Getting the Boat out of the Water February 2011

Did you ever have a big job looming that you put off week after week?  We keep our boat on the lift on our dock and sadly, it isn't used for months at a time while we are gone from Georgia.  Nothing benefits from being out in the weather year round and not being used. When we put the boat in the water this fall, we discovered that the water pump had died.   We couldn't even use the engine to get the boat to a ramp to get it on the trailer so we could take it to the Yahama dealer to get it repaired. 


Across the cove from us, we can see the private boat ramp for the Bonaparte community.  It is not a public ramp, and the gate to the ramp is kept locked.  So we went out knocking on doors in Bonaparte to see if we could find a good Samaritan to open the gate for us.  Most of the people in Bonaparte are seasonal, so finding someone at home was the first job.  Everyone we found over there was so neighborly and friendly that getting the gate open was the easiest part of the job.


We hadn't used the trailer for six years, so Ron spent one day unburying it and cleaning it, greasing the bearings, adding air to the tires, and figuring out which hitch (we have several trailers and the proper hitch was in Washington) and finally going to town to get a new hitch.


We put the task off based on wind and weather for months, but finally, spring is here and our excuses vanished.  Today was the big day.  My step-dad, Dick, and I took the boat off the lift and paddled it across the bay while Ron and my Mom drove around with the van and boat trailer.

Dick looking ahead to the ramp.

Looking back to our dock - with the white roof in the distance.

About half way across, we decided to hold our position in the open water and wait for Ron and the trailer. 

 The strap that tightens the boat up broke when Ron tried to finish bringing the boat to its proper position on the trailer.

Fortunately, we had lots of help as most of Bonaparte turned out for the entertainment we provided.

Lots of men, lots of rope, and we ended up with the boat secured to the trailer.

Ron added one last layer of "Redneck technology" with the come-along when we got the boat back to the house.  Hopefully, it will be adequate to get the boat to the boat dealer  so we can get everything fixed properly.

For now, I am just happy to have the first segment of this task complete - I will worry about the rest another day!