Once we returned from the Boat Show trip, we got to work on a few projects. Dave nailed down the specs for the trailer he would order to carry Orion Jr back north. Cathy began varnishing the exterior wood trim on the boat. In between projects, we managed to enjoy ourselves a bit as well.

Boat Stuff

Wood exposed to the Florida sun requires protection if it is to look good and stand up to the heat and UV exposure. Since our exterior wood is varnished, that means applying several additional coats every year. In addition to the maintenance coats on the existing wood, Cathy prepared the new board that we purchased at Shell Lumber for installation on the port side of the companionway. Installing something new like this is a joint effort. Cathy typically sands and varnishes. We both measure and mark for any cuts or holes that need drilling. And Dave drills and cuts the board, installing it on the boat. Although the port rail wasn't in terrible shape, it no longer matched the new board we had installed on the starboard side last year. So, replacing it this year made sense.  

Since we weren't having any issues with the old rail, removing it was fairly simple. Dave popped out the teak plugs, removed the screws underneath and worked it loose from the caulking material that secured it to the fiberglass. Managing to keep it in one piece, we decided to keep it on board for possible future projects. We also used it as a template for drilliing the screw holes in the new board, employing the 3/8” forstner bit, we purchased last year for this purpose. To ensure the fiberglass wasn't compromised, Dave filled the existing holes with epoxy and re-drilled them. The board went on smoothly and Cathy installed the teak plugs and finished varnishing. Now the two sides match.

One rainy day, Cathy took to her sewing machine again and made a couple more shades for the cockpit. These will fit in the openings to either side of the companionway, which will help when we are facing due east or west to keep the sun out.

And then there is the trailer. In a short span of time, Dave learned a lot about boat trailers. By the time he was ready to order, he knew what he wanted and what he didn't. Here are some of the things on his list:

1. Aluminum I-beam construction, with stainless steel hardware or welded joints – The aluminum gives strength without too much weight. The stainless steel hardware minimizes concerns about rust.
   
   
2. Electric brakes – These give the driver much more control over the trailer and, with a controller already installed in the truck, some of the installation costs were eliminated.
   
   
3. Not too big and not too small – The problems of having a trailer that is too small are pretty obvious. However, having one too big could cause the trailer to transfer too much of the road motion to the boat and damage it. We finally settled on one that could carry 6000 lbs over the weight of the trailer.
   
   
4. Sailboat modifications – There are a lot of trailer manufacturers, but only a few make the modifications to support a sailboat – even one without a fin keel like ours.
   
   
5. Tongue extension – Sailboats are deeper draft and need to go further down the ramp to launch. To avoid getting the truck's rear tires in the water, a tongue extension increases the distance between the truck and the boat for this critical exercise.
   
   
6. Oil bearings – When trailer wheels are immersed in water, the pressure causes the grease in traditional bearings to ooze out. Without careful attention, the bearings can seize. The trailer we ordered has sealed bearings in oil that require no maintenance. We invested in an upgrade which will give them a 10-year warranty.
   
   
7. LED lights – Conventional incandescent lights run hot and when immersed in water at the boat ramp can be easily damaged. LED lights don't get hot so this is not a problem.
   
   
8. Torsion Axle – This will give the boat a smoother ride on the trailer.
   
   

Dave found what he wanted in a 24 ft Magic Tilt trailer. With the discounted prices from the boat show, he was able to make a deal with the local dealer (South Seas Rigging, across the street from the marina) and order the trailer for delivery near the end of March. One more big item in place for Jr's trip north. Now, if we can just figure out how to get that mast down. More to come in later entries. . . .

All Work and No Play . ..

We've definitely been taking some breaks between chores. With some amazingly warm and settled weather, the conditions at nearby Sombrero Reef were good enough to snorkel. We took Orion Jr out to the reef for the first time, exiting the harbor via Sisters Creek, also a first. There is a lot of misinformation about the depths at the entrance to the creek. When we heard the City Marina say it was only 4.6ft at high tide, which would mean we would be passing through 3 ft of water as we traversed it at low tide, we took a step back – and turned around. But then we talked to some other cruisers on the morning net who said they saw 8 ft at high tide. So, we should see 6ft at low? Another cruiser said no boat with a draft of 5 ft or more should try it. Well, we did. The bottom line was that at MLW it showed 4ft. We were fine. And so was the reef. We picked up a mooring directly over a coral head and the fish were all around us. Yellow-tails, damsels, tangs, parrotfish. It was great. A beautiful day.

