FIRST CRUISE of 2013 - Captains Blog June 9 2013

So after a really bad 2012 season, due to accidents, broken bones, and hospilizations, Deb and I finally made it back to the Merrimack River.  Before we were able to make our first cruise of the 2013 season, we needed to make a few repainrs, improvements and modifications.

When I first turned the electrical on to inspect the lights, they didn't appear to be working.  At first I wasn't sure if it was the sun playing games, so I went to the bow to check the running lights by covering them with my hands, and as I looked back at the steering console I could see smoke billowing out!  After the initial panic to shut it all down, I found that I had some shorts in the wiring.  So it was obviously time to re-do the wiring.  Before I could think about it, I ripped it all out!  I figured now I would have to do it right.  So now all wiring is new and up to code.

Next was my passenger captain's chair.  The wood inside the chair had rotted, and now I needed a new seat.  The only problem was being too cheap to buy a new one.  The answer, it was time to learn how to fix it myself.  I brought it to my work shop, routed out new wood, ripped the seam apart end replaced the guts!  To my great releif and satisfaction, it worked well, and looks like new.

Next was my bow deck.  It had been added to the boat by my dad (with me helping, a little) many years ago.  The plywood was becoming weathered and needed to be repainted after only a few years.  So I decided since the boat was aluminum, maybe I should skin the bow deck in aluminum as well.  With any luck it will outlast me.

Finally, I have been wanting to add floor lighting for night cruises.  So this year, since I had to rewire the boat anyway, I added some blue led lights in der the bow and stern seats.  It looks great in the driveway!  I'll hopefully get a picture the first overnighter on the beach.

So, Third Generation was finally ready for it's first 2013 cruise.  We left out of Nashua, and the river was as high as we had ever seen it, with the exception the the flood of 2011 (which wiped out everything on our beach).  When we pulled up to the beach, the water was so high that we were uncertain whether we would be able to use it.  After a closer inspection we saw that it was dry, and actually the water level made it easier to get on the beach.

Not much happened all day (which is just fine with us).  We made several cruises, and some very relaxing drifts throughout the day.  Not much fish jumping activity, or wildlife.  A few Blue Herons, and hawks.

We did meet a group of young people who tethered a bunch of floatation tubes together and went for a drift down river.  When asked where they were going to?  They all replied in unison "That Way!", and pointed down stream.  Oh to be young and carefree again.

Anyway, it was great getting on the river again.  With any luck next weekend, camping!  So until next time,
"See You on The River!"