Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The Great Dinghy Caper

Sunday: Met our neighbours, Paul and Mary. They’ve been cruising on their boat, Sea Otter, since ’94 – the last 4 years non stop. They are giving it up for a while, selling everything and moving back to Texas. Their dinghy is VERY attractive. Ours sucks. It’s weird, though, because the previous owner has a strange affinity towards it. On our first night, under the influence of his party, he offered $1000 to buy it back. He even offered to trade the motor for a newish Honda 15 HP 4-stroke. We have dinghy lust.

This is a beauty - only 1 year old
This is a beauty - only 1 year old

Monday: Had dinner with some of the longtime dock people. They go to the Bahamas in the winter and summer here. Up to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti, pizza, etc. Nice people. They make this whole adventure seem do-able. Good connections.

Tuesday: Took Paul and Mary shopping. Of course we bought nothing… HA! Paul has a Port Buyer discount card at West Marine so our $750 purchases were only $500.



Putting in the new stereo
Putting in the new stereo

Wednesday: Took Paul and Mary down to Venice to take their stuff to a marine buy/sell place. He sold some stuff that we will die for later on in our travels… but we don’t know what we are going to need. We’ve bought his dinghy, a hand-held radio, a head pump, and a propeller for the outboard. They’ve given us all kinds of stuff – oil change pumps, little electrical parts, etc. Our previous owner really wants the dinghy, so we have agreed on a price and Glen told him he would get it to his house. Glen pumped it up, dropped it into the water and got ready to run across the river to deliver it. He had to be quick because it was leaking from some significant cracks in the fiberglass bottom.

A piece of sh*t as my dad would say!
A piece of sh*t as my dad would say!
The motor quit part way out of the marina and Glen was rescued by Paul, with our dinghy-to-be. We need to get it back to the owner and get our money before it sinks. We are talking about a 10 foot Apex rigid bottom inflatable with patches on the patches. The motor has to be an early 80s vintage Johnson. Our new one–to-be is one year old with a 7 year old Yamaha 15 HP. Quite a step up. The old one is back on our davits and we will deliver it tomorrow.


New dingy=good, old dinghy=bad
New dingy=good, old dinghy=bad

We had appies and rum punches down the dock with some folks from the Italian Dinner night and listened to their stories of winter in the Bahamas. None of these people have homes… other than their boats. Different.

1 comment:

  1. I have just read ALL your writings Glen; loved every entry-you really should consider writing as your next means to making a buck or two, you're a natural! Sounds like you two are on yet another great adventure, we'll live vicariously through you, OK?
    Be safe, continue to squeeze every moment of joy out of the day- on your Blue Pearl! (Good name, easy to remember and identify!)

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