So, this afternoon, temps in low 80`s, off work a little early. Called the Admiral, "Let`s go out"! She`s always ready, we met at home, load the truck, away we go. At the marina, hooking up the trailer to launch, I`m looking around, checking the wind. It turns out to be dead against us, we will be motoring out a long way to get to the wide river. This turns out to be a good thing.
In 15 minutes we are motoring out Frog Mortar Creek, headed for Middle River. Everything was great, we really had the place to ourselves. After 10 minutes it`s "let`s do what we came for", I`m holding us into the wind, she starts sails up. Suddenly, horrible grinding ,screeching sound from the motor. Shut it down ,less than 3 seconds. Then in less than 3 seconds, we are sideways while the Admiral is struggling with the main. I let go the sheet which conveniently ended her struggle as the boom swung away from her quite rapidly.
All was quickly secured and we settled in, crisscrossing the river several times eating turkey /Cheese wraps and frozen water bottles. This was always planned to be a dinner cruise, you know.
After a pleasant time I started worrying about wind dropping with the sun so we headed in to the marina. By the time we reached the fairway to the ramp we are barely moving, she steered us to the pier , I stepped off, stopped the boat with a firm push.
We got lucky on this one, if you don`t count that now I gotta repair a motor I`m trying to sell!! Well, could been worse, we did get a great first ride out of the evening.
Irony is, I get a phone call from a prospective buyer 1 minute before the motor crapped out, while talking to him about the boat, I joked "listen up, you can hear the motor for yourself right now! Then, pleasant goodbyes, plans to meet up this weekend, hang up, than "SCREEEEECHHHH! Talk about timing!!
In 15 minutes we are motoring out Frog Mortar Creek, headed for Middle River. Everything was great, we really had the place to ourselves. After 10 minutes it`s "let`s do what we came for", I`m holding us into the wind, she starts sails up. Suddenly, horrible grinding ,screeching sound from the motor. Shut it down ,less than 3 seconds. Then in less than 3 seconds, we are sideways while the Admiral is struggling with the main. I let go the sheet which conveniently ended her struggle as the boom swung away from her quite rapidly.
All was quickly secured and we settled in, crisscrossing the river several times eating turkey /Cheese wraps and frozen water bottles. This was always planned to be a dinner cruise, you know.
After a pleasant time I started worrying about wind dropping with the sun so we headed in to the marina. By the time we reached the fairway to the ramp we are barely moving, she steered us to the pier , I stepped off, stopped the boat with a firm push.
We got lucky on this one, if you don`t count that now I gotta repair a motor I`m trying to sell!! Well, could been worse, we did get a great first ride out of the evening.
Irony is, I get a phone call from a prospective buyer 1 minute before the motor crapped out, while talking to him about the boat, I joked "listen up, you can hear the motor for yourself right now! Then, pleasant goodbyes, plans to meet up this weekend, hang up, than "SCREEEEECHHHH! Talk about timing!!
