ON THE ROAD AGAIN

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING YOUR BREATH JUST WAITING FOR ANOTHER BLOG YOU MAY BREATHE AGAIN FOR HERE WE GO ....THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ALL THE JOBS THAT ARE AWAITING AT DEMOPOLIS ALA...I HAVE THEM DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL TAKE THREE VISITS TO THE BOAT TO GET THEM ALL COMPLETED...ONE SET IN NOV...THE SECOND SET IN MARCH AND THE FINAL SET AFTER THE BOAT IS BACK IN THE WATER IN MAY...THAT IS THE THINKING AT THIS POINT ANYWAY..REMEMBER IT IS A LABOR OF LOVE..BUT IT ALSO IS VERY DEPENDENT ON THE WEATHER AS JOHN AND I FOUND OUT IN AUGUST... THE WEATHER AVERAGES ARE 67 AND 41 FOR HIGHS AND LOWS FOR NOV.....MAR 68 AND 43...MAY 83 AND 58......NOVEMBER SEES US FINISHING THE BOTTOM WORK ..CHANGING THE OIL AND FILTERS..DOING A LITTLE ANTIFREEZE WORK..CLEANING AND PREPING THE DINGHY..SETTING UP THE HEAT LAMP FOR THE ENGINE ROOM ALONG WITH A THERMOSTAT TO CONTROL IT..CHECK THE BATTERIES..THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A VERY BIG LIST BUT ...IT IS....NEXT IN MARCH WE WILL WANT TO DO THE FOLLOWING ..CHECK THE ANCHOR AND VHF RADIO..TAKE THE HEAD PUMP OFF THE MASTER HEAD AND REPAIR OR REPLACE..REPLACE ALL 3 ZINCS IN THE ENGINES AND GENERATOR...DO THE SIDES OF THE BOAT BUFFING AND WAXING...THEN IN MAY.CHECK AIR CONDITIONERS AND IDLES.THEN FINALLY TRY TO GET THE SURGES UNDER CONTROL...THANX AGAIN FOR READING TOM

WHERE TO NEXT

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO THINK AND DREAM AND INVESTIGATE THE NEXT TRIP...I ONCE HAD A GUY TELL ME YOU CAN NOT TAKE THESE TRIPS WITHOUT PLANNING FOR A YEAR...WELL PLANNING IS IMPORTANT BUT YOU CERTAINLY DO NOT NEED TO PLAN YOUR TRIPS FOR A YEAR......HAVE SOME OPTIONS AND EXPLORE THEM IN OH SO MANY WAYS...READING..SENDING FOR INFO..ATLAS..CAR..INTERNET..CHARTS...BOOKS...ETC....JUST THINKING OUT LOUDAND WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE REAL CAPTAIN...THE OBVIOS OPTIONS FOR THR NEXT TRIP WOULD INCLUDE.....THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER FOR IT IS RIGHT WHERE THE BOAT IS AT DEMOPOLIS...IT SEEMS TO BE A REMOTE ADVENTURE THAT IS AT LEAST 130 MILES WITHOUT FUEL OR FOOD..IT IS ALSO SUPPOSED TO JUST BEAUTIFUL...BEING ON THE WATER IN YOUR BOAT ENJOYING A TRIP IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.....ALSO ON FURTHER DOWN THE TOMBIGBEE TOWARD MOBILE BAY IS THE ALABAMA RIVER IT IS SAID TO BE EVEN MORE REMOTE THAN THE BLACK WARRIOR....THE BLACK WARRIOR GOES UP TO BHAM AND THE ALABAMA GOES TO MONTGOMERY ...AS YOU GO UP THE BW YOU WILL PASS THRU THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIV OF ALA....THE THIRD OPTION IS TO EXPLORE A LITTLE OF MOBILE BAY...I SAY A LITTLE BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT HURRICANE SEASON WHEN WE WOULD BE DOING THIS BUT OUR INSURANCE INCREASES DRAMATICALLY WHEN WE ENTER THE WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO.....TWO OTHER REMOTE OPTIONS WOULD BE TO GO TO MOBILE BAY AND HANG A LEFT ONTO THE INTERCOASTAL TOWARD FLA OR GANG RIGHT TOWARD NEW ORLEANS AND TEXAS......SOUNDS LIKE FUN AND JUST PLAIN OLD BOATING ADVENTURES .....STAY TUNED....... THANX...... TOM

NOT SO OBVIOUS ...BOATING ITEMS

I MAINTAIN TWO LISTS FOR OUR BOATING TRIPS ..THE LISTS ARE OF ITEMS TO TAKE TO THE BOAT FOR THE TRIP...ONE LIST IS THE DUH LIST THAT BEING ITEMS YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY TAKE...THE OTHER LIST IS ITEMS YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF UNTIL YOU NEED THEM AND THEN IT IS TO LATE....SUCH ASSTAMPS AND ENVELOPES..A PHONE BOOK AND AN ATLAS...MAGNET.. SPRAYS FOR BUGS MOSQUITOS AND WASPS..CALENDAR..EXT CORDS..WATER SHOES..L SOAP..HEAD TO TOE FIRST AID SUPPLIES..GLOVES..NEEDLE AND THREAD.. ROPE..RUBBER BANDS.. FLASH LITES... BATTERIES AND A BATTERY PAC..CHARGERS...TWEEZERS AND CLIPPERS...THANK YOU FOR READING TOM

