Shipping from Michigan to California

May 25, 2012
4,338
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
1972, age 19, i was a deckhand aboard the Fitzgerld. captain McSorley had writen my introduction letter to get my sailing papers. my dad's bud had known him.
i knew the boys that died that night.
i rode that storm. i was on lake erie. fighting to stay afloat
 
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Likes: sailme88
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
I had success moving my boat from Michigan to Florida, and sent PM with specifics to OP to avoid any "endorsement" rules. We transitioned from fresh to salt, and I didn't have the time or inclination to do the bottom myself, so I paid for the work. About half my cost was in removing 20 year's of VC17 from the bottom, adding a barrier coat (apparently many Great Lakes boats never had this???), and repainting with a salt-water anti-foul recommended by new dock mates. The rigging changes and transport prep at each end were expected, and added a few thousand. I was surprised how grimy the boat was on arrival (1,500 miles of road grime and bugs add up), so budget for detailing and wax, unless you really like scrubbing.

We tied tied the mast / shrouds together ourselves with 1/4" line, and wrapped the entire mast in clear plastic wrap (like cling wrap on steroids) that you can buy in the moving section of a big-box hardware store. There was a couple days' work for me at both ends in storing stuff, removing bimini and storing, padding, and then reversing the process. Nothing will fly around like at sea (a truck does not corner as fast as a minivan), but the constant vibration for two or three days will wear on any unpadded surface. When you arrive, remove all the tape / adhesives as quickly as possible, but even then we spent a week with rags and denatured alcohol for all the tape residue.
 
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Likes: jon hansen
Apr 8, 2010
2,091
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
1972, age 19, i was a deckhand aboard the Fitzgerld. captain McSorley had writen my introduction letter to get my sailing papers. my dad's bud had known him.
i knew the boys that died that night.
i rode that storm. i was on lake erie. fighting to stay afloat
Edmond went down in November '75; what vessel were you aboard during that storm? It must have been frightening, to pick one word out of many possible....
 
May 25, 2012
4,338
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
raymond reiss. 39 hatches, tarp covered, battens, strong backs. cleveland cliffs owned. captain jackie stevens. great and highly skilled. no tunnels under the decks. blowing 105 with 40' waves on eastern lake eire. that's right 40' waves on lake erie. there will be nah sayers, they weren't there. waves rolling the entire main deck. the entire deck under water at times. we were loaded to our winter marks.

i was the bosun. we worked very hard to not sink.
it was like being in a spielburg movie. i was too young and to stupid to be scared. i thought it was very exciting at the time.
damm, that captain was skilled. brass ba*** for sure. went in the lackawana opening of the buffalo breakwall at the hight of the blow.
inside we were out of control, and fought for hours to regain command. we ended up at the north entrance, bow finally into the wind, two 7 ton bow anchors down and the engine half speed ahead. and we got her stopped. we were back "in command" of the vessel
 
May 25, 2012
4,338
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
 
Apr 8, 2010
2,091
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Thanks much (!) for the pix and explanation. Wow!
Having lived a dull and uninteresting life I shall just slink away silently from the keyboard now.... :cool:
 
May 25, 2012
4,338
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
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big, strong and dumb. i was a perfect deck crew. every clamp, every hatch, all the steam winches, docking the boat, shifting the boat under the loading rig. open every hatch at every port, load, close every hatch, put on every clamp at every port. clean and paint and grease every thing.
everything in that picture was my responsibility.
i spent every off time up in that pilothouse learning how steer that boat. i got off the deck and into the 'brain box' just as fast as i could. i was the youngest wheelsman in the fleet once i got there.

what did it get me. 4 months in the winter skiing the western mountains and 2 months in the summer sailing aeolus around the great lakes. with lots of cash in my pockets to chase the girls.
i was a ski bum and a sailboat rat that could afford play hard.
i told you i was young and stupid.
my grand mother, born in 1882, was not going to have it. she then demanded that i give her 50% of all my wages every year. she put it all in the stock market. toilet paper shares. right time, right place, right grandmother. the dow was what? at 600? there has never been a recession in toilet paper. not one.

i ain't smart, i'm lucky, MORE SAIL!

:cool: