SPARE PARTS

I WILL SURELY LEAVE SOMETHING OUT SO FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW OF YOUR ADDIONS TO THIS LIST I AM NOT TRYING TO ACT LIKE AN EXPERT JUST SHARING EXPERIENCES I LEARNED ALONG TIME AGO AS A COACH BEG BORROW AND STEAL IDAS FROM EVERYBODY AND ADD THEM TO YOUR OWN BAG OF TRICKS AND MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU THE OLD TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE IDEA WE KEEP OIL AND A LOT OF IT ON BOARD 15 40 AND 30 TRANSMISSION FLUID OUTBOARD TWO CYCLE FILTERS FOR EVERYTHING IMPELLERS THERMOSTATS PACKING MATERIAL DIESEL SOCKS DISTILLED WATER ANTIFREEZE DIESEL FUEL WD 40 WINDSHILD WASHER FLD BELTS SEPARATOR FILTERS ZINC PLUGS RADIATOR CAP

INGENEOUS INVENTIONS

NEED IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ANYWAY SOME OF OUR GOODIES INCLUDE THE USE OF BUNGEE CORDS TO HOLD A ROTATING FAN UP IN THE WINDOW OF THE FLY BRIDGE ON ESPECIALLY HOT DAYS TO COOL THINGS A BIT NEXT A CARDBOARD BOX WITH A HOLE CUT IN THE TOP FOR THE COMPUTER TO SIT ON ON THE FLY BRIDGE NOT ONLY TO RAISE IT FOR EASIER VIEWING BUT FOR COOLING IT ALSO WE USE THE COMPUTER WITH A PROGRAM PETE HANSEN TOLD JAN ABOUT IT SHOWS THE RIVER OR WATERWAY YOU ARE ON AND A LITTLE REP OF YOUR BOAT IN ITS EXACT LOCATION ON THE RIVER AND THE SAILING LINE WHICH IS THE CHANNEL OR DEEPEST WATER I ALWAYS SAY YOU COULD DRIVE THE BOAT WITHOUT EVER LOOKING AT THE WATER IF IT WERE NOT FOR DEBRIS THAT WOULD SOON END THE TRIP OR AS COACH CALLS THEM TRIP ENDERS WE USE RUBBER COATED CLAMPS TO HOLD THE PAGES OF THE CHARTS THE ATLAS THE QUIMBEYS OUR LOG AND ANY OTHER PAGES IN THE BREEZE FOR THEY WILL NOT LAST LONG IN THE WIND WE ALSO USE A POP CASE BOX FOLDED INTO A SUN SCREEN FOR THE COMPUTER FOR COMPUTERS ARE HARD TO SEE IN THE SUNSHINE TO HOLD THE CARDBOARD IN PLACE WE HAVE A FLEXIBLE PIECE OF COATED ROD THAT WILL BEND AND HOLD SHAPE QUITE WELL JUST FIT IT TO THE COMPUTER EDGES AND PRESTO IT HOLDS THE SUN SCREEN IN PLACE WE HAVE A DIAL ROD ABOUT FOOT AND HALF LONG WITH A RED BALL ON ONE END AND A GREEN BALL ON THE OTHER END SO YOU NEVER FORGET WHERE THE RED AND GREEN MARKER BUOYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE I WILL BET I CHECK THAT ROD AT LEAST 20 TIMES A DAY AND OF COURE YOU HAVE TO CHANGE IT END FOR END AS THE WATERWAYS CHANGE I E GOING INTO A MARINA OR UP A CANAL TO A MARINA JUST SOME FUN THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BUT PEOPLE ARE QUITE INVENTIVE WHEN THEY HAVE TO BE

YAHOO DEMOPOLIS 22 AUG

I DO NOT SAY YAHOO BECAUSE I AM GLAD THE TRIP IS OVER I SAY IT BECAUSE A GOAL HAS BEEN REACHED WE ARE HERE SAFE AND SOUND EXCEPT FOR THE GOOD DOCTORS BIG TOE WHICH HE PROBABLY BROKE AND IS LOSING THE NAIL OFF OF THE DOC AND I RAN THE LAST TWO DAYS WITHOUT COACH FOR HE DROVE MY TRUCK FROM WAVERLY TO DEMOP WE SPENT THE BIGGEST PART OF BOTH DAYS IN BAD STORMS HEAVY RAINS AND ALOT OF LIGHTENING COACH GOT TO DEMOP BEFORE WE DID SO HE WAS HERE ON THE MARINA RADIO BRINGING US IN IN THE STORM VERY CLEVER AND VERY HELPFUL WE BASICALLY HAVE BEEN DOING BRKFST AND LUNCH ON THE BOAT AND EATING OUT AT NITE LITE BRKFST AND LUNCHMEAT FOR LUNCH WE HAVE TO CLEAN THE REFRIG FOR THEY TOLD JOHN THE ELECT IN THE HARD AREA IS NOT VERY RELIABLE CAM DID A GREAT JOBWITH THE LOCKS I LOVE MY WIFE DEARLY AND SHE IS QUITE CAPABLE BUT THERE IS A DIFF BETWEEN A LADY ON THE LOCK LINES AND GUYS WHO WERE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND WRESTLERS CAN YOU SAY MUSCLE NOT TO MENTION NO BROKEN ARMS WHILE WE WERE AT GRAND HARBOR WE HAD DINNER TWO EVENINGS WITH TOMMY WILLIAMS JAN AND MY TOW CAPT FRIEND THE LAST EVE WE WENT TO HIS HOUSE AFTER DINNER AND WATCHED VIDEOS OF TOW DISASTERS WRECKS SINKINGS ETC AND TALKED AND TALKED ABOUT BOATING IT IS SO MUCH FUN YO TALK AND ASK QUESTIONS OF SOMEONE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE ANOTHER NICE GUY AT GRAND IS CHIP LUCAS THE MGR HE IS VERY WELL INFORMED ALSO HE IS HEADED FOR M CITY BOAT SHOW GREAT GUY STOP AND SEE HIM MY ENDING ARTICLES WILL BE ABOUT LOCKING THRU PASSING TOWS ITEMS TO CONSIDER WHEN LEAVING THE BOAT ELECTRONICS SPARE PARTS AND FINALLY OUR INGENEOUS INVENTIONS