We've also made a number of bike rides, the longest of which was about 5 miles east to an in-water boat show. The boat show was nice, but the great lunch made the long ride worthwhile. We also biked in the other direction off the western end of the island on the old 7-Mile bridge to Pigeon Key. And we've gone a number of places in between. It's become our favorite form of exercise.

We've started learning about the Great Loop trip from other cruisers, most significantly at the America's Great Loop Cruisers Association at the Marathon Yacht Club. A week later we returned to the yacht club for a nautical flea market that was so crowded you could hardly move. We've attended a few talks by local experts: a dinghy/outboard expert, the BoatUS local operator, and 2 officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. And the month ended with a bang at the National Pig Day races over at the Stuffed Pig. Its lots of fun and all for a good cause.

Then there are some familiar activities, the Ham lunch on Wednesdays, jam sessions at the Tiki Hut on Saturdays, and of course the morning Cruisers Net. It hasn't even been a month since we arrived, but it sure feels like it.

When we start to move, WE MOVE. Only 6 days after leaving LaBelle, we were setting anchor in Sisters Creek, just off Boot Key in the Marathon harbor. We had traveled several hundred miles in those days under sunny skies and fair winds. Once we were settled in, we made our travel arrangements to drive north, get the truck, take in the Miami Boat Show, where we hoped to learn a lot more about trailers for Orion Jr.

Fair Winds, But No Following Seas

What time does the Key West ferry leave Fort Myers Beach?

It was a question that was beginning to feel urgent, as the clear sunny morning, was suddenly swallowed up in fog when we passed through the Sanibel bridge on our way out in the Gulf to Marco Island. Having left before sunrise, our route was causing us to pass the Fort Myers Beach channel around 8:30am. If the ferry was exiting in the fog, would they see us? Luckily by the time we passed the channel entrance the fog was lifting. Shortly after, the ferry passed us.  

We were facing several days of light south or southeast winds that would make our trip down through the Everglades a pretty uneventful motor sailing trip. Well, not necessarily sailing;. We pulled out the drifter a couple of times and sailed on the main a bit as we were traveling very close to the wind. Trying to time our last jump to Marathon for more easterly winds, we decided to divide the trip into 3 hops from Marco to Marathon – New Turkey Key and Little Shark being our stopping points. 

Surprisingly, this would be our most social trip through the Everglades. As we pulled into New Turkey Key, the wind direction made us grateful for the protection of the key. We dropped anchor off its sandy beach, and saw a tent campsite with some canoe campers. Later, they were out in their canoe fishing. We invited them over to visit and learned they were from Wisconsin and on a 10-day canoe trip through the Everglades. We had been curious how people reached this remote spot to camp.  Terry and Jeff explained their route from Everglades City and how they planned to complete the circuit. They were also sailors back in Wisconsin, so we traded stories about little sailboats.  Just before sunset, we said goodbye, so we could both take cover before the bugs arrived.  

After weathering the swarm of mosquitos while pulling anchor early the next morning, we had a short trip to Little Shark River. With winds from the southwest, the mouth of the river was too rough, so we pulled up in the river. Its strong current and problematic bottom conditions gave us some problems anchoring. On our first attempt, the anchor skipped across the bottom. Until, of course we tried to pull it up. Then it caught on something and Dave struggled to pull it up. After several attempts and a lot of muscle power, Dave managed to retrieve it. Whew! On our 3rd attempt, the anchor caught and held.

Since we had been traveling for several days, we were just relaxing in the cockpit when we saw several boats heading up the river to anchor, including one substantial dinghy. Later on, the dinghy was heading back downriver on plane – and then suddenly stopped. Cathy called to see if they needed assistance. After some checks yielded no immediate solution, they slowly made their way towards Orion Jr and our assistance.

