You’re Gonna Just Die When You Find Out What Was Found In This Bilge!
Lurking beneath it all!
Well, just when you think you have seen and heard it all found in the bilge when a classic boat is being restored. Dead rats, snake skins, toys, strange little plastic bolts, and of course missing screws and bolts that you find and wonder where that came off of. But today tops it all. Ready?
Working in the boat
A fellow Woody Boater took his newly acquired Sea Skiff to Katzs Marina. Names being withheld BTW. Anyway, while cleaning out the bilge, Allen came upon this box. YES. THIS BOX.
What? Jimmy Hoffa? is That You?
Oh boy. Yup, it’s somebody. As in Some BODY! Or used to be somebodys body. Right there. Now Allen thought. What the? Is this some sort of dumb Woody Boater bury me in my boat thing. STORY HERE. So? Well, upon further careful inspection, it was empty. OH.. Look in the bilge? Nope.
Where is grandpa? Right there under the deck!
So some calls were made. The box dates 2006. Turns out to be the previous, previous owners boat and they , well, took there pal out for a “Last Ride” and left the box in the boat.
THIS SIDE UP! Says it all.
The Sea Skiff is amazing.
The good news is the box, is being shipped back to the family, and all is well again in Woodyboaterville. And best of all… I have another days story. Its so gonna be a loooong winter.
FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED IN THE RULES REGARDING SPREADING ASHES AND THE EPA CLICK HERE
Personally I feel that his spirit will protect the boat at sea since his final wishes were carried out on her. Good mojo.
Sounds like “Don’t ask, don’t tell ” is a good idea.
That find beats all I have ever seen. Best I ever found were old fishing lures and a well worn 194? walking liberty half dollar that predated the boat.
I was going to guess a foot of snow, but that wouldn’t be too surprising this morning.
I like the story but I was more impressed with Matt’s photoshop skills or did Katz paint his entire shop and boats in it gray? Even the ladder in the fore ground is gray and the skiff is colorized between the rungs.
Jimmy may have skills to work on your boats Matt, but you also have cool skills as well Matt.
It just goes to show you that in fact “Truth is stranger than fiction.”
I have to add that since you have told us that it was Allen that discovered the box, I was never aware that he kept his nails so well manicured.
I looks like Allen got Chris Craft Blue Engine paint on his nails.
Just mix mine up with the last coat of bottom paint.
Just finished a book entitled “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (And Other Lessons From The Crematory).”
In it, I learned we’re all “just gonna die” regardless of what we find in a boat. Or even have a boat. Or have even ridden in or seen a boat. Or know what a boat is.
Shocking, I know.
I thought it was a kilo of coke. Free restoration!
I was hoping for the kilo of coke too….would have been an even more intriguing story !
Yesterday somebody asked about the Sunnyland show. The Sheerline, Sunnyland, news letter came yesterday afternoon and in reading it last night I found this berried in the President’s column. ” A lot of folks have been asking about the March 21-24 Antique Boat Festival and I want to confirm that the event will be taking place in Tavares and there will be docks for in the water boat display.”.”
My dad participated in a ceremony for a friend many years ago. A few boats of family & close friends went out on the river, scattered his ashes & some flowers. Thus honoring his friend’s wish to be cremated & added to the river he’d long enjoyed.
Seems to be more common than we would think. During the infamous trip from Hessel to Port Huron for the International by Alex, Chad, Mayer and myself my parents were in the forward rope locker riding with us. On the Saturday of the show my son came from Grand Rapids and we had the honor of spreading their ashes in the North Channel near their former home where we spent many years running The Flats. It was sad but nice. I think we left a little on Marion E as well.
In the Detroit area there have been 2 funeral homes with ashes that were never picked by the families or the families are unknown. After my father passed away, brothers and I also scattered my his ashes on the Detroit river. Partly because he was born in Canada (eh!) and he also went fishing on the river many times with his friends.
I dug up a rusty can while doing some landscaping at my house in Minneapolis years ago. There was a label on the rectangular can with a funeral home logo, etc. and name of so and so. Yup it was grandma of a previous home owner !
He may have been spilled into the bilge intentionally and cycled out through the bilge pump while under way…… Not a bad way to go if you spent enough hours of your life ‘ In the Bilge ‘ .
My fathers cousin Ruth passed away in her nineties. She was a real old time New England swamp yankee. Loved lobster and quahogs and had a hell of a sense of humor. Her wish was to haver her ashes scattered in her beloved river off the end of her stone pier. When the time come, all family members wandered down to the edge of her pier. Her niece, also named Ruth, said a few words and proceeded to dump the remains into the river. Just as she did, a sudden blast of wind came out of nowhere and most of Old Ruth’s ashes ended up in our solumn faces. Although some made it into the river. Ruth really did have a hell of a sense of humor.
I thought the remains were to be burnt with the boat. I guess this person’s intended destination wasn’t Valhalla.
“This Side Up” great name for the boat.
I added a little of Hank the Plank to my Hacker recently when I put the decks on. He will be out there with me on every boat ride now….new nickname “Hank the KingPlank”
“Hank the KingPlank”
LOVE IT!
Great way to honor his legacy.
Fantastic…Eternally going for a boat ride 🙂
I’m hoping Woody Gal will chime in on Larry Nichols disposal. And I have to say, this is one of the best WoodyBoater threads ever!