple of tins at sixty percent off this year. It was red which is a bit bright for my taste, but needs must and I slowly covered last year's black leftovers:Luckily I won't be seeing this view too much this summer except when I'm swimming and then I shall cheer myself up by remembering the deal I got on the red bottom paint...The other rite of spring is changing all the little fiddly bits that make the engine go. I skipped the impeller this year but I may do that later. I did clean the starter which was giving me fits last fall, and I spent a happy hour trying to get the brushes back the way they came out without losing any springs or breaking any wire connections. Eventually it went together and so far the electric starter seems to be working...for now. Luckily my experience with boats is such that I like to go small and simple where possible and three years ago I bought a 25 horsepower Yamaha with a built in pull start so my back up is ready to use any time electrons let me down. And they will, believe me, around salt water electricity goes walkabout all the time. I put my tools away, cleaned up the clean up:And towed the trailer down to the community launch ramp at the end of the street. That's quite the round trip when I'm on my own. It's a bit like ferrying the wolf the lamb and the cabbage across the river. First I tow the boat to the ramp. I leave the car in the lot after the boat is the water. Then I drive the boat down the canal to my dock. I get my bicycle and ride back to the launch ramp. Then I secure the bike to the boat trailer and drive back to my house. Then I park the empty trailer:I give it a fresh water rinse, park it for the summer and rejoice in the knowledge that my boat should be ready to give me six months uninterrupted service:The only problem is that spring has sprung in Florida and that means honking winds are sweeping the islands, as they do until calm and thunderstorms come with the advent of summer. So I have yet to take the boat out into Newfound Harbor for my first swim of 2009. Call me fussy (and I'm sure the winter visitors would) but I hate swimming in rough water. It's not easy coping with Florida's seasons, but we struggle on..................................
We were mad to risk it but we went out one windy afternoon and here's an update: the waters were warm and the waves smooth. Our first swim of 2009 was delightful. Not a snowflake in sight and still it was refreshing and invigorating.
17 comments:
Very nice tutorial - sort of. We are at the beach most of the summer and rarely (unless family is in town) in the winter, so I agree with your summer is for boating (and beaching!) statement.
Good luck with our seasons, I enjoy the lack thereof.
Beaching yes in Ft Myers. I used to like riding down to the beach real early and having that incredible long strand all to myself at dawn (before the shell pickers and tai Chi experts came out).
Woke up this morning to snow on the ground in NE Pa........but in 4 wks I'll be down enjoying your spring.
Ever go to Lover's Key in the morning? Manatee's will school around you at the beach.
Dear Smug Scungilli:
I drove up from Washington, D.C. (to just outside of Philly) this morning at the crack of dawn. According to CNN, the temperature at the Beltway was 38 degrees. (It did not feel that cold to me, but they will walk around wearing coats and scarves, fearing frostbite, in the Capitol at that temperature. I pulled away in a short-sleeve shirt.
Shortly after I crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, about the town of Oxford, Pa., I noticed the fields and the roofs of the farm buildings were covered with (GACK!) snow. Had I been on my bike instead of in my truck, I would have worried about wet spots on the road that had an insidious shine to them.
I am an avid reader of this blog, and have come to admire the rugged Conchs, who go through life diving for sponges and quarters thrown from cruise ships. Then I read the line about the boat tied up at the dock at the back of the house. Naturally, the rest tha goes with it is implied: crabbing of the dock, fishing of the dock, cigar smoking and drinking off the dop, topless swim parties off the dock...
I get the distinct impression that the rustic, simple life in the keys is somewhat overstated. I am coming down to see for myself.
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads
No, we drink sundowners if we feel like it off the back deck, because the view across the dock is rather limited. We do get to see the occasional brazen topless pelican wandering the flats looking for dinner. My wife and I have arranged to take fishing lessons this summer as a way to find food. As a pastime it rates very low on my scale of things to do for fun. Swimming on the other hand is a valued afternoon activity. I shall try to take pictures in the height of summer without trashing my camera.
I live in Bozeman, Montana, and once took a lovely vacation to your beautiful island.
For perspective's sake, I want you to know I will be going snowboarding at Big Sky for the final weekend of the season Friday through Sunday.
I will think of you as I descend from 11,166 feet.
(Love the blog. Keep up the good work.)
