Dingy Trip

We too a dingy trip up and down the K’Zoo this afternoon when we finished lunch.  We started up river but it is so low we were soon churning mud – bad news.  After several abortive passages upriver we turned down river seeking Lake Michigan.  We did not make it because SAM started to get too cold and my leg was going asleep.

After we returned to the boat, I ran the motor with the gas shutoff until it ran out of fuel, removed the motor and hoisted the dingy to the forward part of the boat using the winch and SAM guiding the process.

Talked with RJ, Tower Marina owner, and he said the cradle is ready for me to paint and I said we would wait until next spring since I did not want partially cured paint getting on the boat.  In passing he said the cradle was reinforced to support the keel totally with the pads taking up the side loads.  I expressed a concern with the forward keel area that must be supported and he said he would take care of it with the welder.  I consider this the fulfillment of the contract we made with Matt last year if the cradle does not bend like last year and needed block support.

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday was partly sunny and cool.  We went to the Farmers Market in Holland.  There was a surprising amount of goods: we bought veggies and a pint of Maple Syrup.  We ate the beet greens with bacon last night – mumm. After the market we walked downtown Holland and on the way back we stopped at a natural food shop and the Verizon Wireless shop.  I need to upgrade my phone so I can get emails and texts plus limited web – I did not do it since old plan cannot be extended and the new one is $10 per month plus the $ for web access.

Today we may go out in the dingy up river a ways.  This would exercise the engine a bit plus give us a nice diversion for the afternoon – our last Sunday here until next April.  After the little dingy safari it comes out of the water and so does the motor.  Moore later…..