Work’s done and heading north!

Sorry for the absents for so many months but this working for a living get’s tiring. For the last 2 months I’ve been on a 7 day a week / 12 hours a day work schedule. That’s the bad news the good news is a lot of “stuff” got done to the Goose. Here’s a few of the changes to the old girl.

New wineglass box for Anna

 Re-chromed the ports (all eleven of them)


fresh from the chrome

Anna waxing the new ports

Rebuilt the fiberglass top to the dodger

Replaced the old “rusty’ porthole screens with fiberglass screens

Galvanized the 2nd anchor chain and both anchors. Upgraded the main anchor to a 110 lb monster!

 

And lots of deck repairs

 

 
 
























Rebuilt out cabin heating system

 

New dinghy I’ve named “Anna’s folly” (long story)
New batteries and upgraded to 1000+ amp hour storage capacity

Rebuilt the FW water tank
Replaced the radio, TV, added more LED lights
Upgraded the main bilge pump to a 3600 gph monster
Rebuilt the FW water tank

We didn’t get the whole list done but this year we did take a big bite out of several of the big projects that were on the list. Tomorrow Anna takes the pink car and heads to Ky. to see the kids, grand kids and the great grand kids. The next day my friend Ralph and I will start north to the Chesapeake Bay for a short cruise where we will leave the boat for the next couple of months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captains report

Well folks, I’ve went and done it.

The owner of this marina asked me if I would like to become an operator of their ‘Tow-boat U.S.’ boat that they have.  Deaton Marine runs the local franchise for Tow Boat U.S. and John asked if I’d like to take a week of sevice calls for the Franchise. I replied "sounds like fun!" The only hitch is that I would have to get my USCG Captain’s license. They agreed to pay for the cost of the course so I signed up for the next set of weekend classes at World Wide Marine Training.

Where I spent a month of weekends

For the next 4 weekends I sat and took notes about the different types of lights on ships, sound signals in fog, how to plot courses, take a 3 point fix and hundreds of other bits of knowledge that a captain needs to know. Then, after 5 tests, a CPR/first responders course, mandatory drug testing, another physical, going to another city to obtain a Home Land Security “Twic” card, 3 personal references from friends and a detailed list of all of my time on the water for the last 20 years… I was left with a pile of paperwork that stood over a 3/8 inch high! It’s amazing that anyone can become a captain when you have to jump through so many hoops to become one. Oh, did I mention the cost? Never mind, I don’t want to embarrass myself. Anyway, the entire packet has been sent off to the USCG for approval and in a month or so I should find out if I’ll officially be granted a Captain license or not. Stay tuned!