Well, its official

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lustyslogger
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Well, its official

Post by lustyslogger »

The Lusty Slogger and her skipper are moving to Florida (somewhat under duress). A berth has been secured for the little girl in Tavares Florida at the Fisherman's Cove Marina. I had to do something I had never done before to get this slip, I actually had to buy insurance. I was very hesitant to spend a lot of money on insurance for a $700.00 open boat. But, through US Boat I got liability only (they don't insure a boat under $1000.00 in value for anything else). It cost me a whopping $77.00 per year. The slip itself for Florida was very cheap (actually cheap for anywhere) and is $85.00 per month or $20.00 less than I am paying here in Tennessee. The marina will be almost 10 miles closer to my new home than my present home is to my current marina, plus my sailing season will increase from 6 months to 12 (baring hurricanes of course) I will once again be on a lake, Lake Harris, a 13,000 acre lake, but Lake Harris is part of the Florida "Chain of Lakes" that gives me over twice that amount. I looked at the marina on Saturday. I will unfortunately be the only sailboat there, all the rest of the boats are pontoon boats. One interesting event was while walking the dock I looked to my left at an embankment and on the top was an alligator, about 4 or 5 feet long. I asked the dock master if it were real (I had a plaster alligator in my yard when I lived in Jacksonville on a small lake, it was to keep small boaters from using my yard as a camp ground). He told me that yes it was but if it were sunning itself on the bank it had already eaten was was digesting its food. Comforting thought!!!

Don't know when I will actually move to Florida, have to sell my house here first. Who knows, maybe next year I will be in the Everglades Challenge! (I sincerely doubt that actually, I am more likely to be drafted into the NFL than I am to voluntarily sign up for that!!)

I won't be far from Cedar Key however and will go see their boating event. That is only 67 miles from Ocala.

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress. One thing is that my wife goes to Ocala once a month to see her mother who is ill (this is the reason she wants to move to Ocala). I had not been going with her as there is nothing for me to do. Now, I will go down with her and go sailing when I am there even before I move down
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Charlie P. (NY)
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Re: Well, its official

Post by Charlie P. (NY) »

Doesn't sound like too bitter a pill to take. Having to go to Florida.

Good luck. Watch for grass and shallows.
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Michel
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Re: Well, its official

Post by Michel »

Sailing 12 months a year?... This is paradise!... I envy you!...I am jealous! Be happy my friend! :)
Michel Boulet
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Friends with SCAMPS
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Re: Well, its official

Post by Friends with SCAMPS »

Welcome to Flori-duh. You may find that there are still inhospitable months to sail, just different ones. I hope to see you at the Cedar Key Messabout next Spring!
lustyslogger
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Re: Well, its official

Post by lustyslogger »

Friends with SCAMPS wrote:Welcome to Flori-duh. You may find that there are still inhospitable months to sail, just different ones. I hope to see you at the Cedar Key Messabout next Spring!

I used to live in Jacksonville and sailed the Saint Johns River. Two things I remember distinctly. (1) Summer months (March through December) were blisteringly hot with numbers of 98/98 - 98 degrees and 98 percent humidity. (2) Storms came out of nowhere, for no apparent reason. A third remembrance was that the wind was ALWAYS on your nose, no matter what direction you were going.

I like it here and don't really want to move but alas, its either move or have to cook my own meals!!!!

I definitely want to attend the Messabout. I will let you know when I would come down and maybe you can buy me a cup of coffee!!!! (Or a bowl of clam chowder)
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PAR
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Re: Well, its official

Post by PAR »

I live in Eustis Florida, a few miles from Tavares. Yeah, we have it particularly tough down here. It's perfect weather about 6 months out of the year, no bugs, no humidity, no rain. I like to call family member on Valentine's Day to complain about how terrible it is outside and how I needed to put a sweatshirt on, just to get the steaks off the BBQ. About 6 weeks on either side of this 6 month range, we have nearly perfect weather, with hints of what's about to come (winter or summer). Then of course, we do have 3 months of hot as hell, but that's why A/C was invented. The end of December is the coldest part of the year and the end of August is the hottest. In, fact unlike most, July through September are the biggest A/C use months and years end is the coldest, both because of the amount of daylight available to keep things warm.

