HANGING OUT AT THE MARINA

Everyone is just hanging out around the marina, enjoying the good weather. 

Sea-Enna, just loves the opportunity to just chase a ball and lounge around on the grass. 

 She also likes to play with her little friend Jessie

They roll around together and bite at each other, they seem to be oblivious to the difference in their sizes. 

 

All they know is they are just pals. 

So, that's another day at the beach. 

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN BOUNDARY CREEK YACHT CLUB

We are having another wonderful weekend in BCYC.  The geese that made it back this year have had their babies, and are all over the harbour. 

If we have to be stuck in harbour waiting for parts, it's not to hard to take.  We really live in a beautiful park. 

We have some small chores to do that will keep us busy and we have heard that our parts have been located and we should have our water pump ready for installation next weekend.  I'm not going to get my hopes up, because I don't like the disappointment, if it doesn't work out.  So, we'll just enjoy ourselves hanging out in the marina and hope for the best. 

THE RAIN CONTINUES, SO DOES THE CLEANING

It started raining overnight and continued all morning. 


So, what else is there to do, but continue with my cleaning. 


















Now the Pilot House is cleaned as well.  Venetian Blinds are cleaned, Walls are washed, Carpets Shampooed etc., etc., etc..

And now our new Captain's seat is finished and installed.  We still have to make the swivel back for it so that it can be used facing forward or backwards, but we will get to that next fall.  I think it matches the original woodwork very well. 

SPRING CLEANING THE THUNDERBIRD

We finally have sunshine, which has given me the incentive to carry on with the cleaning of my boat.  

Yesterday, I got the Galley and Salon done.  I even washed all the Venetian blinds (a yucky job at the best of times). 

 This morning, I tackled the forward stateroom "Captain's Quarters"(but he lets me sleep there too) and the en suite bathroom. 

I even got the main "Head"(bathroom) scoured and sparkling.  I really must find a basket for all those toiletries on the counter.     Well that's it until next weekend.  Then I will tackle the "Pilot House", which means 4 more Venetian Blinds.  (Yuck)   And we have to bring a carpet cleaner out to clean that old carpet in there, as we will not be able to get new carpet this year.  Then we will be able to bring in our newly built "Captain's Seat" and install the ice maker etc.  but, that's next weekend.  .   

AT HOME IN BCYC

Here we are safe and sound and at home at our dock in Winnipeg Beach.  It feels so wonderful to be here.  Right now I don't care how long it takes to get the impellers to arrive.  I can not believe that a few short hours ago we were stuck in Gimli Harbour. 

I have always told my children that you can accomplish almost anything, if you set your mind to it. 

Next time I will have to add, that you can accomplish EVERYTHING, "With a little Help from your friends".  Thank you, so much to Sharon & Casey of Loafhaven for getting us here today. 

DIY: WE NEED IMPELLERS

We brought the water pump into town and are looking for impellers for a 1954 - 471 Detroit Diesel.  They shouldn't be to hard to find, Right?

Well, we have Jim Merkley of Wajax Power Systems on the hunt for them.  Hopefully he will be able to find some for us and rush order them. 

Or we will have to find another solution for getting the Thunderbird to BCYC.  I sure don't want to spend my summer in Gimli.

THE LAUNCH OF THE THUNDERBIRD

We went out to the hangar Thursday and set the boat up for summer use.  In the spring and fall in the hangar I use an electric fry pan and kettle, along with a coffee maker as we live on board on work weekends.  At launch time, that all gets put in storage as I set up my gas stove, with kettle, frying pan and percolators.  We put all tools in storage and generally prepped the boat for our launch, with fenders and ropes all rigged and ready.  We took our new Captain's seat out to the lake with us, in the back of the truck, but we did not put it on board and wont until we are at our home dock, where it's a simple walk down the dock and in the side door. So, we are as set as we can be. 

There she is on the trailer and heading out the door of the hangar. 













The Thunderbird always looks huge to me, coming down Center Street in Gimli. 

So, here we are Launched and floating for another year. 

Well, we are launched and floating, but not going very far.  Right off, she wouldn't start.  We figured it was just the batteries, so we charged batteries all day, still no luck.  Then they traced the problem to the starter.  That was the culprit.  So all day Saturday Dan & Sean worked on the starter, removed it, got it working then re-installed it.  Once the engine was running they discovered there was no water flow cooling the engine, so off came the water pump to discover the impellers are shot. 

 

So here we sit in Gimli Harbour, we will take the water pump in to Winnipeg and hopefully we will be able to get new impellers installed and have the pump ready to be installed back on the boat next weekend.  Then we will be off to our home port of Boundary Creek Marina and on with the rest of our Summer.