So I went to the boat Friday...

[Frank B.]

...and it was still there.  It has been a long hot summer here, too hot to even consider going up there much less going out.  I topped off the gas tank, ran the motor for a while, pressure washed the topside, removed a total of twelve dirt dauber nests, two in the motor cowl which are tricky to remove without getting that fine dust into the carb intake, and ten in the main cabin.  Odds are I didn't get them all.  Generally cleaned things up misted the cabin with diluted peppermint oil, made the list of additional things I need to do and the stuff I need to do them with that I forgot to bring on this trip. Took a shower, paid my dock fee (brings to mind is this really worth it?) and called it a day.  Next trip will be this Friday I hope at which time I will motor out to my shallow spot (not many on Bay Springs Lake), do the in water bottom clean, and evict the many, many spiders from their home which is the 3/8" gap on the lower side of the rub rail.  That's hard to do unless you are standing in the water.  North wind is predicted for Friday so an easy sail back if the motor turns balky on me, then final clean, wax the topside with woody wax or the starbrite version and I'll be ready to actually use it this fall. 

I would feel really bad about my neglect if it were not for the other half dozen or so trailer sailor size boats up there that are more neglected than mine. There is one old Ensenada 20 that is kept in good shape.  The San Jaun 23 that sadly was actually growing lichen is gone. Hope it was sold to someone who will restore it, that's a good sailing boat.

[Norm L.]

Ah yes. The boats in the water behind the house were not much of a problem. But even two weeks away was enough for mud daubers to move in.
The damaged Hartley sitting outside in storage, uncovered, was why it took so much work to restore it. I don't take the blame for it as I was not the owner. But seeing a great boat waste away I went to him and we did a joint venture.

Yes, they are so much fun but do need attention. At the mega yacht level that is why owners try to charter them as much as possible. The charter hire helps offset the multimillion-dollar annual upkeep costs.