The Last Pullout! A Classic Boat Tradition. Ugh!
Out she goes for the season Photos Bob Kays
It’s that time of year now for most of us in Woodyboaterville. We pulled Suzy a couuple weeks ago, Alex in the header today, last week, and the big pull happened up at Katzs a week or so ago. There are all sorts of reasons that make this happen, The cold weather being the big one, But also , like in Lake Hopatcong, the water in the lake drops down, the days are shorter, in Hessel with Alex I think its the Glaciers start forming.. But I wonder if there is another secret reason?. Your just done with it all for a while. It can get a big old near the end of the season, and your boat is kinda rough from a summer of use.
Ready for her winter home! Katzs marina, Photo Bob Kays
I have often thought that the folks up north have the perfect set up.. A good summer of use, and a good fall and winter of being able to work on the boat. What ever the reason, its always fun and positive to meet in Florida in March. Only 4 months away!
Let the countdown begin! 130 Days!
Wow, 130 days till Dora. I can hear the chicken on a stick cooking now!
Matt, you make a really good point that I have thought about many times. Here in Texas, the boats can stay on their lifts all winter and when that really gorgeous day comes along in December or January, we just flip a switch to lower the boat and off we go. The down side is that our boats often do not get the upkeep like fresh varnish that they might get if we had to pull them out. “it’s in the barn and I can’t do anything else so I might as well put on a few coats of varnish”. Do the folks up north have the perfect set-up? Maybe yes, maybe no. I will post pictures of a perfect boat ride in the middle of January!!
Speaking from a Michigan standpoint, it would sure be nice to “flip the switch, lower the boat and go off for a ride in January or February”. However, I do enjoy the Michigan winters and all four seasons, so I guess I will limit my rides to the other three seasons and varnish in the winter.
Jim – I think I like your program better. Plus you get to enjoy South by South West.
I am hoping you will have a nice day to “flip the switch” in February! Like sometime between the 4th and the 13th.
One trouble with the northern thing is keeping boats in cold storage you only have the spring and fall for upkeep. Makes for a few months of frantic varnishing.
YUP two in storage and two more to do today. Gotta get off this computer and get to it!
Dora! Dora!! DORA!!!
The Mighty Arabian was pulled yesterday. I have to do it under a veil of secrecy because the paparazzi are still hounding me after our big win over Alex’s overdone XK. Oh well…..
The good and bad news is that both my boats and myself are another year older into our antiqueness. The Lyman fleet LOA is up to 103′ but my manitainence bill is up too.
Maybe my winter therapy sessions will help this year with the chronic wood boat madness. They will tell me to stop looking at the wood boat sites if I really want to change.
What? Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
“Germans?”
“Forget it, he’s rolling.”
Germans (?) bomb Pearl Harbor…It must have been a good party last night….Oh well… To my original thought…
Even in Texas…How do you just put the boat on the lift without winterizing it….I know it stays comparitively warm there and here in N.Florida but there is always that one night or two when the temps drop below freezing. Then what ?
Trust!!
I do drain the engines if it looks like it might freeze, which it does occasionally. 5 minutes to open the drains on a K and a little longer on a V-8. With one exception all the drains are petcocks so a quick twist of the wrist!
Ah, Yes! Winter. In Wisconsin, where I live, it was snowing lightly this morning. I met a buddy for coffee at the local Panera and we speculated about winter projects. I have a small shop in a big old barn that is somewhat insulated. I have a small garage heater for my space. I wouldn’t dare run that heater unless I’m there and since I don’t sleep there – it stays cold until I arrive and then warms to 50+ in an hour or so. Not varnishing weather. Hardly CPES or 5200 weather. So I strip and sand on my current project boat and make lists of things to do when the weather warms. And…..it’s fun. Just being there is fun. I often walk in with a cup of coffee and flip on the radio and let the lights warm things and walk around and talk to myself (self-afflicted since joining this cadre of hobbyists) and I feel kinda warm in spite of the temperature outside. Sometimes it is nice to have a reasonably good rationalization for not doing much. When it gets really cold and I know better than to try and burn the cold off – I stay home and go back thru my collection of materials on the boats I’ve owned….or desire. I dream a lot. Even standing – I dream a lot. When the time comes, I’ll get to work. Then I’ll probably get a little overwhelmed about how much there is to do. But – hey, its all a part of it for me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t like the cold and snow – but is seems it gives me a measure of relief and a change of venue that I really need. If I need a boat ride in March…..its only 103 days away. And a few miles south.
You paint a beautiful picture, and I cant wait to retire and do the very same thing.
Today we are all holding our breath to see what our first snowstorm will bring, here west of Minneapolis.
I’ve seen the weather forecast for your area and northern Wisconsin. I’m not fully retired. I still work part time even at 72. But I work to support my lifestyle and I’ve taken the attitude that at this age I can do what I can and tell anybody who disagrees to go FTS…………………..
Jack that is a perfect description of how it goes.
Nicely done.
One other thing I do when working on American Beauty is play the complete album American Beauty. I think it soothers her and makes her feel at home. (I know it does me.)
