After the wax job cruise

Trip dates: 
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Trip length: 
1 day
Type of watercraft: 
Power

Keeping a small boat in Florida requires some extra effort.  The hot sun, hurricanes and saltier water than the Bay, require some different approaches.  Our little Key West dual console has an extended bimini to provide extra shade.  I routinely flush the outboard after a cruise. 

Attention to the gelcoat is critical as well.  The prescription for a good shine is routine cleaning and was a couple times a year, at least.  Today, a pro spent seven hours on our 20' runabout and made her look like new!  It was worth every penny.

To celebrate (and to break the sequester routine) we went on a cocktail cruise.  In our little waterfront community and on the ICW, such a cruise may never get much above idle speed. Except for the minor four stroke engine noise it reminds me of small boat sailing, sans the tack and gybe action.  

Soon it will be time to depart Florida and get back to the Bay.  With recreational boating restrictions on the Bay lifted, it is time to get our Annapolis based boats ready for the season.  There is plenty of work to o ther and a plethora of future Century Club reports.

Before we leave Florida we need to "summerize" the Key West.  This is not unlike winterizing on the Bay. Except for worries about freezing the tasks are the same (clean, empty, cover, fog the engine). An additional task is hurricane prep which includes raising the lift to the stops and strapping the boat to the lift.