B.O.A.T. Know What It Means?

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RIP to our 30 year old Hurth V-Drive transmission

Someone once said:  “Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you the kind of misery you prefer.”   Boat owners everywhere will immediately agree!

Swimming ashore and snorkeling off the boat is a great attraction of cruising Caribbean waters.
Trying to stay focused, while our bank account is taking a drubbing…

Not sure how well our bank account is going to survive the summer, but the boat allows us access to experiences some only dream about, so we just keep sending money.  If you missed it, last installment of this summer’s trauma left us waiting for #3 (as in things happen in 3’s), but ….

RIP to our 30 year old Hurth V-Drive transmission
RIP to our 30 year old Hurth V-Drive transmission

Details of the latest?  The original 30 year old transmission was removed from the boat to get new seals … until they opened it up and found that not only were the seals deteriorated, but the gears were coming apart.  Again, I guess we were lucky nothing happened “out there” (thank you Captain Ron!).

We’re still waiting for the replacement smoked acrylic hatches & windows to be reinstalled.  And the rudder/steering quadrant resolution. And a quote to professionally redo our refrigeration box since our own efforts improved the situation, but maybe not so much.   The latter may have to be moved down the wish list.

Don’t you HATE it when things that improve your quality of life get moved down the wish list for things that should just work … like transmissions.    Se la vie.

The good news is, the bottom is ready for bottom paint, just before we splash.  The only major decision left is what paint.  When you use white bottom paint, the choices are limited because the metals used in the paint colors don’t leave white white.  But silver is OK too, so we’re still doing the research.

I know there are other commuter cruisers out there commiserating with us with their own details of “off season” boat work woes.  Good luck to all and stay focused on the dream … now we just need to actually sail off into the sunset somewhere … preferably sooner rather than later!

P.S.  B.O.A.T. = Break Out Another Thousand … or two.  And don’t think just because you have a newer than 30 year old boat (or even a brand new boat) that you’re exempt!   🙂  Just ENJOY anyway!

Any other boat analogies where money is involved?  Please leave a comment and share!  CHEERS!  Jan

10 COMMENTS

  1. Oh my, when it rains it pours! I wonder if it’s worse because the boat sits for long periods, or if it’s worse for those of us who who are on our boats all the time. Our summer is turning out to be pretty costly as well. This too shall pass. Beans and rice for us!

  2. Oh you know it’s all relative, there are expenses when you own a home of the same age. Granted you are usually working and have an income, but can a house take you to see what you can see in a boat!

    • Hi Debbie! We’re actually at Marathon Boatyard in the Keys until we splash this fall. So while we WISH we had Roy to replace it (and give us his great advice), for this project it’s not to be. After splashing, we’re hoping to go somewhere. 🙂 Sorry we’ll miss you. We’ve heard great things about Legacy Harbour. Cheers! Jan

  3. oh that’s not so bad….try building a boat from scratch!!!! that’s the shower, uncle ben, while being guarded by an angry pitbull old joke: difference between the chicken and the pig at breakfast….ha “oink”.

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