Best of both worlds here in Seattle – the small boats are all tucked away for their long winter’s nap, (and freshening up as time allows) the big boat stands at the ready in the marina for that calm, clear winter morning or afternoon cruise with family and friends when the moment is right – or as a quiet place to sit, dream and plan the next project.
In the meantime, the darn yard’s a mess, it’s raining and the leaves are not all off the trees yet! Later.
… Guess I’ll go out to the shop for a while…
Oh what would a coonass do in the winter if he lived up north and couldn’t launch a boat. It would only take about 1/2 of a day and seveearl adult beverages and he would come up with some new ideas. After he has fought the urged to move south it would probably go like this.
a trip to the lumber yard. Then off to the barn. He’d make sure the snowmobile or 4- wheeler was running. Then with the 2×2’s 2×4’s and 1/4″ plywood he bought a screw gun and skill saw he would turn the snowmobile or 4-wheeler into his rendition of his favorite wooden boat. Topping it off with salvage chrome parts left over from other boat projects. Of course a many adult beverages would be consumed in this process just to keep the body from freezing of course.
Then he’d ride it over to his buddies house and they turn his snowmobile 4-wheeler into a Frankenstein with the help of may more adult beverages. Then they would go to another buddies hope and repeat. And sometimes in mid January all 6 of them would head to the lake stopping at the liquor store and stock up for a mid January ride!
Steve
p.s. I’m glad I don’t live up north. I’d get arrested!
Can I come down and hang out with you for the winter?
Come on down. I stocked up just incase we get thirsty! But look what I found in the back of the freezer when I was taking out stuff for the WB Christmas party! It’s nice and cold. Well I’ve started with the deer bombs (tenderloin with cream cheese rapped with bacon) but I’ll wait on you to make the shrimp bombs.
See you soon
Sorry out of order
One. More time
If your truely living the life style….. It is never over…. It’s the journey not the destination! Strip, sand, bleach, stain, varnish, paint the bottom, paint the water line, pin stripe and repeat, then repeat, then repeat again and remember “no pain no gain”. And that includes the wallet!
Matt, when is the virtual WB holiday party? Is the rumor true that the chicken on the stick will be substituted with bacon wrapped around a mini hot dog?
Usually tarnishing gets done when I’ve run out of every other excuse to give my wife for not cleaning the basement or strip wallpaper or whatever and I actually need to show her I have something important to do. Last year after 50 coats (maybe a slight exaggeration) she got wise and hired someone for the wallpaper. I wonder what project she’ll hire someone for this year?
That’s varnishing , DARN autocorrect.
A suggestion for your replacement wallpaper… Will this work Rick?
Ha. My wife, the home stylist, would kill me if I ever put that thing on our bedroom wall.
Probably just as well. If I awakened in the night and sleepily looked to my left, I’d probably jump out of my skin, seeing a boat bearing down on me.
No, it ain’t over — we are going fishing tomorrow!
Winterized yesterday with a little help from Commander Coop.
Rick – If your wife gets to pick the new wallpaper, do you get to pick the new furniture?
If you don’t remember the Germans bombed Pearl you’re either pretty old or pretty young. Fortunately, I’m right in the middle. I got it and it was damn funny.
In CT, haul out is ongoing. My 24′ CC Lancer came out early due to a blown head gasket. So the work begins finishing up that resto project(99%), my 67 CC Corsair Castaway(80%), and my newly acquired CC Lancer Stinger(0%).
Boat nirvana. The anticipation of a new project, the excitement of finishing an ongoing project, and when I’m sick of those I can enjoy a scotch and a cigar on the 24′. Life is good when you’re busy enough to not see the world falling apart.
As it turns out, fat drunk and stupid is a good way to go through life!
I do believe you’ve nailed it mate.
Our last day on the water was during the last week of October. It was a beautiful autumn day, but freezing temps were predicted for the days following. The lake level had already dropped several feet from summer pool, as you can tell by the brighter layers of rocks along the shoreline.
The lower water level caused problems loading, as only a very narrow strip of the launch ramp went deep enough to support the trailer. Had to back it in three times to find a spot where the wheels did not fall off the ramp underwater.
Eau! Canada is now safely in its winter home, ready for the spring, and hopefully a trip to Lake Hartwell in April.
Not done here – did about 50 miles today – maybe the only thing California still has going for it is the weather – 80 degrees today!
another shot
Hey Alex! Where is the boat ramp in the header photo today? We missed that one during our visit this summer.
That was in Petoskey, KW. I had brought Marion E back with me to get in a few fall rides closer to (winter) home. Turned out to be a great move. We launched her 3 or 4 days straight, and took groups out each time. Gorgeous Indian Summer memories and plenty of photos to capture the moments.
Most years I pull my 22 Sportsman around Christmas. There are always a few nice 55-65 degree days to fill the boat up with champagne and friends for a “end of season ” cruise. One year we had four “end of season” cruises; no one complained.
This year a leaky water pump and a smoking alternator (they are related) will put an end to the season early. I plan to pull her this week. I feel like I am giving up early.
This season I put 400 miles on her in the first six weeks, I have not added the miles for the season up yet. Our weather here this summer was fantastic; very Michigan like (I boat in the humid Chesapeake) and without any jelly fish (a first in 17 years I have lived here) to interfere with our swimming.
Now for a strip, stain, and varnish….