Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[Opa]

Vacuumed out the boat today so I guess I'm done working on it with the exception of the jet drive. Replaced the wiring, installed sonar/gps, installed four rail mounted rod holders, four vertical tube style rod holders, a four rod horizontal rod rack, net holder, push pole holder, cup holders, new pole mounted running lights front and rear, and a plier & forcep set mounted on console. I installed a bimini top for a little shade this summer and to serve as a foundation and roof for the side and front curtain for winter fishing. Lube all possible fittings, replaced a shade tree mechanic installed steering arm.


The grate bars on the foot had really taken a beating and were bent horribly. I was able to remove them and straighten them. However, when I pulled the foot off the jet pump I found the internal damage from sand and rocks is going to require that I replace the impeller and the wear ring. Not cheap but still much cheaper than a new boat.

My efforts are finally starting to show.


One big requirement was the installation of the anchor tower and winch. No way would I want to be constantly readjusting the position of a 50# anchor.



Another requirement was devising a way to get Granny in and out of the boat. Many of the launches we will be using either have no docks or the dock is one that she could use. So for the instances beaching the boat and using the ladder that I salvaged from someone's trash and then modified it to fit the boat.

 

[1muttsfan]

Cadillac ride!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

I saw the posts about Granny's experience with the tainted injections. How awful! Glad she is okay! As for me and mine, my sister had brain surgery last month for an aneurysm, but she is doing amazing!! And, I just got accepted to grad school. So, I guess I'm proof that you're never too old to learn. (Of course, I shouldn't say that until after I've passed.) And, my middle son got married to a wonderful young woman. Life is really good!

It was great to see your familiar face on BYC. Mostly, I don't know anyone here anymore. Real life has kept me away, and so many of the faces have changed. Well, time to get ready for work. It's going to be a rocking day, with graduation practice, and teaching over 300 8th graders to sing a song, as well as a 3rd grade play, and tnikling. A day in my life!!

 

[Opa]

Got lots done today. Had to go to Hope's oldest son's house where Hope was baby sitting. When she got there this morning her daughter in law's vehicle had a flat tire so she took Hope's car. I got called to bring an air compressor and inflate the tire. Came home and mowed the entire yard and fortunately I won't have to bale.

Worked on the boat, installed cup holders and four rings on the bimini top to attach a privacy curtain so the ladies will have a little dignity when nature calls.

Then this evening got a reminder of how debasing the aging process is. Today was Hope's step father's birthday and I went and got him to bring to our house for his favorite meal, liver and onions. When I got there he seemed disoriented and down right hateful. When I told come or stay it didn't really matter to me his attitude improved slightly. Then on the way home he complained about the POS televison that we had stuck him with. It happens to be a very nice flat screen that we bought him when he went into the nursing home last year.
Dinner went well but part of the time he seemed completely lost and then moments later he was completely lucid. He used to travel to tractor shows in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. He had met quite a few people that he had enjoyed spending time with and often comments on how he misses the tractor show circuit. I had the phone number to one individual he had been close to so I dial him up and then handed the phone to John. He really enjoyed talking with his old friend. The entire conversation was lucid and as soon as it was over he seemed lost again.

He is only 12 years older than I and to think that I could wind up as mentally lost as he is is a scary thought. Might be a good idea to fish in thunderstorms and hope for a lightning strike. It would be much kinder than to be like John has become.

After I got home our 17 year old JRT misjudged the distance when coming in the house and struck her chest on the edge of the step. Then later she fell off the 6" step from the kitchen into the family room and dislocated her shoulder. This has happened before and I was able to get it back in position by massaging and pulling on the leg.

The poor old girl is deaf as a post and cataracts are clouding her vision. Many times she still thinks she is young and runs around like crazy from one end of the house to the other. After such exertion she needs to take a nap and will sleep for several hours. I had briefly considered having her put down but she doesn't appear to be in any pain so I will continue with the status quo and hope that one morning I find she has passed in her sleep.

It's hard watching the affects of aging whether it be man or beast. When I think about the signs of aging that are starting to show on myself it makes one wonder how the years have gone by so quickly.

 

[1muttsfan]

One of the saddest aspects of certain forms of dementia is the change in personality, often resulting in someone who spent their whole life as a friendly, social, loving person to someone who is bad-tempered and hateful. I often told my mother, who was very saddened that her mother (my grandmother) deteriorated enough to be quite mean to her, that Grannie would never have acted like that if she was herself, and that she loved mom very much but just could not express that anymore. I felt truly blessed that she recalled me and never acted that way towards me, as I know it would have been heartbreaking.

For the last several years up here they have had an antique tractor parade that starts in Mackinac City, the tractors drive over the Mac Bridge and park here in St. Ignace. They get over 600 tractors each year from all over the country, lovingly restored and prized tractors from just about every make and model. I am sure your FIL would have loved it. He may not be able to appreciate your care of him anymore, but I know that it gives you and Hope a good feeling to know you have done what needed to be done.