TUES 18 09

WELL WE SPENT THIS DAY VERY USEFULLY IT RAINED ALL NITE AND WAS CRAPPY THIS A M SO WE WENT TO THE STORES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU WHICH ONES CHIP HUNG OUT WITH US AWHILE AS DID TOMMY W WE FISHED A LITTLE WORKED ALOT SOMEONE TOLD US OUR SURGES MAY BE THE FUEL FILTER SO WE CHANGED IT WILL UPDATE THAT ONE FOR YOU DRIED OUT THE BOW CUSHIONS UPDATED THE BLOG FILLED UP WITH WATER AND LOAFED GROCERY SHOPPED JAN YOU KNOW HOW I LOVE THAT BUT I DID GET TO MY FAVORITE TOOL STORE DOLLAR GENERAL THAT JOKE IS FOR MY PALBILL WHO MAKES FUN OF MY TOOLS JAN THINKS WE ARE HAVING FUN AND MEETING ALOT OF PEOPLE I HOPE THAT IS GOOD I MISS THE REAL CAPT AND OF COURSE THE NUT OUR DOG PEANUT THIS AFTERNOON HOT AND SUNNY OFF TMORROW FOR MIDWAY ONE OF PETE HANSENS FAVS ENGINE CHECKS DONE AND READY TO GO ENGINE CHECKS INCLUDE OIL CK FILTER CKS LEAK CKS VIUAL CKS TRANS FL CKS FUEL TUBE CKS GENNIE CKS DRIVE SHAFT BOLTS PACKING CK SEPARATOR CKS SEACOCK CKS JUST TO MENTION A FEW PETE TAUGHT ME NEVER TO PULL OUT WITHOUT THESE CHECKS BOB LUSCO DID THESE WHEN I BOUGHT THE BOAT BUT I WAS NOT SMART ENOUGH TO LEARN THEM FROM HIM I JUST LET HIM DO THEM LIKE HE WAS GOING TO DO THEM THE LIFE OF THE BOAT OH WELL LIVE AND LEARN NEVER STOP LEARNING AND MY GOODNESS IS THERE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT A BOAT GOING OUT WITH CHIP AND TOMMY W FOR DINNER OUR TURN TO TREAT THEN WE WILL BE COOKING OUT RIBS STEAKS AND SAUSAGE THE NEXT FEW EVENINGS WE ARE TREATING OURSELVES QUITE NICELY AFTER ALL WE DESERVE IT WELL WAIT A MINUTE I DO I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THOSE OTHER TWO

