The Westlake Pirates

It came right down to the wire, but the engines started up without any problems Monday morning, and in a very, VERY strange coincidence the surveyor that the buyer found ended up being the same person who surveyed the boat for us two years ago back in Raymond! It turns out he's an associate of the surveyor just up the street from the marina.

At about 10:45 am we pulled out of the marina (and had a few harrowing moments with the boat hooks making sure we didn't bump anyone too hard) and made our way up to Lake Union Ship Yard near Gasworks Park. I got to drive the boat for a few minutes after we were in open water, and it's remarkable how sluggish a vessel seems to respond to turning the wheel, compared to a car. Of course we were also only going about 7 mph so that might make a difference as well.

The haul-out went uneventfully (see picture above) with a layer of algae and general sea scum washed off the hull. There are a few small blisters that have turned up since the last time she was out, but nothing serious.

All-in-all things were about as I expected, with the condition of the boat similar to what it was when we had it surveyed in 2005. We did improve many things although there are always things to do on a boat, so the new owner will have her hands full if she decides to take on any of the projects. She at least inherits a good mechanic and a marina full of knowledge and advice. I'm sure she has lots of plans and vision for the boat, just like we had back in April 2005. She was already unloading lots of paint from her car as I was leaving the marina!

Posted by Steve at 12:51 PM | Permalink

A view from our new kayak: Gasworks Park and the University Bridge.

Posted by Kristin at 11:38 AM | Permalink

Two weeks ago we had a thoroughly entertaining neighborhood get-together to race dinghys, be neighborly, and generally get wet. It was a raucous affair, filled with lots of splashing, rain, and prizes. There are lots of pictures at a special photo gallery. Of course, it's often difficult to take pictures of yourself when you're actively doing things. Luckily several other people took pictures as well. Van's pictures are in our gallery, and you should also check out our neighbor Lee's great pictures (and beautiful photo album design), since we're in a bunch of them, doing wild and crazy things.

For what it's worth, we won the "one oar down, no oars back" mixed doubles event. Kristin was the powerhouse in that event, I basically kept the boat straight while she zoomed us along.

Posted by Steve at 9:23 PM | Permalink

We took the dinghy out for a spin recently. I wanted to write this entry mainly so I could say the word "dinghy" repeatedly. After this manually-propelled excursion, Steve traded his electric guitar for a trolling motor. You can click on the thumbnails to see bigger photos.

Steve rows us towards downtown. I rowed A LOT too, there's just no pictures. I'm serious.

We're going out for Lake Union Crew Team. You can see the Space Needle all tiny over Steve's shoulder.

This is a houseboat at the marina next to ours that I totally have a crush on. It's the cutest thing ever and I want to draw daisies all over it with crayons. It looks like a cake or something.

The Hot Fudge, a houseboat in our marina that was for sale for the lowly sum of $580,000 or some such nonsense. We think the marina manager might have bought it cause we see him over there all the time on the balcony eating dinner. He's like that opponent in Monopoly who suddenly makes the game no fun, because they have more money than anyone else and they just start buying stuff and putting hotels on it for the hell of it. Well, I can't blame him. It's a gorgeous houseboat. No Octopus of Love, clearly, but still a real looker.

Heading back home, you can see Gasworks Park over Steve's shoulder.

We return to China Sun after an exhausting tour of Lake Union. My arms are killing me! (from holding the camera while Steve rows.) You can't see our boat in this picture, but you can see the big green floating home next to us called The Salsa with the big American flag and seahorse windsock, and to the left of that is Barry's Boat. The Cruise-a-Home from hell. Although I guess it's not Barry's Boat anymore cause he finally sold it. But it will always be Barry's Boat to us. Shelly's floating home, The Salsa, is really gorgeous, and they have a clawfoot porcelain bathtub with hands and mermaids painted on it. Next time we pass go and collect $2 million dollars, we're going to buy that one, too.

Posted by Kristin at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Alrighty then. There's about ninety photos in a gallery now available for your viewing pleasure here. I figured that was a few too many pictures to put in a single entry, especially since some of you are still on dial-up, so instead it opens a gallery with thumbnails that you can click to view larger images. If you're a sadist or really want a poster-sized copy of a picture, the original 4 megapixel images are also linked.

