Is your boat even going in this year?

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by missinginaction, May 8, 2020.

  1. missinginaction
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: New York

    missinginaction Senior Member

    I keep my boat on the Erie Canal System in New York State. I made the decision the other day to throw in the towel on the 2020 season. In mid March, New York State went into a lock down and "non-essential" activities were suspended. This included maintenance and repair activity on the New York Canal System. Activities may resume in a week or two but for now the system is closed. They might get things open in July. Key word is might. I understand that 8 locks are in various stages of disassembly and are as they were almost 2 months ago when work was suspended. Since it's doubtful that I'll be able to do any meaningful travel I decided to make some improvements on Pearl in the yard and just hunker down for the year.

    So if you're feeling sad about this season you're not alone. Make the best of it. If you have some ideas for improvements that you've wanted to make but never had the time....now might be the year.

    Regards,

    MIA
     
  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    I'm launching Saturday. My 16' trihull is on a trailer, so it doesn't count.
     
  3. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
    Posts: 2,929
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    I had one boat in the water all year, one that I haven't used in 5 years will go back in the water soon.

    I live on the water and there's a private launch about a block away. So most of this doesn't affect me on the boating end.
     
  4. tpenfield
    Joined: Dec 2016
    Posts: 280
    Likes: 30, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Cape Cod, MA

    tpenfield Senior Member

    Mine is going in mid-June, hopefully. Since I'm on a mooring, I'm not dependent on a marina, many of which are closed right now.

    Still working on some renovation projects on the boat though . . .

    (1) I made & installed new upholstery for the main seating and (2) now replacing the carpet flooring in the cabin with vinyl plank flooring. Then it is onto the regular pre-season prep work. The swim platform that I made last year is working out great. :cool:
     
  5. brendan gardam
    Joined: Feb 2020
    Posts: 367
    Likes: 45, Points: 28
    Location: east gippsland australia

    brendan gardam Senior Member

    where do you go on the canal. 500km long, thats a bloody long canal system. do you go down to the hudson river. i love looking up these places. google is good for geography searches.
     
  6. missinginaction
    Joined: Aug 2007
    Posts: 1,103
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    Location: New York

    missinginaction Senior Member

    Hi Brandan,

    Just having my morning coffee and saw your reply. Well, my home base is near Schenectady, New York. You've probably never heard of Schenectady but it was the original home of the once great General Electric Company. It's name is derived from an American Indian word, hence the rather strange spelling.

    The New York State canal system is a massive undertaking. I haven't traveled the entire length of it yet and I'm not sure that I ever will. I did a restoration of a small cruiser from about 2007 to 2014. Obviously in my spare time. In 2016 I started traveling, primarily west during the summers using the Erie and Oswego canals. Last year I made it out to a place called Main Duck Island which is in Lake Ontario, just across the boarder in Canada. There are nice places to tie up for the night at Oneida Lake (named after the Oneida Indian tribe). People also stay at the locks, tieing up along the long concrete lock walls.

    I've been down to the Hudson River and gone a little south of Albany, NY. My plan for this year was to take a trip down to a place called Sandy Hook Bay just south of New York City. This was planned as a prep for a longer trip in the fall of 2021 from my home base down to Florida via the Intracoastal Waterway. That's another story though.

    I'll post a nice video that gives you an aerial view of the locks that take you down the from the Schenectady area on the Mohawk to the Hudson River. There is one additional lock to pass on the Hudson at the city of Troy, New York. After that you have navigable water all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.



    Thanks for asking and best regards,

    MIA
     
  7. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    The governor opened up recreational fishing on May 5th. The marina where I normally keep my boat finally called me on Friday and they are opening on May 13. However going there is by appointment only, and mine is Thursday. But my boat isn't ready yet. So it will probably be in by the end of the month. I'm in no hurry. Still haven't figured out why the Trim/Tilt doesn't work. Down to throwing parts at it now. I've replace the cable assembly, the switches (they were bad anyway) and the solenoid. The trim limit switch and wiring needs replacing, it's badly frayed. However it's only replaceable by removing the drive and that isn't going to happen until this winter. So I'll just have to use the O/B.
     
  8. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
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    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    Just finished working on the boat. Got the trim/tilt working. For some reason I have lost several ground/negative connections. When I put a jumper direct to ground everything works. I suspect the wiring harness has finally (after 48 years) bit the dust. But now I can launch the boat and go fishing.
     
  9. missinginaction
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: New York

    missinginaction Senior Member

    That reason is corrosion. Good for you in working it out.
     
  10. Ike
    Joined: Apr 2006
    Posts: 2,677
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    Location: Washington

    Ike Senior Member

    I wish it were that simple. This boat is 48 years old. I went through the whole system (it's just an 18 foot I/O so not too complex) and cleaned all connections, replaced some wires, and some connectors. Back last fall when I pulled the boat out for the season the trim/tilt worked in the up, but not down. I found a broken wire in the wire harness.. It was so old the insulation was falling off. I dumped the old trim/tilt switches and wire assembly, and bought a new one. I put a new trim/tilt solenoid in. The one thing I can't replace myself is the trim limit switch and it's wire harness. To do that you have to take the sterndrive off. Anyway at the same time, the sternlight wouldn't work. A few measurements with a multimeter showed no neg. So I ran a jumper to the neg and it lit up. So I thought, try that with the trim/tilt. And it ran.

    In the mean time I bought a new 9.9 HP outboard for trolling and had the marine retailer install it and hook it up. Well after that was when I started losing the negatives. I think they damaged the wiring harness but I can't find where.

    Anyway, everything is working now. I bought a ground Buss and wired it to the battery negative. From now on all negatives will be connected to the ground buss. The original point of all negatives is on the back of the tachometer under the dash. That means a run of 16 feet or so from the battery and then a run back to the engine compartment. Not a very good design. But anyway, for now I am going fishing. The state finally opened up recreational fishing and the marinas.
     
  11. brendan gardam
    Joined: Feb 2020
    Posts: 367
    Likes: 45, Points: 28
    Location: east gippsland australia

    brendan gardam Senior Member

    great video. the canal system is a huge engineering achievement.
     
  12. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    First response... "Which one"?

    The kayaks have already seen some use this year, and the new project will probably go in the water to at least test hull integrity and motor function. There is a good chance it will be to the point of being able to use this year, but that is a long ways away.
     
  13. sdowney717
    Joined: Nov 2010
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    Location: Newport News VA

    sdowney717 Senior Member

    mine never came out in Va, and we were never restricted from using the boat at the marina. Our marina is a single small dock with about 20 boats, and almost nobody is there except for summertime and then still very few ever go to their boats. Thomas Marina Seaford VA, nice place. I like quiet docks.
     

  14. The Q
    Joined: Feb 2014
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    Location: Norfolk, UK

    The Q Senior Member

    On this side of the pond, day trips have been allowed for a couple of weeks now, So I was on the motor boat yesterday , admittedly in preparation for the required testing permit (Boat safety test due every 4 years). From July 4th overnight stays are permitted..

    The Sailing boat, I had been pushing hard to get it finished from a total rebuild for this years regatta week, due 1st August but it doesn't look like it will take place due to distancing regulations. So I've slowed down and it won't be ready even if the regulations change. There's a slight lack of keel fitted and no steering gear at the moment..
     
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