YOU WILL LIKE THIS..TOW LINGO

YOU WILL LOVE THIS...THE LANGUAGE OF BOATING AND OF RIVER BOATING IN PARTICULAR IS SOMETIMES MORE CONFUSING THAN IF YOU WOULD JUST SPIT IT OUT IN PLAIN OLD SIMPLE ENGLISH......IF YOU ARE MEETING A TOW COMING AT YOU ...YOU CALL HIM ON THE RADIO AND ASK HIM WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO PASS HIM...HE WILL SAY ON THE ONE WHISTLE... OR...HE WILL SAY ON THE TWO WHISTLE...THE ONE WHISTLE IS PORT TO PORT... THE TWO WHISTLE IS STARBOARD TO STARBOARD.....BELIEVE ME THERE ARE OCASSIONS FOR BOTH ..BUT COULD WE NOT MAKE IT A LITTLE HARDER....O.K......YOU GOT THAT NOW GET READY FOR THE OVERTAKING A TOW FROM BEHIND...CAPT WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO PASS YOU ...ON THE ONE WHISTLE OR THE TWO WHISTLE.....ONE BEING ON THE INSIDE AND TWO BEING ON THE OUTSIDE....CONFUSED...NOT ME...I HAVE IT WRITTEN ON MY HELM....ALONG WITH A KNOTS TO MPH COVERSION....AND AN EXPLANATION OF ...RED RIGHT RETURNING....WHICH MEANS IF YOU ARE GOING TOWARDS WHERE THE WATER CAME FROM OR ORIGINATED FROM...YOU ARE RETURNING...HENCE ...RE RIGHT RETURNING....OR ON THE OTHER HAND YOU ARE GOING AWAY FROM THE ORIGIN OR YOU ARE GOING WITH THE CURRENT...THE RED WOULD BE ON YOUR ...LEFT...NOW IS THAT NOT SPECIAL....SO MUCH FOR THE EASY STUFF THANX FOR READING...TOM

MARRIAGE SAVER

I WANT TO TALK SOME ABOUT LOCKING THRU AND THE DEVICE REFERRED TO AS A MARRIAGE SAVER.....JAN AND I WERE AT AQUA HARBOR LAST YEAR VISITING WITH A FELLOW BOATER WHEN HE TOLD US OF THE M S ....YOU HAVE A LINE THAT IS PERMANENTLY ANCHORED AT THE CLEAT ONE THIRD OF THE WAY FORWARD OF THE STERN CORNER OF YOUR BOAT...IT IS TIED TO THE COMPORABLE CLEAT ONE THIRD OF THE WAY BACKFROM THE PULPIT....THE LINE HAS A PERMANNENT LOOP IN IT...GENEROUS ENUFF TO ALLOW EASY PLACEMENT OVER THE MOORING BIT....COACH CALLS THEM MOORING BITS I CALL THEM BOLLARDS...BOTH ARE CORRECT...THE LOOP IS IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE TWO CLEATS...NOW BEFORE I GO ON REMEMBER THE LOCKING RULE ......ALL LOCKAGES ARE TO BE UNEVENTFUL....ONE TAKES THE LINE OFF THE FRONT CLEAT AND SLIPS THE LOOP OVER THE BIT AND THEN THE LINE EITHER GETS TIED BACK TO THE FRONT CLEAT OR LUST WRAPPED UNDER IT AND HELD...HELD QUITE EASILY WITH ONE HAND EITHER WAY THE BOAT IS UNDER CONTROL AND THE LOCKMASTER MAY BE NOTIFIED THE BOAT IS SECURE...........NOW YOU ARE READY TO APPROACH THE LOCK WITH A RADIO CALL TO THE LOCKMASTER SEEKING LOCKAGE UP OR DOWN WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE......HE WILL RESPOND TELLING YOU TO GO TO CH 13 OR 14 TO GET OFF OF 16 THE EMERGENCY CH....HE WILL THEN INFORM YOU OF HIS PLANS FOR YOU....COMING ON IN OR WAITIN AWHILE......ALWAYS BE NICE FOR IT IS SAID THEY ARE A TIGHT GROUP AND CAN CALL AHEAD OF YOU AND MAKE YOUR LIFE MISERABLE AT THE NEXT LOCKS....GO IN WHEN TOLD TO DO SO...THE CAPTAIN MUST MUST GET THE BOAT CLOSE ENUFF FOR THE MATE TO GET THE LINE ON THE BIT ...SO THE CAPT WILL ENTER THE LOCK WHEN THE GREEN LIGHT COMES ON AND THE HORN SOUNDS......AND YOU ARE OFF TO THE RACES......BE SURE TO STAY SECURED TO THE BIT UNTIL THE LOCKMASTER SOUNDS THE HORN TO RELEASE YOU .....AND THEN THANK HIM......THANX FOR TUNING IN SEE YOU AGAIN SOON

