With a stop in Lake Park, GA to check the mail at my PO Box (I needed my driver’s license for GA) did I tell you I lost my wallet; that was the last thing I was waiting for!
Well not quite we had to stop at Crum’s and get a duplicate copy of both our FL fishing licenses because I keep hers and mine in my wallet!
We moseyed into C-belle around lunch and while the wife and boys went in to Pirates to order lunch I prepped the boat for launch and called Tide-Dancer (Chuck) to see if he’d drop off the Cannon downrigger I was buying from him. He did and helped launch the boat for me. Said he really like her and that he used to work for Hydra Sport Way back when
. Anyway had lunch (last one ever BTW, Pirates closed its doors that night!) and headed out the river to a stiff east wind and nasty bay chop after getting the trim tabs right and reconnecting a fuel line that somehow popped off the starboard motor we headed out towards the back of Dog island to test systems. Vhf Radio check, bilge check, GPS was on and working fine, Live well and wash down uncheck! No motor noise and fuse blown!! Think I may have burned her out on dry land!! Depth finder Check! The old Furuno looked good and we ran her a little to see how she would handle the mixed up chop!! No problem she eats that stuff up!! Smooth ride soft landings on any real rollers. Then we decided to see how she’d drift. Little rocky at first with tabs up, but once I lowered the trim tabs she sat pretty stable! I decided to go look at a little honey hole since it was like 300 yards away. I wanted to really find out how the Furuno would show any structure. I got close to where I thought our numbers were (never did get any of my numbers download before I left) so I was going by sense of smell hehe! Advantages of being a geographer spatial recognition on a chart or map is a given.
We found some structure and marked it then drifted through with some trout /rods rigged up with 1 once weights and a hook (I had almost NO tackle on board and lucky my wife is a RN and had a pair of surgical scissors in her purse to cut braid with). We had picked up a ¼ bag of old cigars from the freezer at the trailer in Lanark, I had left in there last time down and used those for bait. Celeste quickly put the screws on a little gag @ 16 in and then we concentrated on getting my youngest Josh one. After much fussing and complaining he landed a 18 in gag and couldn’t believe that little fish pulled so hard! Well time was pretty much up, so we gave the last cigar to Sterling my oldest and he got the drag stripped and line popped in about three seconds after putting down so that was the end of that. Ran to the hill ,got her on the trailer first try and we headed home. Made it back to the house around 7:30. My Daughter missed a great trip spending the weekend at a friend’s instead, I would have love to see what her turn on the rod would have resulted in; she’s is like her Momma and lands the monsters.
Here are some picture of the work in progress I placed the Electronics box (more neet than in the pictures) where the white template paper is. Celeste redid all the cushions in the cabin and the side bolsters I will try and take more pictures of the stuff completly later this week so stay tuned! Thanks Chuck for the ingagural launch help and Tom W.
for the great clean up she sure has looke pretty in the yard these last few weeks
Box was in bad shape so I had it powdercoated!! I highly recomend Armor Powder coating in Remerton (Valdosta)
box before
after with my wiring mess in it
Bow cabin cushion and bolsters
After Celeste got done with them!!!
hard top needed a little spruce up...
After
will get more pictures of the electronics and box mountin later!!
Glad you got there and back safely. Good inaugural.
