Pretty Much Loaded And Ready To Go... Again

[SKYCHENEY]

You would probably like some questions. So, where are you now? Is the boat still running well? How many days to go? Is the crew/owner holding up well?

[Dazed338]

Got too boring no dead engines or crashes

Wish I could have got some one engine tips and tricks, his back to back trips real close. Was hoping to be at the point of being able to Run into him twice within days that would have been enjoyable. Worst part was not being able to pull a buddy back, 1st tow blew a engine heading out 2nd was hours later. 5 hours on the rocks isn't pretty.

[Freeebird]

got ya 4 by 4

You stole my Blazer while I was gone?

16.5 hours yesterday from Paducah to Perryville Marina in Perryville, TN. I’m a tad tired, but today will be a shorter day with a stop at Grand Harbor Marina in Iuka, MS. It’s Brenda’s birthday today, so show her a little love.

[Freeebird]

You would probably like some questions. So, where are you now? Is the boat still running well? How many days to go? Is the crew/owner holding up well?

The boat is running great, and we’re all doing well. If things stay on track, we’ll be in Gulfport, MS on June 17.

The engines are running better than ever. No doubt the old girl needed to stretch her legs. They only have about 800 hours on the rebuilds, and it was all short runs just putting around. They run extremely clean. No soot on the transom whatsoever. I’m adding oil every 30 hours or so, but it’s leaking vs burning. Bilges are a testament to that, but hey, they’re DD’s.

One unusual thing is that I noticed there is a section of clear tubing in the exhaust at the transom. I noticed that when I was looking at rudder alignment. The ole gal was crabbing, but we addressed that. You can actually see water flowing through it from the exhaust. Actually a neat idea for visual inspection from inside the boat. I haven’t looked at the mufflers, but she is a tad on the loud side.

[Freeebird]

Made it to Grand Harbor a while ago and took on fuel after a short, nine hour day. Will be heading out shortly to celebrate Brenda’s birthday, then we’ll be at it again tomorrow and shooting for Columbus Marina.

Why do I keep seeing in my head the scene in, Forrest Gump, where he stops running and says, “I’m tired. I think I’ll go home now”?

[Sadey]

16.5 hours?! That’s iron man status! Glad things are going well! Happy birthday from the two of us to Brenda! Safe travels my friend.

[Freeebird]

Made it a shorter day at 15 hours and made it to Columbus after going through seven locks. Luckily there was only one with a significant delay. Tomorrow will be Demopolis unless the gods go from smiling down upon me to, “hold my beer and watch this”.

[Freeebird]

Textbook locking perfection today with zero delays at the three locks on this leg. Left Columbus Marina around 5:15 or so and hit Demopolis around 5:30. They had dropped their fuel to $1.95 which saved us from taking a 100 gallon splash and going out of our way to Fairhope where it’s $1.85. As memory serves, we paid north of $2.50 when we came through with Dave’s boat.

Some jackass tow boat operator (tow as in barge) decided he would leave the fuel dock unannounced and damn near blew us into the back of the basin. For those unfamiliar, the outside are of the fuel dock is commercial, and the inside is recreational. It’s very shallow and extremely narrow on the rec side, and you have to back out the way you came in. When I saw him moving, I knew what was about to happen, so I pulled back up to the dock having already tossed the lines. The dock workers weren’t impressed either.

All the guy had to do was back out from the dock and spin north. Instead, he spun it right there at the dock! Jackass wouldn’t answer me on 13, but I’ll report him to his employer. They would have been on the hook for any damage.

In the courtesy car now after a shower with R&B making a grocery run at Walmart. Looks like the restaurants here are still takeout only. Was hoping The Red Barn would be open, but not yet.

[SKYCHENEY]

Hey Randy, Tom on a 65 SeaRay named Flawless, just pulled into our marina. I think you were on the dock next to him a few nights ago.

[Photolomy]

Are you going across when you get to Mobile?