…is over. Always such a sad day when the boat gets pulled for the season.
Nevertheless, it was another fantastic season!!! THANK YOU TO ALL that helped to make it so.
The fishing was good, the weather cooperative, and the newly built engine purred all season long. It’s true, clients were treated to a fast trip back to the dock as my mechanic has instructed me to “blow out the carbon” at the end of the day.
Amazingly, this 20 year old boat can go 40 mph! Yep, it can. I clocked it (again) on my final trip this past Saturday. Fortunately, most of the trip my top speed is a comfortable 20-25 mph, with lots of slower travel as we set up for wind and tide driven drifts across the favorite fishing spots.
Another season…
Each fall, I empty the entire boat of its contents.
Anchor rodes and dock lines are rinsed with fresh (rain) water, sun-dried, then stowed in the shed for the winter season. All the fishing tackle is stored until springtime inventory begins. All of the gear is put on shelves, away from the elements, and ready for spring commissioning. Fenders are cleaned of the sea life that clusters onto them during their six months sitting in the water while tied to the dock.
And the boat itself gets power-washed to remove the season’s growth. The engine is winterized and checked for any necessary seasonal maintenance. Finally, the boat gets tarped and parked next to the barn for the winter.
Finally, the fishing rods are given some attention. Lemon Pledge is applied to each rod, returning it to that brand new smoothness. Each reel is attended to, checked to discover which ones will need maintenance or replacement. Fly lines are checked also to discover the ones that have “run their course”.
For me, this is all part of an annual ritual.
THANKS AGAIN FOR A GREAT SEASON!!!!!