Coming out...

Nothing to do with anyone's sexuality, not that there's anything wrong with that (Seinfeld reference).

The dredge pipe in our canal has been getting closer and closer to our boat.  As the dredge moves further down the far end of the canal, they pull the pipe along; all the back-and-forth, side-to-side crap with the pipe is now down to one mostly straight stretch.

We have been looking for a good "window" to pull the boat and check the condition of the bottom (and clean it).  Today was that window: around 70º, wind out of the north at only 9 mph.  The pipe that was now just inches from our boat was rising and sinking as the dredge pumped.  I prepped the boat and Joan hooked the trailer to the CR-V... just as I pulled away from the dock (in reverse), the pipe started rising.  With Joan spotting for me from the dock, I was able to get across the pipe before it came completely to the surface.

I brought the boat around to the ramp, Joan backed the trailer in.  I motored onto the trailer, she hooked the bow strap, and we were outta there.  Working together, it was fast and easy.

I backed the boat into our driveway and started the clean-up process.  The bottom was surprisingly... not terrible.  Between the pressure washer and some scrubbing, after an hour or so I called it "pretty darn adequate."  Until we find our what's going on with the dredge and that last canal, I'm in no hurry to put the boat back in the water.

The boat has been sitting at the dock a lot more than usual this past month.  Sitting allows bottom growth to accumulate faster.  I was concerned... but, the bottom paint is doing its job.

And now, time for a little holiday excursion.