Back on Board for the 2025 Cruising Season

May 31, 2025 - Ess-Kay Yard, Brewerton, NY

Welcome back. Time for our first blog posting of 2025. It can only mean one thing - we're back on the water! WOW!! Unbelievable that it's been 8 months since we saw the boat hauled for winter storage up here in Brewerton, NY. Made for a long stay at the condo down in Richmond Hill, GA but we tried to make the most of it. Imbedded ourselves in the new neighborhood working on several improvement committees. Took up pickleball. Did lots of the touristy things in Savannah. Even made two trips to check on the boat and give the batteries a bit of a charge. For our first boat visit Martha surprised me with a Frank Llyod Wright side trip over to "Falling Waters" - probably his most famous home design. Awesome extended tour and the bare winter trees provided improved views of the house. Only downside was all the scaffolding around the house as there is a multi-year renovation in progress.

The living Room and patios cantlevered over the creek
as seen from the entrance bridge

The typical iconic view of Falling Waters -
surrounded by scaffolds during our visit

Was amazed to see how tightly they are able to pack boats inside the buildings at Winter Harbor. We wound up in the next to last row which meant we got put away early but also meant we'd get launched a bit later. Positive aspect of our location - we were closer to the big heaters for the building. Knocked out a few little projects - replaced the trim tab pump and resolved a power issue with the davit system.

Panoramic view inside the storage shed from our flybridge

It takes years of experience packing them in this close
and still having no damage

Our second trip was in April (after they finally got rid of a heavy season of snowfall) and really just a quick trip to start loading things back on the boat and again put a charge on the batteries. Hoped to get a better idea on timeline for launch but still too many variables - weather, delayed canal opening date, all those boats ahead of us, etc... Verified they had taken care of two work orders for us - replacing the impellers on the motors and generator and then replacing the Spur line cutters.

Third trip up was for our formal launch date - scheduled for Friday, May 23. Stopped in on Thurs and boat was inside the shed sitting in slings on the travel lift and ready for launch. Said they could "drop it in today if you're ready". And so, we did. Spent a couple days at their dock checking over the systems. The bilge pump in the lazarette finally succumbed to a seized motor, the generator battery made it through 7 years but was also done. Engine batteries from 2019 were also questionable. Port engine grudgingly turned over and eventually started but starboard was a no-go until putting the batteries in parallel. Because we'll be cruising in more remote areas this year we need to make sure everything is in the best possible shape. Multiple boat units to have some young studs at the marina replace my old fashioned, super heavy and huge sized 4D and 8D batteries. Just the price to pay to be confidently ready..

In the travellift inside the storage building ready for launch.
Sometimes I forget just how big the boat is -
until I see a picture like this with Martha standing beside it.

As You Wish back in her natural habitat - on the water .

During the off season I had been looking for a replacement tender. Our BRIG E340 is nice but the steering system is frozen again and due to the design of the fiberglass RIB it's an ordeal to fix and not really doable while sitting up on our boat. Found a very lightly used Highfield 360FCT with a 30HP motor and trailer up in Raleigh. So went and picked it up. Our simple plan was to trailer it up to the big boat, swap the dingy's and trailer the BRIG over to my brother who is summering on Lake Champlain and let him use his mechanical skills to fix it and then enjoy it on the lake.

New to us dingy in the garage awaiting an oil, filter and spark plug
change before heading to NY

Nice plan until the steering console welds gave way due to bouncing and vibrations during our drive up. Was finally able to find a welder who was willing to undertake the project - made more difficult because the parts are aluminum and harder to weld. I can't thank Kamerin Langhorn enough for his helpful, timely and quality work. Highly recommend him if you need emergency repairs or have a welding project in the Syracuse area. Easy to reach at 315-937-7672. Even has fully equipped mobile service to come to you if needed in an emergency. A smart ambitious young man worth supporting.