Well after very little shopping we now own a 42ft Nordic Tug. I think we only saw 3 boats if you don't count all the new ones we got on at the boat show? Anyway this one seemed to meet our requirements of being mostly turn key, local, with the space and fuel economy we wanted. As a bonus it came with a dingy & outboard. Hopefully the outboard runs and the dingy holds air? We never tested those. The brand seems to have a pretty good following so hopefully it will be easy to sell when we get back. Now we need to figure out if we are going to sell our sail boat or store it for the year we are gone? Oh well we don't have to decide that today.
On June 30th Max and I drove up to Port Huron to officially close on the boat. This was his first time seeing it and he seemed happy with our choice and what his accommodations will be for the next year. Oddly enough Annabelle still had not seen it and did not seem too interested. Guess she is still trying to ignore this adventure?
Right as I signed the last bit of paper work one of the dock kids knocked on the boat telling us we needed to move it. I explained I just bought the boat and did not have a home for it yet. Even though the boat had been sitting in this same slip since early April it seemed they wanted it out of there for the holiday weekend. After a little begging they gave me 4 days to find a different home for it but I had to move it that day. Ugh.. I'll admit I was intimidated to drive this thing. Not to mention I was going to have to get a bridge to open for me and deal with current in the river on my first day without my wifes expert line handling abilities. Lesson one... No one can hear me when the engine is running and I'm trying to drive from the pilot house. We are going to need some head sets or something to communicate as I can't see the stern on this thing and it drives nothing like a sail boat. Despite being a bit nurvous Max and I figured out how to get it untied and out of the dock on our own. The dock workers meet us at the wall on the other side of the bridge where they were putting us. On the second attempt to slide it in what seemed like a pretty big spot between two boats I managed to get the boat along the wall and tied up. Lesson 2: This boat does not turn very well and only backs to starboard. I'm going to need to find a buoy somewhere and practice maneuvering a bit.
Unfortunately once we got the boat parked Max and I had to head right back home as he had sailing practice, it was our turn to cook for 90 some hungry sailors, and we still needed to get things packed for our trip to Mackinac Island the next day. No time to enjoy her quite yet.
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