"Conch is traveling with a WOLF, a SHEEP and a BAG OF CABBAGE . . . He gets to a river he must cross and has a boat that only allows himself and ONE animal/ object to cross at a time.
He CAN'T leave the wolf with the sheep because the wolf would eat the sheep and he CAN'T leave the sheep and the cabbage since the sheep would eat the cabbage.
He can only go back and fourth with ONE THING at a time....
what shall Conch do....?
***Remember **** at either side of the river he CAN'T leave the Sheep & Wolf or The Cabbage & Sheep together alone . . . "
I think you should leave your car where it is and ride pillion on the back of Jack's new Russel day-long seat, with the heated seat switch. It would be a sight to see
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Yes, which you snow bound Canuks will never get to see. Go and rob a bank because your government for once isn't slavishly imitating ours and your banks are solvent.
We've only had our boat in the Keys for the month of January, in '07, and there were days that the waters were so ruffled (I love that description, Conchscooter!) our little 22 ft. center console couldn't tolerate the terrain on the open water just outside of the canal behind the house we rented. But for one glorious month it was absolute heaven to just walk out the back door and about 50 ft. further step down into our boat and lazily troll down the canal to the Big Pine channel and then "out front" for some lazy cruising and fishing whenever we got the urge (which was every day the winds laid down). Seasons be damned! I could get used to that without a hint of a problem. I envy your life in the Keys, Conchscooter! (Maryland sucks, quite frankly.) And I'm a great fan of your blog.
KWBound a.k.a. Deanie
The funny thing is that the feeling of really enjoying access to the boat doesn't wear away or get boring. Which surprises me. And this year, as an extension of vegetable gardening I am going to knuckle under and learn properly how to fish. Which could mean year round boating if I don't haqve to actually get wet.
Kudo's to you on the fishing! Florida Fisherman is at most libraries is actually a good mag for learning tips and tricks.
Learning how to fish means one will also learn how to cook the fish in new ways (not always true, but seems to be a semi-natural conclusion).
Also, one would think learning to clean them is a good point too (this is assuming you don't know already).
Good luck and enjoy, some tasty swimmers our there in your waters.
"I am an avid reader of this blog, and have come to admire the rugged Conchs, who go through life diving for sponges and quarters thrown from cruise ships."
I can personally attest to the fact that Conchscooter still dives for quarters thrown from cruise ships but he has ceased diving for sponges as the economical downturns allegedly being corrected by the abomination have adversely affected the sponge market driving the average price below 2 cents a ton. So the Conchscooter has been forced to increase the hours he spends at sea diving for the loose change tossed from cruiseships and has increased how far out to sea he takes his wooden skiff.
I highly recommend packing up the family and heading south to witness the situation first hand. Despite all appearances, he loves visitors, meeting strangers to dine on local cuisine, and might even carry you out and teach you how to dive for quarters.
I have heard a few reports that he has been seen diving in local fountains for spare change as well.
-Peace
Life is tough in Key West and we are all practicing for the Great Depression Two by learning to clean fish, tug our forelocks and kow tow to the bail out banksters when they come down for vacations from their tax haven hideouts.They will be the only people left who can afford it. Long Live Goldman Sachs! We peasant are parcticing the salute daily.
The Great Poo Bah has his vessel floating again.
ANY anti-fouling paint at sixty percent off is a damn good price!
Ask me how I know, color doesn't matter, only the results.
As to others experiencing a taste of winter, it is now about minus 9 degrees Celsius in places here in southern Ontario. South is only a geographic term, sadly.
And yes we've had more than our fair share of snow this past week.
Somehow I don't think snow is finished with us, yet. Nor winter.
The roads are once again covered with a layer of ice-melting salt. We need more rain.
And anything electrical will corrode and mess up faster on the water even more than on terra firma. Saltwater is even worse.
The snowbirds float their boats in the winter because they figure your winter is their summer, I think.
"sides a motorcycle is always available as a contrary device.
Now did you think of putting a tow hitch on the motorcycle?
I do not ride a Gold Wing (Lead Welly) unlike some Canadians we know of, thus I do not a tow hitch. Sniff.
My friend just partd ways with his BMW motorcycle. It rode in the back of my pickup more than any bike I have owned. I was going to recommend a trailer hitch for his bike, just on the FRONT!
-Peace
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