update

Good news.  The repair is done and we are back in the water.

Nothing was damaged.  There was an old crack where the rudder tube meets the hull and it opened up.  It has now been repaired and is stronger than the original.  The new Schumacher rudder we installed a while back is still just fine.

We launched last Thursday, Valentines Day.  We were delighted to have a visit from our Newfoundland friends Vic and Marilyn.  We did a little walking and shopping with them and later had dinner with them and their friends John and Joyce.

Friday and Saturday saw uneventful cruising down the AICW to anchor Saturday in Fort Pierce.  Yesterday we assembled the stealth dinghy and headed to Riverside Marina to visit Calgary friends Brian and Dawn Anne.  They are finishing projects on their boat prior to crossing over to the Bahamas.  We’ll stay here a few days and help if we can. On our way to Riverside, we took a little detour into Harbortown Marina. We did not go in the main channel, but rather through some pilings wy off t the side. It was pretty shallow. We were watching closely. It appeared that there was a large rock between two of the pilings, so we headed to pass between the next two. Then suddenly the rock was right under the dinghy. Turned out to be a very large manatee. It seemed almost a big as the dinghy.  It was close enough to the surface I was afraid the prop was going to hit it. That’s as close as I’ve been to one of those gentle beasts.

We’ve owned “Submit” for 10 years.  We’ve maintained, repaired improved and upgraded her.  She is a great boat and in much better condition now than when we bought her.  A couple in a power boat went out of their way to come along side yesterday morning to tell us “Submit’ is the most beautiful boat they have ever seen. I’m not sure I could go that far, but she certainly catches the eye. 

The time has come for “Submit” to find someone else to love her, hopefully at least as much as we have.  Our adventures with her are ending and we will be listing her for sale.  If there is anyone out there looking for a dream boat, let them know how to find us. 

Our boating attention will be spent on our other sailboat, Cal 27 T2 “Knot Ready”.  We will also join others on their boat or do some chartering.  This spring already offers a trip through the Panama Canal and sail up the coast to Costa Rica with friends.