Hello everyone, newbie here. (and boating rookie at that.) I've been up way too late these last couple weeks reading these forums, and when I haven't been learning, I've been laughing! <br /><br />Just got my first, and second, boat in the last month. The first, because I spent way too much of my little boys first month of summer vacation working. Since he would rather fish than eat, I wouldn't consider it a bribe, really... 
More like a reason for some serious quality time! Just a little tinny to get out on the water. Caught his first really big bluegill out of it last week, I might add.<br /><br />And the second, well, with all the lake exploring, boating course studying, hydro map gathering, and well, you know the rest. One fine day the husband and I came across...HER.<br />There she was, in all her glory. Couldn't hurt just to look, right? Yes, she was a few years older, and needed some minor work. But she is seaworthy, and the mercruiser purrs like a kitten. <br /><br />So, to make a long story shorter, we have been merrily scrubbing, and buffing, and tinkering for the last three days. I decided to remove the full canopy with its many large pieces, and gently scrub it back to glory. The sun is setting, and I am finishing the last section. We figure it would be fine to let them dry overnight and put them on tomorrow. Step in the house and decide to check the weather just in case. Thunderstorms. Now we're going back out to put this thing back together, first time, in the dark. Several sticker bushes, stubbed toes, and cursewords later, we're getting down to the wire. BUT...IT...WON'T...QUITE...FIT! What the?!? Suddenly this little light goes on...DUH! We ended up taking the whole thing off, hosing it down, just to put it back. Hence the subject line, "Mental note to self..."
More like a reason for some serious quality time! Just a little tinny to get out on the water. Caught his first really big bluegill out of it last week, I might add.<br /><br />And the second, well, with all the lake exploring, boating course studying, hydro map gathering, and well, you know the rest. One fine day the husband and I came across...HER.<br />There she was, in all her glory. Couldn't hurt just to look, right? Yes, she was a few years older, and needed some minor work. But she is seaworthy, and the mercruiser purrs like a kitten. <br /><br />So, to make a long story shorter, we have been merrily scrubbing, and buffing, and tinkering for the last three days. I decided to remove the full canopy with its many large pieces, and gently scrub it back to glory. The sun is setting, and I am finishing the last section. We figure it would be fine to let them dry overnight and put them on tomorrow. Step in the house and decide to check the weather just in case. Thunderstorms. Now we're going back out to put this thing back together, first time, in the dark. Several sticker bushes, stubbed toes, and cursewords later, we're getting down to the wire. BUT...IT...WON'T...QUITE...FIT! What the?!? Suddenly this little light goes on...DUH! We ended up taking the whole thing off, hosing it down, just to put it back. Hence the subject line, "Mental note to self..."