THE BOTTOM AND THE END OF THE TRAIL

WELL I AM SO SORRY I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO POST FOR AWHILE AND I AM SORRY I HAVE NOT POSTED THE LAST TWO ENTRIES PROPERLY FOR I SEE THEY ARE NOT COMPLETE....HAVE NO IDEA WHY...BUT I WILL SOON HAVE THE REAL CAPTAINS HELP AND THINGS WILL GET BETTER....THE BOAT IS OUT OF THE WATER AND THE BOTTOM IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN I HAD EXPECTED...A FEW SMALL BLISTERS ACTUALLY ON THE SIDE WITH NONE ON THE BOTTOM.....SOME GELCOAT SHOWING ON THE VERY FRONT WHERE IT CUTS THRU THE WATER....AND SOME GELCOAT SHOWING ALONG THE MID LINE OF THE BOTTOM AND JUST A FEW OTHER SPOTS....BUT NOT BAD....SOME WORK TO DO BUT NOT THE END OF THE WORLD....KATHY AND ERIC CAME SUNDAY WHILE JOHN TOOK CAM TO BHAM AIRPORT ...WE COOKED OUT SOME GREAT ST CHARLES BURGERS AND THEN TOOK A BOAT RIDE AND A DINGHY RIDE COMPLETE WITH ERIC TOM AND CORINNE SWIMMING WHILE COLE AND COACH TALKED FOOTBALL AND KATHY RESTED HER RECENTLY OPERATED ON FOOT.....FUN DAY.....I THINK THE GOOD DOC FROM FLA HAD A GOOD TIME BUT WE SURE HAD OUR HANDS FULL THE LAST TWO DAYS WITH SOME STORMY WEATHER COMPLETE WITH LIGHTENING AND ALL.....A GOOD FUNNY ONE IS WHEN WE ARE COMING INTO DEMOPOLIS HARBOR ALL THE STORM THAT HAD FOLLOWED US ALL DAY HAD FINALLY CAUGHT US SO I AM ON THE RADIO TO THE DEMOP HARBOR FOR SOME HELP COMING IN....GUESS WHO IS ON THEIR RADIO GIVING ME INSTRUCTIONS....I SAID WHO IS THIS AND THE VOICE SAID THIS IS COACH COOK..VERY SURPRISING BUT VERY REASSURING.....HE HAD TOLD THEM WE WERE CLOSE AND THEY LET HIM BRING US IN ON THEIR RADIO...SEE HE HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK TO DEMOP TO MEET US ON THE FINAL LEG OF THE JOURNEY....EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE AND A STORY...JUST FINDING THE TIME TO DO THE ENTRIES IS A JOB...AND JAN IS SO MUCH BETTER AT IT THAN I AM BUT SHE DOES NOT GO TO THE COOLER AS OFTEN......THANX FOR READING LET ME HEAR FROM YOU

SUNDAY AUG 23

WELL YESTERDAY WE TREATED OURSELVES VERY NICELY WE WALKED AROUND THIS PLACE LOOKED AT THE BOATS TALKED WITH SOME FOLKS WHO WERE DOING THEIR OWN REPAIRS MET UP WITH THE TWO GALS JOHN AND I HAD MET AT PARIS LANDING THEY ARE SAILBOATERS AND QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE YOU MAY RECALL JAN AND I WERE VERY PLEASED FOR ME TO HAVE MET THEM BECAUSE ONE OF THEM GREW UP ON CHESEPEAKE BAY AND KNOWS IT LIKE THE BACK OF HER HAND SOME DAY WE WANT TO GO THERE AND KNOWING THESE GALS COULD BE VERY VERY HELPFUL I THINK THEIR NAMES ARE HEATHER AND JENNIFER BUT I ALWAYS FORGET WHICH IS WHICH ONE WAS WORKING THE BLISTERS ON THE BOTTOM OF THEIR BOAT AND THE OTHER WAS CHANGING A TRANSMISSION FLUID DELIRERY HOSE ON THEIR CAR CAN YOU SAY QUITE CAPABLE LADIES CAM OR THE DOCTOR HAS TO FLY OUT TODAY BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN SOMETIME IN THE MEANTIME JOHN AND I WILL VISIT HE AND HOLLY AT HIS FISHING CAMP IN YANKEE TOWN FLA HE HAS A GREAT SET UP AND ABOAT FOR FISHING THE GULF OF MEXICO AFTER WALKING AROUND AND DOING SOME ODD JOBS ON THE BOAT WE GOT THE DINGHY DOWN AND WENT EXPLORING UP THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER AND GUESS WHAT IT WAS EXACTLY AS HAD BEEN ADVERTISED BEAUTTIFUL BUT SIMPLEY