Well, here in Virginia, it is *STILL* raining.... I'm think I should apologize
to Mother Nature for any wrongdoings and beg forgiveness. Then, maybe the sun
will come out!!!

Yesterday (since I took off from work), I trailered my old 17' trihull up to
Lake Anna, VA with my daughters following behind me in their car. My new/used
2000 Chevy Silverado 1500LS just cruised down the highway with my 2100lb
boat/trailer combo. No sweat... Since it wasn't raining (yet), we decided to
scramble to get the boat ready and hitched up and go boating.

I learned a neat trick at the marina that I wanted to pass along. If anyone
else has a manual transmission, they should try it. Believe me - it works!

* Leave the emergency brake pressed.
* After the boat is loaded onto the trailer and all set, gently ease the
clutch.
* When the engine starts to bog down, immediately pop the emergency brake.
* You will creep up the boat ramp without spinning a wheel.

Anyway, since I did a tuneup on the old 165hp Mercruiser, my old boat ran like
a top! New plugs, cap/rotor, points, etc.... We had a great time out on the
lake. I let my daughters take the wheel and drive the boat around too. They
had a blast! Next time out, I'll gently and carefully explain docking to them
when we're at the marina.

Hopefully this rain goes away.... I can't stand this! Even yesterday when my
girls and I were boating, it wasn't raining, but the sky was looking nasty. We
loaded up in the afternoon and headed home, trailering the boat back and so on.
Wouldn't you know it... Right there on the highway heading south back to
Richmond, VA, the sky opened up on us. Man, my poor old 1975 trihull is
soaked! Trying to trailer a boat in a downpour is not fun!!!

Hope you all had a nice sunny day out boating.

Butch Ammon

On 09 Aug 2003 19:04:48 GMT, 123 (Butch Ammon) wrote:

Trying to trailer a boat in a downpour is not fun!!!

Pulling it down the road in the rain can also be called a powewash :-)
--
http://ripperd2.dhs.org


Hehehee.... Good point! :-)

Butch Ammon

You think you got too much water there! Well here in Western Pennsylvania I
haven't been boating since July 20th due to water conditions. The below link
shows the river gauge so plug in 30 days and see what's it been like. Safe
boating is anything under 12.0 ft and about 12,000 units of flow! To date my
engine hour meter shows 10 hours this year and I should be close to 30hours!

http://pa.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv..._no= 03049500

You think you got too much water there! Well here in Western Pennsylvania I
haven't been boating since July 20th due to water conditions. The below link
shows the river gauge so plug in 30 days and see what's it been like. Safe
boating is anything under 12.0 ft and about 12,000 units of flow! To date my
engine hour meter shows 10 hours this year and I should be close to 30hours!


http://pa.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv...at=gif&period=
30&site_no=03049500


Wow.... You got me beat by a long shot!! Sorry to hear about the almost
"tropical rainforest" conditions you have in PA.

That is a really great hyperlink that you posted. Thanks! I'm going to check
out the areas around Virginia and the James River and so on.

Butch Ammon

"Tropical Rainforest" Is a very accurate description of what it feels
like here in Northeast Pa. Pocono Mtns. A local radio DJ in the area
said if you were depressed from all the rain and jumped out a window,
you'd probably land in water anyway!