It paid off!

[BrentJones]

Well, not a huge pay off, but I decided to put off winterizing my boat for a few weeks in hopes of atleast one more warm day of boating. Today it touched 80 degrees at LOTO, and even read 84 on the car thermometer at 5pm when we left! It was such a pleasant breeze cruising on calm waters without a cloud in the sky! I can rest assured this winter that I maximized my boating season for 2006. :thumbsup:

 

[thunderbird1]

BrentJones: Your story is an inspiration -- thank you. Here in the great state of Washington we've had our share of rain (read flooding) the past few weekends. Additionally, the Columbia River has turned the color of milk chocolate and smells like mud. Entire trees and other large debris are floating down the river (plus lots of stuff under the surface you can't see). I'm holding out for a November weekend similar to what you describe. Good things come to those who wait?

 

[chuck1]

Way to go. :thumbsup: Looking forward to a poker run on Lake Lanier this Saturday. It hit the mid 70s here today, I just hope it holds through the weekend.

 

[waterlogged]

A man after my own heart :smt038

We're shooting for 2 or 3 more days (this weekend) up here. Temps today were around 70 -- next Monday's highs in the 40s. My philosophy is simple; I'm paying for it if I use it our not, and if there's still water in the lake, I'm using it :grin:

 

[Stray Cat]

At my river location it was mid/lower 70's the last two days - today there is a winter storm watch with up to 7 inches of snow in the forcast. I'm so glad to be on the blocks indoors :thumbsup:

 

[PMvdb395DA]

I'll wait till the temp really going to be a problem for a longer time, and winterizing has to be done.
Maybe I can have some nice boating days!!

 

[Nehalennia II]

BrentJones: Your story is an inspiration -- thank you. Here in the great state of Washington we've had our share of rain (read flooding) the past few weekends. Additionally, the Columbia River has turned the color of milk chocolate and smells like mud. Entire trees and other large debris are floating down the river (plus lots of stuff under the surface you can't see). I'm holding out for a November weekend similar to what you describe. Good things come to those who wait?

T-Bird, I'm sorry to say that I secumbed to the weather and am winterizing as we speak. :smt021
This rain is nuts..Stay dry, watch for the dead heads

 

[Gunn]

I too put it off and was able to get the family out this past Friday on the Veterans days observed day-off. We had lunch floating in a new creek we had never been to, and being that the Potomac River was beautifully calm, we made it out to the Chesapeake Bay for the first time! So now we can say we've done it; always more to explore. :smt001

Maybe the weather will cooperate and I can squeeze another one in??!

 

[Skip]

We ventured out for the final weekend 3-5 November. Two overnights, and the temperature dropped into the low 30s each night. The 420's two heaters worked superbly, and we ran up and down the river in 45 degree weather with the aft enclosure up (no CO problem with diesels) and were quite comfortable....shirtsleeves only at the helm with the salon thermostat set to 75 and the cabin door open.
I winterized the fresh water system, shower sump and heads on the 5th. This past Saturday I winterized the rest of the boat--trannies, mains, gen set, and A/C units, while a buddy washed and waxed her from the rub rail up. Definitely a two advil day, just from all the bending and contorting around the engine room. When time permits I will post all that I did to winterize and the lessons I learned along the way. End of season report: 147 hours on the mains, 165 hours on the gen set, and save for a first day temp spike back on April 1st (and subsequent replacement of starboard main T-stats) it was an absolutely spectacular, trouble free, and thank God safe, summer aboard. Love the 420 and the Cummins power. Interesting note..in 147 hours of running, each main used less than 1 quart of oil, with a steady cruise RPM in the 2100-2200 range. Gen set used no oil that I could tell, and the ZF 280 Series IV trannies barely discolored the 30 weight they use.
More to follow on winterizing the big girl.
regards
Skip

 

[Gunn]

Cold

We ventured out for the final weekend 3-5 November. Two overnights, and the temperature dropped into the low 30s each night. The 420's two heaters worked superbly, and we ran up and down the river in 45 degree weather with the aft enclosure up (no CO problem with diesels) and were quite comfortable....shirtsleeves only at the helm with the salon thermostat set to 75 and the cabin door open.

Yea, go ahead and brag! :wink: That sure beats me closing the bow window and stuffing flotation cushions below it down to the floor to try keep the wind out of the cockpit on our return trip near dusk this past weekend. Both my girls were wrapped in a beach towel, laying underneath the passenger set glovebox area, out of the wind as best they could. I think we could really use a cuddy or cruiser...

But, I guess I get you back in the effort in winterizing.... :huh:

Tom

 

[BrentJones]

Re: Cold

Yea, go ahead and brag! :wink: That sure beats me closing the bow window and stuffing flotation cushions below it down to the floor to try keep the wind out of the cockpit on our return trip near dusk this past weekend. Both my girls were wrapped in a beach towel, laying underneath the passenger set glovebox area, out of the wind as best they could. I think we could really use a cuddy or cruiser...

But, I guess I get you back in the effort in winterizing.... :huh:

Tom

You think cuddy or cruiser now, but don't forget the warm thoughts of cruising in your open bow on sunny summer days with the wind blowing through your hair and the sunshine on your face!

 

[Gunn]

True...

True, true, very true. :thumbsup:

 

[Skip]

Hmmmm...
When I was struggling to keep the POS ragbotes off of the 420 during TS Ernesto, I suspect you guys were safe and sound on your trailers....when I am putting 250 gallons of diesel in the tanks at $2 something a gallon for a $700 fill up after a weekend of running, I have probably equaled your seasonal fuel bill. It is all good. We all have the boat we need for our specific requirements. Now, if I could figure out how to wax the big girl in the time it used to take me to do the 22' Supra inboard we had in 2004...................
regards
Skip

 

[sbw1]

Skip, It sounds like you got the mechainicals on the 420 under control. It's nice to get the stuff above the rub rail cleaned and waxed before you store. That's my least favorate part of the boat to detail. The hull is easy by comparison. We put the tiara in the barn 3 weeks ago. I'll start waxing it above the rub rail in February and then rub out the hull and wax that in mid April just before it goes in the water. SBW

 

[boatrboy]

Well, not a huge pay off, but I decided to put off winterizing my boat for a few weeks in hopes of atleast one more warm day of boating. Today it touched 80 degrees at LOTO, and even read 84 on the car thermometer at 5pm when we left! It was such a pleasant breeze cruising on calm waters without a cloud in the sky! I can rest assured this winter that I maximized my boating season for 2006. :thumbsup:

I am GREEN!