17 AUG 09

WELL WE ARE NOW HEADED TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE MARINAS GRAND HARBOR THIS PLACE IS SO COOL THE BATHROOM HAS A PLASMA HD TV OVER THE URINAL WITH THE WEATHER CHANNEL ON IT NOT TO MENTION ONE OF THE NICEST MOST HELPFUL GUYS ON THE WATERWAYS CHIP LUCAS EVERYONE KNOWS AND RESPECTS CHIP HE TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS RUNS A TIGHT SHIP AND IS NOT A BIG DEAL GOOD GUY JAN AND I HAD MET HIM BEFORE AT THE M CITY BOAT SHOW AND HE REMEMBERED WE WERE TEACHERS HE WILL BE THERE NEXT WEEK CHIP LUCAS STOP AND TELL HIM YOU HEARD HE WAS A GOOD GUY SO DOWN THE RIVER WE GO DO NOT FORGET THIS IS A RIVER NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT MORE AND MORE LIKE A RIVER THAN A LOCK AND DAM AND THEN ANOTHER POOL OR LAKE UNTIL THE NEXT LOCK NOW CAM IS AN OLD HAND WITH THE BOAT AND ALL IS GOING WELL WE HAVE TO ST OUT COACH ONCE IN AWHILE BUT THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED DOING FINE EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR SHARE AND THE BOYS HAVE NOT REBELLED AGAINST MY BOSSINESS SO WE CALL CHIP AT GRAND AND HE IS OUT TO GREET US AND SO ARE TWO KIDS TO HELP US EVEN THO IT IS POURING DOWN THE RAIN SO I AM CAPT TOM COACH IS COACH AND NOW CAM THE DOCTOR SO COBE WHEN YOU SEE A REFERENCE TO THE DOCTOR THAT IS YOUR POPA OR GRANDFATHER NICE NITE AT JONS PIER A GREAT RESTAURANT OWNED BY A GUY FROM IND WHO IS ALWAYS GLAD TO GET NEWS FROM BACK HOME JIM IS HIS NAME WE MET OUR FRIEND TOMMY WILLIAMS OR LITTLE ED AS HE IS KNOWN AND HAD DINNER WITH HIM HE BOUGHT DINNER AND HIS BUDDY KEPT BUYING CHOC MARTINIS OH HOW I HATE THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS WE ARE BEING TREATED AWFULLY NICE TONITE WE WILL TREAT CAUGHT TWO FISH OFF THE DOCK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE MARINA REALLY NOT FAIR BECAUSE THEY WERE JUMPING OUT OF THE WATER AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS CAST INTO THE ACTION CAN YOU SAY FISH IN A BARREL ALSO COBE POPA BROKE HIS TOE YESTERDAY AND IS HOBBLED STUBBED IT ON THE BOAT THE ONLY INJURY SO FAR HERE IS A LITTLE SPANISH FOR YOU ADIOS PS COACH WON THE FOOTBALL POOL AT THE RESTAURANT LAST NITE 100 DOLLARS TOMMY WILLIAMS HAD PUT US IN THEN BROUGHT THE MONEY OVER TUES A M CAN YOU SAY LUCKIER THAN A ADIOS

16 AUG 09

YOWSER CAN YOU SAY EYE CANDY WE ARE COMING INTO THE MARINA AND THESE TWO SOUTHERN BELLS DECIDE WE NEED TO SEE THE LOCAL SIGHTS SO THE TOPS CAME OFF AND THE DANCING BEGAN WE OF COURSE COVERED OUR EYES AND TURNED OUR HEADS I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE HAD SEEN THAT ONCE IN CHICAGO AND ONCE ON THE OHIO WHILE ON THE TOW BOAT CAPT TOMMY WILLIAMS SAID IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME TO THE TOW A BOATER WE REFERRED TO AS COWBOY SAW US COMING IN AS HE WAS COMING OUT AND YELLED TO ASK IF WE WERE COMING IN AFFFIRMATIVE SO HE WHEELS AROUND AND COWBOYS BACK IN AND IS THERE WAITING FOR US AND DOCKING US WE GAVE HIM THE APPROPRIATE COLD DRINK AND HE LOVED US WE SAW COACH WHO LIVES AT THE MARINA AND HIS LOVLEY WIFE SONJA WHO HELPS RUN IT ALSO THE LOCAL CELEBRITY AND STATE POLITICIAN WHO OWNS THE PLACE NICE NICEFOLKS

15 aug 09

HEY WE ARE BACK HEADED TO CUBA LANDING TODAY CAM FROM FLA IS COMING TO PARIS LANDING TO JOIN US AND TO HEAD OUT FLEW INTO NVILLE AND MET THEIR FRIEND BILL SINCLAIR WHO PICKED HIM UP AT THE AIRPORT AND BROUGHT HIM TO MEET US AND OFF WE GO HAD TO JUMP THE PORT ENGINE BECAUSE THAT POOR BATTERY HAS BEEN BOILED DRY SO MANY TIMES THANK GOD BILL EDSTROM TALKED ME INTO A BATTERY PACK AND I GOT A GOOD ONE A JOB WELL DONE HAD A GREAT TRIP NO LOCKS YET GET TO CUBA LANDING AND GENEVA RUNS THE PLACE AND SHE IS A SWEETHEART AND SO IS JENNIFER WHO WORKS THERE AND WAS HAVING HER 24 BDAY SO OF COURSE WE CARRIED HER HIGH AND THE NEXT DAY I USED MY OLD SMOOTH JAILHOUSE QUESTION ON HER ASKING WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF JAIL THAT MORNING AND OF COURSE SHE WAS SO SWEET SHE THOUGHT I WAS SO FUNNY CAN YOU SAY CORNBALL ALSO HER HUSBAND WORKED THERE AND HE DID NOT APPPRECIATE HER HOSPITALITY AND FRIENDLINESS I E A LITTLE SURLEY SO WE HAD JENNIFER COOK US SUPPER AFTER I ANNOUNCED WE HAD NO PROPANE FOR THE GRILL AND THEN FOUND 4 0F THEM THE NEXT MORNING CAN YOU SAY COLD BEER BUT A FINE STOP PICKED UP SOME GOODIES FOR BILL E UP AND OFF TO CLIFTON