Spring is here!

[CamB25]

Bertie is back in her slip after Spring maintenance. Found a weird single point failure with the engine's private network cable (pinched) that almost drove me nuts. If that cable is damaged, the computer on the engine doesn't wake up, and it is ALL STOP. Nothing will work. I don't have this risk with my 1998 Yammi 115. Modern tech is great until it stops working!

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/YH ... Rrk0L-bO7j

My upholstery guy made some nice covers for the forward seating and cooler seat. He also made a really nice sun shade for the front. We use that front area as the living room/dining room. It'll be nice to have a break from Mr. Sun! Craig has made these shades available via custom order for bow or stern applications. see website: https://hightideboatshades.com/

I was lucky to find High Tide for the canvas work. If anyone needs upholstery in the Wilmington area: http://www.hightidecanvas.com/

Too bad gas is $5.79...going to be an expensive season! Thanks, Brandon!

[ktm_2000]

Cam - what did you use for the posts out of your front rodholders?

I was thinking a next year item would be similar to what you setup but would be in the stern of my boat coming off the doghouse roof and going back to a posts inserted in my rodholders.

I am also not looking forward to the 140 gallon fill up this spring, at least I can trailer and hit gas stations, will need to do some looking as there are big swings in pricing. Sunday we went for a ride and started by filling up local at $4.30 and went out western MA and found gas at $3.99.

[Bruce]

Cam,
Great shade of blue.

[CamB25]

Cam - what did you use for the posts out of your front rodholders?

I was thinking a next year item would be similar to what you setup but would be in the stern of my boat coming off the doghouse roof and going back to a posts inserted in my rodholders.

I am also not looking forward to the 140 gallon fill up this spring, at least I can trailer and hit gas stations, will need to do some looking as there are big swings in pricing. Sunday we went for a ride and started by filling up local at $4.30 and went out western MA and found gas at $3.99.

Those are Carbie poles (hold onto your wallet). Carbon fiber with all the do-dads to tension the sun shade. I had to add rod holders up there adjacent to my anchor locker (drain into the anchor locker). I found rod holders with rubber plugs to limit the water intake. What you are describing - mounting aft - is the traditional way. You might want to fab some short outriggers so the shade is as wide a possible.

Take a look at Craig's boat shade site. He walks you through how to measure so his folks can make the shade. Easy.

[CamB25]

That Bahama Blue color was the right choice. I love it. I taught myself how to cut and buff paint the other day. The Port side was not looking to good from dock rash from some rookie training mistakes and not having the right dock line set up to keep the boat off the dock. The paint is Awlcraft 2000 which is soft compared to Awlgrip. Dings/rubs up pretty easy, but also buffs out well without losing shine. Pick your poison.

I used the 3M Perfect it process and pads - https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/collision-r ... erfect-it/
Rubbing compound, then the machine polish with my 7" buffer on a fairly slow speed. I finished up with a hand applied coat of AwlCare. Really came out good, even for a first timer. Happy.

Cam