Boat Bum

We spent some time on the lake this weekend (both Saturday and Sunday) with Friend Jeff and Gail Force; and it was good time too. (There were a bunch of other friends on the boat over the two days as well; Bill, Ann, Joel, Sharon, Mark, Thor and Ulli.)  Winds ranged from 12 to 20 knots with gusts touching 30 once in a while. The lake lumped up with nice little rollers and white caps, we tossed spray off the bow and down the deck, and generally romped around the lake with other die-hard boats bashing upwind and then flying back down. (Gail Force clocked 8+ on the gps for extended runs off the wind - reminding us of why someone thought up the idea of a sailboat in the first place!)

While on one of those fliers with Deb and I standing in the companionway enjoying the ride, she allowed as this was really all she wanted... to be a boat bum.

"Good news," I replied. "We are burning through cash like we have some, Kintala is broken down and tied to a pier, she has bits and parts scattered everywhere waiting to get fixed, with plywood in her ports and dock line knots taking permanent shape.  Pretty soon winter will arrive and we will be down in her salon huddled around a space heater trying to stay warm (with the bath house a cold walk away in the middle of the night), and we are begging rides from friends to get out on the water. If we are not boat bums yet we are getting mighty close."

Once upon a time I was a respectable man...

Actually that's one of those descriptions that is pretty close to true without being very accurate, and we both got a chuckle out of it.  Kintala is on the injured reserved list at the moment, but that isn't terminal.  We are bumming boat rides but there is nothing particularly new about that - I'm always bumming boat rides.  And one of these days I suspect people will be once again bumming rides off of Kintala. 

With the flying schedule slow this week we are going to take an extra few days and concentrate on actually working.  I hope to pull the v-drive come morning and get it shipped off for overhaul.  The hatches should be back from paint next week along with new glass.  Building them up for install will start soon.  The new head is on the boat.  (Still in the box but on the boat!)  I spent most of today putting another coat of teak oil on all the deck wood, getting it ready for the harsh winds of winter.  (More jaw work done last week is slowing me down this weekend.  I'm good for sitting on a boat working sheets or standing at the helm.  Upside down, elbows deep in the bilge?  Not so much yet.)

But you know, I really am looking forward to being a boat bum some day.