It was a dark and stormy day, and it shows in how wet we are by the end and how many drops found their way onto the lens. Enjoy, because once it was afloat and the engines fired up, we certainly enjoyed it. There's lots to come, including more sagas of a catty nature and the myriad improvements we've already done (such as putting things back together and adding lights!)

Posted by Steve at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Right.

Oh yeah, and there's a few odds and ends to properly tie up, such as the boat itself (which only came with two lines, so we quickly had to obtain an additional pair...)

More... MUCH more to follow, including Alex's fine video footage of the boat backing into the water and cruising along the lake in the pouring rain.

Posted by Steve at 8:22 PM | Permalink

Okay as my compatriot previously pointed out (he beat me to it!), today is moving day. We are awaiting word of the boat's arrival in Olympia, WA, which is something like halfway between Raymond and Seattle. Everything is going swimmingly, including the marina manager calling to offer assistance and "round up some of the boys" if we need help. Not a totally selfless act; he said in a kind of worried tone, "You've got someone moving it for you, right?" and then offered his services with the qualifier, "so you don't smash into anything." Granted, our slip is about 20 feet wide, and it lies between a $600,000 house barge and a restored 40' wooden sailboat. Well, help is help, and we're grateful.

I had a series of detailed, lucid nightmares last night. All of them involved sinking boats. Mostly, I found myself alone on the dock, wondering why the Octopus of Love was sitting so low in the water, and then watching in horror as the water began flooding in through the windows. I jumped into the Lake and was attempting to hold the boat above water until help came. I had on SCUBA gear and was underneath the boat (I remember looking at the zinc plate we nailed onto the transom in approval), trying to figure out what was wrong. The boat was going down so fast, and it was so heavy... I woke up sweating and panting and practically strangling my cat. When I fell back asleep, a similar nightmare started, except this time I was not alone -- it was some Hawaiian holiday and people were partying on the boats next to ours and on the dock. And likewise, the boat began to sink. But then I realized it was not our boat, it was someone else's that looked exactly like ours. I still tried to save it, and no one else was trying to help, they just stood there in their grass skirts, drinking out of coconuts and watching the Cruise-a-Home sink like the Titanic into the bowels of Lake Union.

It's going to be fine. I'm sure.

Unloading in T - 1 h 50 min.

Posted by Kristin at 12:14 PM | Permalink

It's delivery day. Naturally, it's raining and the forecast doesn't look promising.

We've got confirmation the boat was picked up in Raymond, so now it's the long, slow wait.

Posted by Steve at 11:50 AM | Permalink

I have no idea if the marine survey of our boat will be of any use or interest to anyone, but if it is, read this entry. If you don't care about federally required safety equipment and starboard transom moisture readings, continue about your daily business. There's nothing to see here.

Continue reading "Survey says..." »

Posted by Kristin at 3:56 PM | Permalink

... even though Lake Union is fresh water. (Must be my overactive imagination.)

We have a completed survey! We have insurance! We have someone to haul the boat to Lake Union! We have someone to drive the boat to the slip! Our beloved boat seller Gary, Man of the Year, is finishing repairs today. Steve is at the department of licensing as we speak. All systems are go!

I can hardly believe it. I wish you could understand how many phone calls I've had to make in the past 3 weeks. It's ludicrous. I dealt with 12 insurance agencies and about 14 marine surveyors until I could convince one to give us liability and the other to journey all the way to Raymond to have a look-see at our vessel.

The survey last Wednesday went splendidly. Gary, who has little respect for surveyors, always refers to them in quotes. The "surveyor" said this needed to be fixed. Or that guy came to "survey" the boat. Gary builds 150 foot catamarans for a living. I trust his judgement.

We'll follow up with an in-depth detail of the survey results. The issues were all minor, and almost all of them will be remedied by the end of this week. (propane system, flares, fire extinguishers, other assorted shortcomings)

The wonderful woman I work with offered her services to help us move the boat on Monday. (Next MONDAY!) She's an angel. She says, "Why aren't you moving the boat?" and I said "Um, we can't drive". And she said, "And you got a FORTY foot boat?" and I said "Um, yes."

She also informed me that B.O.A.T. actually stands for "Bring on another thousand." My dad used to have a bar sign that had the definition: "Boat: a hole in the water into which one pours money."

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a raise in July.

Posted by Kristin at 1:24 PM | Permalink

Posted by Steve at 5:19 PM | Permalink