“Boating (Baseball) is 90% mental and the other half is physical” Yogi Berra
I’ve been hanging in mobile throughout 2015 and have accomplished the boating tasks I set out to do. Things take awhile when the battle of the budget is joined. However it has been a verdant year and now I am ready for another stab at Florida. I hope to go south and go through the Okeechobee waterway to the east coast and then up to Jacksonville.
Other boaters and my own experience tell me that you can have a destination or a schedule but not both.
As I organize and reorganize, pack and unpack, make lists and remake lists, I think of the things I have accomplished this year.
With a pretty frugal budget I have :
Purchased a vehicle
Helped Joe Bru bring his boat from Columbus Mississippi to Mobile
Purchased a dinghy
Rebuilt Alternator
Did a bottom paint job and waxed the hull
Visited my sister and her critters
and watched her win a few bucks at the casino.
Some of those winnings ended up on this boat
Refitted port side port lights
Painted wheelhouse roof
Cleaned up dash wiring
Repainted deck
Replaced counter top in head
Replaced carpet in wheelhouse
Built collapsible shelf in wheel house
New bimini from gifted old bimini
Painted engine room sole and engine
Installed four new 8 inch cleats
Took a trip to Dauphin Island
Took a trip to Biloxi
Lots of other little things like refinishing, cleaning, bolting, tightening, rewiring, and such.
On top of that I managed to put on 15 lbs. I am however still smart and good looking.
I saw my first alligator. She was staring at me about six feet from my boat.
Well…….
I hope to be leaving the first of the month.
Can’t sign off without …….
Mother Nature is so photogenic !
Standing by on 16
Dr Brad
Black Dog Sailor 