I haven't been on a boat in a very long time.... and oddly enough the last time I was on a boat (other than to fix it while it was onland) was only long enough to jump off it into the water... gotta love fishing boats by the beach in table head lol..... but today was a different story... I was actually master and commander of the vessel.... we have been fixing up a boat for the last month or so and after a few setbacks the maiden voyage was today.... we hooked up everything and dragged it to the mechanics place to pick him up..... after he was along we headed to the lake...

I've been getting lots of practice with driving a truck and trailer around since I've been in alberta.... between various jobs and such... luckily I haven't crashed one since my tow trucking days.... (if yew haven't heard about that keep reading there is a post dedicated to my big crash) anyway the trailer for the boat is tiny unless of course there is a boat on it.... I backed the boat towards the water and well for some odd reason I couldn't line it up right and had to try 3 times before I managed to get it in the water.... ok task one complete

we tied a rope to the bow and let it loose.. the dock is only short so it didn't take long to get it tied up.... it was quite windy so if the rope had slipped well someone would have had to swim to get the boat back lol.... the mechanic had said first thing that he was not getting wet today.... (make a note of that) after the boat was in the water and tied I moved the truck out of the way (so someone else could use the dock) ....

we started up the boat.... it's an old boat so it hadn't been used in quite some time.... after a few minutes it purred like it belonged on the lake.... time to test out the work... with the mechanic behind the wheel we chugged off slowly at first.... this is after all the maiden voyage.... we get going and start to pick up speed.... and after a bit we are at full throttle.... the boat starts bouncing in the choppy waters...... splash splash splash... water begins flying in the air as the boat hits the waves and the splashes soak us both..... so much for the mechanic not getting wet lol...... I move from the back of the boat to the front so that both of us are up front and the choppiness stops.... the mechanic eases off the throttle and we turn then make our way back to shore.... this is after all a test

as we are nearing the dock I notice another boat and one of the people on it are waving at us..... they are in distress..... the boat had stalled and wouldn't start.... we turn towards them and throw them a line and manage to tow the guy in... he's got a nice newer boat..... I smiled as we took our old boat with the newer one behind us in tow.... after we got back to the dock and all the thanks was done ... the mechanic got out (he needed a smoke) and I took over command of the vessel

I pushed off the dock ... now the lone person in the boat and coasted away from the dock... (I found out later that yewr supposed to go slow coming and going from the dock.... damned heavy driving foot lol) it was time to see what the boat could do... I raced off to the other side of the lake and made a few turns... after being soaked again I decided to take it back the other way and back to the dock.. it was enough of the testing.... so I learned how to drive a boat... unload and pick it up with a trailer.... (backing the truck and trailer with no boat on it sucked... as you cannot see the trailer at all.... and sadly the mechanic did not assist me with this whatsoever... but after all he was only there just in case the motor didn't work out... this was after all the test run)

I drove the mechanic home and picked up the rest of our boaters and went back to the lake.... we made our way along the lake and with 3 of us in it the boat seemed to skip along the water a little better than the first run.... of course we had to balance the weight accordingly... I was in the back consuming beverages... but I much rather being in command lol ... we drove around the lake for what seemed half hour or so.... then headed back...

the other two needed a smoke break so I again took a turn at the command... (I'm really beginning to like being called commander lol) I proceeded to zoom around the lake and after another half hour or more I made my way back to pick up the old folk smokers.... we all took another tour around the lake... this time with me in command..... we didn't splash as much as the previous two times.. I'm getting very good at it lol..... on the way back we found another boat in distress... this one a bit bigger than the last one..... and of course we proceeded to assist them by towing back to shore..... I was again told I could make a business of it.... yes I think I could live with that job.... piloting a boat around the lake rescueing people... yes that is the job for me lol.....

but since it was a boat and maiden voyage I dont have any pictures... but of course the big test was for tomorrows events... canada day seems to draw a big crowd of boaters and we will be among the various crews on the lake.... I shall take a camera and document as much as I can and hopefully spare the camera any wetness... I'd hate to lose a camera just so you all can see how great of a commander I am.... well then again I'd hate to not share this with yew.... envious aren't yew :P