It turned out the dinghy's engine was overheating. As we secured their dinghy to Jr, we learned that they were on a large power boat anchored about a mile outside the outer channel. They had taken the dinghy in to explore the river, reluctant to bring the big boat in closer. They took us up on our offer of a tow, so we scurried to prepare the dinghy for travel. This was going to be a challenge, since our 2 boats were so mismatched. Their dinghy was a large inflatable with a large outboard. It had a pedestal with a steering wheel and ample room for the four occupants. Our little Portabote with its 4hp outboard was going to work hard to pull the boat against the swift flood current. Also, since we don't have a way to secure a towing pennant on the boat, we needed someone from the other boat to hold a tow line. Dave began towing them out of the river, but it was a slow go. It was also a strain on the crew member holding the tow line. At the pace they were going, it was going to take till sunset to make it to the mother ship. So, they opted to put the owner on our dinghy and get him back to bring the big boat closer to their dinghy, which would also bring Dave closer to Orion Jr. That solution worked. Once the tender was secured, they sent Dave on his way back to Orion Jr, with a T-shirt , a hat and a bottle of wine for his troubles. We were just glad to help.

As we made our way out of the river early next morning, we got a hail from them as they were pulling anchor. They were on their way to Naples, having served as race committee for the Key West and then a Miami sailing race. Since we were headed the opposite direction, we said good bye and wished them luck with getting the dinghy engine repaired. Our day was another light wind day, with us motorsailing on the main. The biggest challenge was dodging the myriad fish floats between Cape Sable and Marathon. By late afternoon, we were anchored in Sisters Creek, off Boot Key, less than a week after leaving LaBelle. Within 3 days we were on a mooring in the main harbor.

Miami Boat Show

Those who've followed us for a while know that we're planning to trailer Orion Jr north in the spring. We've got the truck. Now all we need is a trailer. One reason for our mad dash to Marathon was so David could begin researching options by talking to the local trailer dealers. With this information in his back pocket, our next stop was the Miami Boat Show and the myriad vendors who make and sell trailers.  

So, on Valentine's Day, we set out early from our north Miami hotel for the Miami Beach Convention Center. Two shuttles and two hours later, we walked into the show. We had a checklist of trailer vendors and their locations and worked our way through them. Obviously, most trailer vendors focus on power boats, but a power boat trailer with small modifications will work for a Columbia T26. Our most promising discussion was with Magic Tilt. Their trailer was a good price and good quality. And the local dealer would work with us to order and fit it to Orion Jr.

Having done the circuit on the trailers, we surveyed the rest of the show quickly. Our big purchase turned out to be a dinghy light. We took time out for a Valentine's Day lunch at The Knife back at the Bayside Marketplace venue for Strictly Sail, and then headed home. We did make one more purchase that day. Arriving at Shell Lumber 15 minutes before closing, we managed to get a teak board for the companionway to match the one we installed last year. We then learned that everyone wants to be in Miami or the Keys for the Prestident's Day weekend. Hotels were either outrageously priced or not available. So a little after midnight, we arrived back at the boat, and were glad to have a place to lay our heads.  

Boat Stuff and more

Our time in Marathon has been a strange mixture of tasks. A little boat maintenance was needed to stop a leak in the head and to re-attach the table support in the Main Saloon. We had some computer work to do ashore. Now that we would be using the dinghy more at night, we needed a better way to have its all-around light attached to the boat. The tall pole from last year didn't survive the summer. So Dave found some PVC connectors at Home Depot and built a light holder. He attached a long 3/4” PVC pole (~5ft) to a rectangular frame that was secured to the transom. At the top of the pole he used the connectors to build an arm with a sleeve at the end. The pole light we purchased at the boat show would drop through the PVC sleeve at the top while we were underway. From discussions with the FWC, we learned that the light must be high enough not to be obscured from any angle. Also, the FWC had ticketed boats in the harbor who had their dinghies behind the boat and not lit. So this worked for an anchor light of sorts as well. We just use a solar garden light from Home Depot, but we now secure the dinghy beside the boat, so we don't have to meet the higher visibility rules for its light.

With such a busy harbor, we stopped by to see some folks we haven't seen in a while. For example, Dick and Libby on Tarwathie graciously offered to watch our boat, while we traveled to LaBelle to get the truck and to see the Miami Boat Show. Since we had to shut down the ice box, we were invited to dinner upon our return to give us a day to get it going again. That was a treat.

We're looking forward to our time here once again.