Me and My Boat: Bringing it Home

The weekend came and I drove our truck, complete with a new rear end, up to Houghton and out to where the sailboat’s owner lived along Portage Lake.  It was a Sunday and I called ahead to make sure that the owner wouldn’t be out to church or somewhere else, as I was heading up in the morning.  I don’t remember why I didn’t go up on Saturday but I’m sure it had something to do with a family activity or my wife had to work or another such activity.  I’m sure I was chomping at the bit either way.

I meet the owner at his house and was relieved to find him home when I arrived.  He was a pleasant gentleman and recapped what he had told me on the phone regarding the boat.  He also said that he had a book on sailing that he would give me as well, since it hadn’t done him any service; score.  The book was “Sailing for Dummies” and apparently covered all the basics.  I would put it to the test in the very near future. 

We walked over to the sailboat and the owner gave me the fifty cent tour, going over all the ins and outs of the vessel, at least all he was aware of.  He pointed out that he had replaced the tires on the trailer, and they indeed looked virtually new, showing little to no ware; score.  This deal was getting better and better.  His indoctrination gave me a better understanding of what I would receive upon completion of our business deal; a major project, to say the least. I was ready to jump, bring on the bridge, or find a lake.  Oh wait, there’s one right over there.

I asked who to make the check out to and the owner told me his name and spelled it out.  He said he had to go retrieve the boom and main sail and would be right back.  I filled out and then handed him the check, and he walked back towards his house. I then proceeded to maneuver my truck to hook up the trailer. 

Prior to leaving that day I had removed my trailer license plate from my camper and put it in the car.  I had no way to be sure, but I suspected that the boat trailer would be devoid of proper registration.  This suspicion would be confirmed, and I was relatively sure that I didn’t want a traffic citation for lack of a license plate.  However, I spaced it, and would pull over sometime later on the trip home to secure the false plate to my new purchase.  At any rate, I didn’t get pulled over, and made it home with both the sailboat and my wallet in tact.

The owner came back holding a long metal pole with a sheet attached to it, or should I say rolled up around it.  This would turn out to be the boom and main sail; like I knew.  He placed the apparatus in the back of my truck and then helped me put the trailer on my hitch.  The now previous owner then presented me with a receipt for the sale, signed and dated.  He also informed me that he didn’t have the title but didn’t think that it would be a problem as long as I had the receipt.  It would turn out not to be a big problem, but rather a small pain in the ass.  However, the sailboat was now mine or ours being the family boat.  But no, it’s mine, I’ll just let the family use it.  Anyway, it’s registered in my name, so that pretty much seals the deal.

I shook the man’s hand, he wished me happy sailing, and I drove away, my boat in tow.  I would have no other dealing with the seller from that point on, except for one instance.  When I went to register my sailboat sometime later all I had was the receipt from the transaction and that document failed to mention that the trailer was part of the sale.  This is where the pain in the ass comes in; basically the receipt just listed the boat with no mention of the trailer.  The powers that be require that the trailer be listed as well or it can’t be registered.  Plus the fact that there was no title didn’t help the situation. 

After much deliberation with the good folks at the Secretary of State office, I managed to convince them to register my boat, but have yet to register my trailer.  I had to write a letter to the seller and request that he sent me a new receipt indicating that the trailer was part of the transaction.  He did so, and that was the end of our dealings.  I will have to deal with my trailer later. 

I drove back the way I had come, sailboat in tow, with a feeling of happiness, and perhaps even a stupid grin on my face.  I was now the proud owner of an obnoxious green colored sailboat that was missing some key parts and might sink.  I was overjoyed.

I remember looking in the rearview mirror at the boat as it followed close behind me, a myriad of thoughts going through my head.  As I looked at the boat, it stuck me that it looked like a duck, at least from the angle presented to me.  With the windows wrapping around the side, the curving width of the hull, the high fore deck, and the sudden relief of the bow; it not only looked like a duck in my rearview mirror, it looked like a big green pregnant duck.  A big green pregnant duck chasing me down the road at fifty five miles an hour.  I must have smoked something prior to leaving.

I still think of the sailboat in those terms on occasion especially when I tow it to wherever.  I’m sure I always will.  I even thought about naming it “The Pregnant Duck” but have not made that leap just yet.

At this point I would like to relate that it is now December 24^th of 2009, and I have been in possession of the sailboat for just over four months up to this point.  I only mention this as I want to be clear on what has transpired thus far.

I made it home and parked the boat in my drive way and then started to mess with the boat.  I literally didn’t know where to start.  However on the way home I stopped by Menards and bought a trailer wheel with crank handle to raise and lower it.  I didn’t relish having to lift the trailer on and off the hitch continuously.  Hard on the back, lifting is.  So, I guess that was the best place to start and was the first piece of additional equipment I purchased for my new toy.  It was just the start.

I attached the new swing arm to the trailer and unhooked it from the truck.  After that, it’s unclear as to what transpired in the coming few days.  However, I do know that Marcia came home and was greeted with a boat stuck in her driveway.  I don’t think she was overly impressed.  My children or at least my youngest seemed to be enthused and liked to climb around on it.  My older two boys were indifferent.  My son Zach asked why we didn’t opt for a power boat, to which I really had no good answer other then price.  The boat found its way into our backyard where I’m sure my neighbor was happy to have a big obnoxious green lawn ornament to stare at from his front door.  Glad to help buddy.