Be Free wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 8:28 pm
That is an amazing transformation. It's hard to believe it's the same boat!
Good point. I think it was the old "frog in the heating water" phenomenon at work. I have kept my boat in a marina slip virtually the whole time I have owned her. Florida sun and weather were taking its toll. But it has been the tradeoff for having it ready to use in a doable fashion for my age and limitations. It was time to do something. This will give me another several years and allow her to retain her physical integrity and value. I will keep her at home during the holidays, then take her to another facility for a couple of weeks to have the Bimini replaced such that the cockpit enclosure will still zip and close the way it was designed. I'll put a coat of wax on the sides between the new top side paint (rub rail and up) and the new bottom paint. I guess I operate from one basic internal injunction---boats deserve the best we can do for them to extend their lives for as long as reasonably doable and then find a new owner who will continue what we have begun. I just can't bear to see boats just fade into forgotten derelicts. Not on my watch; not with my boats!
