Month: May 2014

The engine ran good, and the boat cruises well. The trailer is another story. The winch is toast, and half the rollers were frozen with rust. I'll figure out my next steps after I sleep on it.

I'm all hooked up, checked the gas tank, and have one good battery so I'm going to give a try putting it in the water tomorrow. Oh, and today I paid the WA sales tax on my purchase. I've never launched such a big boat before, a sequence of steps and techniques similar to RVs. So I've been lurking at the boat launch in PT watching the more experienced folk. One guy had a new boat, never been in the water. He had two friends with him, who have...

One of the first licensees to grow marijuana in Washington was near Sequim, not far from here. There is now a debate on how much they should pay for water. Marijuana is not a water intensive crop, so the requirements are pretty small, since they are growing in their barn. We're not talking acres or sections here. A farm in Sequim pays a thousand dollars a year for water, similar in other communities on the Olympic Peninsula. The Olympic...

The purpose of my boat is to day-trip around the Salish Sea and the San Juans, take some guests out now and then, take the family out for a ride. It's not a live-aboard, nor will I be fishing. Fishers are welcome, but they must come with their own stuff. The previous owner tried to turn his boat into an RV, with amenities like a microwave, sound system, and a bunch of gadgets. Hence the complete re-design of the electrical system. Unfortunately,...

My boat has two battery banks, one with two 6 volt deep discharge "golf cart" batteries, and the other a 12 volt cranking battery. RV'rs are used to this, house and starter batteries. But old boats are not, they are designed for a starter battery that runs gauges and a radio. So how does this work? First, the only practical option for battery charging is the engine alternator. Panels have no where to go, and a generator quits working once it...

The first thing I did today was remove the canvas cover over the rear deck. It was in the way, and I have no plans to use it. Then I took the dinghy and tiny outboard motor off. No plans to use it, but if I do decide I want it it can be thrown in back of the pickup. After hitting my head three times on a microwave oven installed by the previous owner, that thing went out. To operate it there's a Xantrex inverter which is now no longer needed....

I bought a boat today. Bayliner Saratoga, 25 feet. Hull built in 1978. Chev 350 with Volvo Penta I/O Drive, both recently rebuilt. I have some repairs/adjustments/cleaning to do this weekend, so it won't go into the water until next week.

When I came up to the PNW a bit ago I had three things on my list of things to do: Have a 4th grandchild. Check. That was easy. Take a lot at the Chimacum RV park. Check. They'll take anybody with money right now. Buy a boat. Turning out to be not so easy. I started out with some basic requirements. Fiberglass hull, motor, and a trailer. Add the ability to stay warm, make coffee, and have a toilet. Budget? $10,000. Some might question the low...

My birthday and Rachel's birthday always occur near Mother's Day and over the years it's become a tradition to have a big celebration. Friends and relatives kinda liked it, and as the family grew more and more folk joined in. It's a of lot fun, and particularly noteworthy with the infants and toddlers. Kate and Matt's Ada is about two weeks old, and looking great. She didn't like the fuss because we were interrupting her sleep. Chris' neighbors...

He died yesterday, a member of the Nisqually tribe. In the 60's he became a leader in the pursuit of Indian rights granted them by treaty to the fish, shellfish, and wildlife of the lands that were being taken from them. As usual in these cases of our history, he led demonstrations, uprisings, unfortunate incidents, downright violence, jailings, and court cases. The Judge Boldt Decision granted the Indians half the "catch" in all resources given...

Whew. I survived that 2-day heat wave. Back to burning propane for the next week or so. The May Day demonstrations went pretty well. Minor property damage, few injuries, and few arrests. The taxpayer will be on the hook for a handful of unlawful arrest suits, but apparently no injuries. SPD has become very, very, good at dealing with things like this. Preparation and outreach with the demonstrators helps a lot, a completely massive show of force...

"Heat Wave", "Hot" is the way the weather is being described. How hot is it? 83 degrees. But around here, that's something special. And for May 1 it is unusual, perhaps a record. I seem to be coping just fine, thank you. A traditional May Day demonstration is under way in downtown Seattle, to emphasize issues concerning labor and immigration. Also traditionally, some violence and property damage is expected to downtown stores. Destructive...