Our cruise to Joe Wheeler State Park for the AGLCA rendezvous was scrubbed from being delayed at Green Turtle Bay Marina. The new plan was to go further south to Demopolis for the winter, but that didn’t materialize since we didn’t want to be near the hurricane belt until late November, Our newer plan was for a short stay at Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht, but that has turned into a newer-new plan requiring a six-month contract for in-water winter storage. Come spring we’ll deploy an even new-newer-new plan to travel further up the Tennessee River in the spring towards Chattanooga, and eventually Knoxville if all goes well, and save Demopolis for Fall 2024.
Yet another setback but, as they say about boats, everything is broken… you just don’t know it yet. It seems especially true with a vessel that’s 38 years old, so I usually cut the o’l HIPPOKAMPOS some slack when things go south (other than our cruise planning)… Read More
Layover at Aqua Yacht Harbor (cont.)
So Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht is where HIPPOKAMPOS will hibernate for the winter. While at Aqua Yacht Harbor the boatyard made another attempt to fix the fuel flow issue by replacing the fuel lift pump, but still no joy. Finally the problem was found with the pick-up tubes being clogged at the anti-siphon elbows on the two bad tanks. Once cleared we did a sea trial (and a much needed pump-out) and all seems good. Being at the boatyard for the winter would offer time to have the boat pulled out, since they have a travel lift, and new bottom paint applied along with some mechanical issues investigated.