Bridges and Beers - Great Loop Adventure

 After 21 days and more than 220 hours of working on the Dorothy Scott, I am tired, sore, and ready to head back to Austin. I was originally planning on leaving early Tuesday morning, but by mid morning today, I was done. Any project I would have started seemed too overwhelming, so I decided to pack up my stuff and head out a little early. It was a whirlwind of three weeks and I can't believe it is already over. Although I didn't accomplish everything I set out to do, I accomplished a lot and learned more than I expected about the interworkings of the boat. The trials of troubleshooting the port engine and not being able to fix the cut off switch on the generator cut into my remodeling time, but gave me a hands on education that will help me when I am on the year long trip. I am actually thankful for all the trouble and thankful to Pete Salter, the previous owner, for all his help. I hope I am able to make him proud with the adventure I will have with the boat he loves. I met s...

 I have been hard at work on the boat the last 10 days. We finally got the port engine running. It was just a clogged fuel line. Replaced the line and she runs smooth and strong. Took her out for a couple hours on Saturday morning and it was a fantastic time. I went out by myself and was able to get her in and out of the slip with no issues. There is nothing like cruising from the fly bridge. It is so peaceful and fun and exciting all at the same time. I think that is where I will spend the majority of my time while driving the boat. See the video below. Friday night I went to Coles Point Tavern for dinner and met some really great people. We sat and talked about boats, the Great Loop, Florida, retirement, and just how to live your best life. The food and the staff there are great. If you are cruising through the area, be sure and meet the owners Chris and Anne. Anne works the bar and Chris is a fantastic cook. The picture is of me in front of the restaurant. It is located on the V...

Right after I finished my last blog post, I took the boat out by myself for the first time. I was very nervous, but if you don't take the first step, you never make the journey. Although it was my first time to drive a boat this size and one with twin engines, I exited the slip and the marina with no problem. I maneuvered around the docks with no problem. I have always been told that twin engine boats are very easy to control, and they were right. It didn't take long to feel comfortable driving.  About 20 minutes into my maiden voyage, the port engine shut off and would not restart. I immediately turned the boat around to start back in the direction of the marina. I was surprisingly calm and went through the checklist of what I needed to do to stay safe. I brought the starboard engine down to idle and slowly made my way back toward the marina. While a twin engine boat is easy to control, a large twin engine boat with only one operational motor is not nearly as easy! I knew once...

 I left Austin at 7am 7/5 to make the 22.5 hour drive to the boat at Coles Point Marina, VA. I made it almost to Bristol, TN the first night. Arrived at the hotel a little after 1am EST, about 17 hours with stops for food. I got up at 6:30am and made the last 6.5 hours by 1:40pm to meet with Pete, the previous owner. He graciously spent over 4 hours walking me through many details of the boat and how to operate her. I have many videos and will be studying the videos all month. There is a lot to learn, and he is coming back later in the week to continue my education. I can't thank Pete enough for taking the time to make my voyage a success! I spent most of the evening cleaning the kitchen and unpacking the basics. I still haven't changed clothes from Monday! I didnt get much sleep as I havent changed out the mattress yet and still havent showered, but plan on doing so sometime this morning. The photo is of the sunrise on Wednesday morning on the beach next to the marina. To see ...