We’ve been back on Scooter for 5 days, so there is a LOT of time for things to go wrong this summer. That being said, we had a GREAT week.
Things got started when we visited our favorite boat thrift/consignment store. Sadly we learned they are going out of business but happily, they are heavily discounting old items.
First and foremost we got the sink we had our eye on since last August. We also got a downrigger. I will elaborate on the enormity of that purchase in a sad fishing post about the lack of salmon we caught last year, but I’ll spare you for now. They were selling 3 seat cushions for $40 each, which is about $40 more than I’ve ever paid for a chair in my life, let alone a cushion (they weren’t overpriced considering they’re $109 at WestMarine). But sitting on fiberglass is very uncomfortable, and they let them go for $10 per. Scooter is now the epitome of luxury.
Two small sinks doesn’t make any sense. They did it because there is supposed to be a saltwater pump, so you could rinse, and then keep fresh, soapy water in the other… idk apparently the designer hadn’t heard of dishes larger than 6 inches or of plastic bins…anyway, our new GIGANTIC (16 inch by 12 inch) sink is amazing.
I started calling every marine related business in the area to see about buying an outboard for our dinghy. Craigslist and FB marketplace were unfruitful. The first business I called was a yacht broker, but he was listed as a Tohatsu dealer so I tried.
“Hi do you sell outboards by chance”
“NO gaddammit!”
“Ok, great, does anyone in the area”
“I dunno, call Kitsap, I just sell boats!”
*30 seconds pass * phone rings*
“Well hi, ya know, I do have two 5 horse kickers in my garage I need to get rid of, come by tomorrow”
We purchased a 2 stroke, 5 horsepower, Suzuki dinghy motor, for the low low price of $300, a full thousand cheaper than we had budgeted, although we’re one horsepower shy of our goal. Something about a 6 horse team pulling your carriage is appealing. (yes I know horses and Hp are a loose relationship and that a dinghy motor pushes, relax). The cherry on top is the dark, damp, cave of a storage unit the outboard came out of also contained … drumroll please… The 4th matching seat to the set purchased earlier! Tay asked if he would sell it to us and the owner just GAVE it to us! (Apparently he wasn’t aware they were worth at least $10).
Also the old codger who sold us the outboard lives in our marina, has owned half the boats in the place, knows EVERYONE here, can hook us up with every type of project specialist, and seems to like us. (You’re a hard guy to read Rich, if you’re reading this).
The outboard starts and runs, but definitely a few kinks to work out there, (like the stop button doesn’t work) but for the price, we’re ecstatic. Scootie (the dinghy) can get on plane at 12-14 knots which makes her about twice as fast as Scooter.
And finally the real highlight of the week:
Jeff, with whom we had one 15 second conversation (less of a conversation more shouting across the docks about how weird our boat design was) invited us over to have drinks with his friends. His friends turned out to be: most of the board of directors of a yacht club, fantastic at preparing Hors d’oeuvres, immensely knowledgable about sailing, and really friendly. Plus one of them was childhood pals with my high school econ teacher & personal hero!
So as of tonight:
We know all of the important people in this marina.
We have a wealth of information to consume. (They never stopped recommending books)
We are being initiated as members of their Yacht Club.
We have comfy chairs, a giant sink, a fast dinghy, and hope that we may actually have some things go in our favor this year.