 

[Opa]

Just finished sewing d-rings to the bimini top to use as attachments points for the privacy curtain if Granny or any of the other women need it. The curtain is stowed where it's handy. Attached an eye bolt to the dash to snap the assorted tools on for quick access (line cutter, hook sharpener, etc). Now as soon as the new key way arrives to attach the impeller we are ready to start fishing.

 

[NotAFarm]

Congrats on the boat renovation, Sam!
My daughter called yesterday to say that my SIL purchased a "new to him" boat that needs quite-a-bit of work and I thought of you and your current project . He loves to make, fix and restore things and since the kitchen remodel they are doing is winding-down, the "new" boat will keep him busy.
I know you'll post pictures of your first outing........

 

[Opa]

Getting the boat on the water has really been get an ordeal. Took it out the first time and couldn't believe how slow it ran. The motor ran well but the boat had absolutely no power. Came back home and checked the jet pump and found the intake grate was heavily damaged from rocks. Pulled the foot and found the impeller was badly worn and the liner deeply scarred so it wouldn't draw water properly.

I started trying to chase down parts and finally had to drive to a boat dealer about 140 miles from here that had the parts I needed. Thought I was all set until I tried to install the impeller and found that they have gone to a different style of key way. I contacted the manufacturer and they agreed to send me a modified key that would fit my shaft and the new style impeller. A week later when I tried to put everything back together I fpund that the new key wouldn't work so I was back on the phone calling California.

This time I spoke with their head mechanic and he seemed quite knowledgeable and told me that they had sent me the wrong key. He stuck a couple in the mail and a week later I was back to putting everything together. The keys he sent wouldn't work either but with a mill file I was able to get the new impeller on.

The next morning Granny, Hope, and I headed for a local lake. With great anticipation I pushed away from the dock and off we went. A tour around the lake was nice but again I was sorely disappointed with the boat's performance. After we got back home I was looking at the motor and pump and realized that I had installed the foot wrong. It was off 180 degrees.

Shakedown cruise number 3 and while the boat performed better it still fell far short of my expectations and I doubt that we could navigate back upstream on the rivers I fish. We shut the outboard off and start using the trolling motor so we could check its performance.

Wiring the trolling motor to the manufacturer's specifications turned out to be a real pain. It needed to be installed with a quick disconnect and ones sold by Minn Kota are only for 10 gauge wire. Attaching plugs was extremely difficult and when the connection vibrated loose while we were underway proved that something else would have to be devised.

With the trolling motor inoperable we attempted to restart the motor only to discover that the gas was to low to reach the pickup tube. Sitting in the middle of the lake with no means of propulsion and the wind plowing us further from the dock, I suddenly realized that I had neglected to put any tools in the boat.

After 20 minutes of effort with a small pen knife I was able to remove the plugs. By holding the ends of the wires together
we were able to get underway and work our way back to the dock. Not happy but thankful we didn't have the embarrassment of being towed by another boat.

One observation both David and I made was that the motor didn't sound like it was at full throttle even though the throttle lever was pegged. At this point I am thoroughly disgusted with the boat and called the previous owner to ask if he had experienced any difficulty with the throttle and acceleration. He claimed not but admitted that he had only acquired the boat in January and had only taken it out once and when it wouldn't get up on plane decided to sell it. When I originally talked with him I asked about taking in out on the river. When I called to tell him when Scott was coming to look at it I ask again about running the boat and he said he had a pond they could back the boat into so Scott could verify that it ran well. He pulled a slicky; he didn't want us to know that it wouldn't plane.

As I thought more about the throttle and the sound of the engine not working hard I started checking the throttle linkage. With the engine cover off David watched the throttle while I advanced the lever. It had traveled at least half the throw before the throttle started to advance. We also discovered that the adjustment block was not attached to the engine. We've adjusted the linkage, attached the block, now we've got to get it in the water to see if it works.

Tomorrow will be shakedown 4 so I am hoping and praying that it will work. If not I will have to get a large motor which is something I can't afford to do. It will be a real bite to have this boat sitting in the garage while I' back to fishing from my small boat.

 

[1muttsfan]

Well, not sure what"keys", "linkage" or "foot" are, but I sure understand up a creek without a paddle! I'm sure Granny thought it a great adventure.

 

[EweSheep]

Opa, just a brief note about your Welsummers.....they were from Calicowoods, Mr Harry Shaw Jr bought them from Channing Grisham himself. Isn't that great! So you have pure Grisham lines in your flock. Keep focused on the flock and don't cross it with anything else! I got that information from Mr Grisham himself and I thank him for sharing it with us.

Whitmore Farms is another Grisham lines for their Welsummers.