Sailing here is seasonal, though year round, with winter being much prefered, as the dominant weather patterns are more enjoyable in late winter and early spring. You'll be on the "Harris Chain of Lakes", which used to be connected to the St. Johns, but one of the locks is down, so we're landed in. Lake Harris is a good size lake and you'll have few difficulties with a shoal draft craft.
lustyslogger
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Re: Well, its official

Post by lustyslogger »

I have spent the last few days restoring the Lusty Slogger. It was on the hard for over two years. It seems that it has deteriorated more sitting on the trailer than when I was sailing it all the time!

I have sanded and varnished the rudder, tiller, motor mount and cuddy cabin hatch.

I just spent all day today cleaning the boat and getting all the leaves out of it. I had it covered but they blew in anyway. Actually, now that its fall I would clean the leaves and turn around and it would be full of leaves again!!!

Monday I take the trailer down and have the bearings checked and the lights rewired (don't know where the wiring went because in 2015 it all worked) The boat moves to Tavares next week end. I have to pull it down with my Jeep. Frankly I am not looking forward to a 600 mile journey in the Jeep. I would like to stay off the Interstate and take two days to make the trip.

Par, perhaps we can get together sometime in the future. I will be at Fisherman's Cove Marina in Tavares. I will be easily to spot since I will be the only sailboat in the marina! As soon as there is space for me (I've been on a waiting list for over a year) I want to move over to Venetian Resort in Leesburg. It will cost more but there are about 25 sailboats there.
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PAR
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Re: Well, its official

Post by PAR »

You'll like Venetian Resort way better than Fisherman's, where access to the lake is tight. At Fisherman's you'll need to motor out, as the channel is narrow, while you can sail right up to the slip in Venetian. After you've been here a while and have made some local friends, you'll be able to find a private slip. There are dozens of unused docks and boathouses around, with willing owners that would love to make a small fee and keep their dock/slip in use.
lustyslogger
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Re: Well, its official

Post by lustyslogger »

The Horror The Horror

This past Saturday I finally relaunched the Lusty Slogger at Fisherman's Cove. Well, I attempted to relaunch the little vessel. I have not had it in the water since August 2015. At that time all was well with the boat, no leaks or any issues. When I took it out of the water at that time it was as dry as a bone.

I put the boat in the water, took the trailer over to the staging area and came back for the boat to complete the rigging and getting underway for my actual slip. The boat was flooded, lying completely below the waterline and more water was coming in. My brother in law, who was helping me ran over and got the car back while I hooked up the bilge pump. It would not keep up with the incoming water. I was able to get it back on the trailer and pull it out just past all of the drain plugs. When I get the water about half out and pulled the boat higher up the ramp I could see where the water was pouring out of the centerboard trunk. I don't know what happened with the boat over those two years on the hard. Perhaps water froze in the trunk and cracked it. I really don't know. At any rate the boat is now at a fiberglass repair facility in Leesburg Fl and I am back in Tennessee, completely boatless. I am awaiting word as to the feasibility of repairing the leak or just buying another boat. I really don't want to buy another boat, I like the Slogger, it sails well and I can handle it completely by myself (except for raising and lowering the mast because of my bum arm). Plus I have put a lot into making the boat "my boat", adding trim work, and changing the rigging so the halyards can be handled easily from the cockpit. I know all the quirks with this boat and don't really want to learn another one.

Wish me luck
Friends with SCAMPS
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Re: Well, its official

Post by Friends with SCAMPS »

Oh no! I sure hope it's something super simple. Keep us posted. We want pictures of Little Lusty on (not in) the water.
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