Batten down the hatches...

I'm kidding - we don't have any hatches.

I was happy to get out yesterday at sunrise, knowing the wind would be coming up.  It has been out of the south and gusty late yesterday and today; tonight, it is supposed to clock around from the north and get even stronger.

Instead of battening down hatches, we have strapped down the cover...

That should keep blowing sand off the boat seats... can't really call it "the interior."  This cover is designed to be used while trailering, so it should handle the 30+ mph winds we're going to see over the next couple of days.

So, no boating for a while.

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On edit:

No boating, but we made up for it with some shopping at Bass Pro Shop again today.  We got something on our receipt that invited us to do a survey about our purchase.  Not unusual, we get those from plenty of places, from shopping to restaurants.

I received an e-mail request from Tracker Marine regarding our delivery experience right after we picked up the boat.  In the mail today, there was a letter from Tracker asking that we do another survey for the sales and delivery experience, and asking if I'd do another survey in a month so they can follow up on our ownership experience.

This is certainly not the most expensive boat we've ever bought.  It is the second best buying experience, though.  (No one can top John Gerber from SuperSport Marine.)  Everyone we dealt with at Tracker Marine has been friendly and helpful.  We also found out that the Tracker Marine Centers that are at most Bass Pro Shops are separate businesses from Bass Pro; owned by the same guy/company.  Buy a boat, you get a VIP card that gives you a discount on Bass Pro Shop purchases... really, a nice perk.

So, how's the boat?  Thanks for asking.  Same as the survey I filled out with: "better than expected."  It is a small boat that doesn't feel small when you're on it.  Easy to maneuver.  Comfortable.  While still doing the break-in on the engine, it is fast enough for our needs and better than I expected for fuel economy.

Joan reminded me that it has been three years since we last had Wild Blue here in Texas (two years since we sold her).  I have seen the dolphins from my kayak (not from the stand-up paddleboard)... it isn't the same as being able to stand up on a stable platform to take photos and just enjoy the experience.

Yep, we like the pontoon.

What's that?  The name?  We hadn't thought about it; I'll get back to you.