Yesterday and today were the first two days of their kind, beautiful placid days on Geneva Lake, when I’ve not felt guilty for not taking the boat out.
We sold the SeaBell to another enthusiast on Saturday. Now I’m left with the memories, the hand-plaited rope bell pull, the French signaling horn, the 50-year-old log book, and hundreds of photos, some framed, some in flip-cases and many on the computer, of every inch of SeaBell and some of our outings.
I want to think about other boats whose decks I yearn to walk, but push away. It’s too soon. The funds raised from SeaBell will go to support my college cause-related communications awards program for a few more years, so I’m sure I’ll be reminded of her whenever the award ceremonies come around.
Always liked the feeling of knowing I had a boat on the lake, whether I was aboard her or not. Now I’m not sure what to think.
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July 12, 2010 at 12:22
Steve Bashaw
Chuck & Vicki:
The Sea Bell is getting a lot of admiring glances and comments at Harborside on the Illinois River, and always available for a visit!
You would find “riverlife” much different than “lakelife”, and I suspect you both would really enjoy a quiet sunset ride with us watching the blue heron and egrit along the shoreline; without the wakes of passing speedboats and waterskiers on Lake Geneva- although occassionably we do duck into a cove to get out of the way of a Mississippi-bound barge. Every locale has its good and bad points. We prefer the quiet, laid back river barges with the cooks making New Orleans BBQ for the working crew on the aft deck, to the bustle of Lake Geneva’s speed boats blaring rap music for the wakeboarders, although sometimes it is nice to see that much energy in young people. We envy your blue swimming water. You might envy our mist on the river mornings.
Last evening I went to the boat to take a nap after motorcycle safety class and woke to a torrential rain. As my pontoon-owner dockmates ran for their cars to get out of the downpour, I sat in cabin and couldn’t help but adapt that well worn line: “If you lived here, you’d be home by now” to “If you had a Nomad, you’d still be dry by now.” Sea Bell did very well in the high winds and sheeting rain. Not a drop inside…thanks to your advice about the scupper plugs! (West Marine has a “check-valve” refit scupper plug that I’m going to look at and may incorporate.) I also spent some time on Saturday evening tieing oversized fenders horizontally along the toerail. She spends her evenings in the slip rather than on the trailer, so we wanted to give her the dock protection she didn’t need before. With the fenders hanging down from the rail, Sea Bell takes on the “look” of a tugboat — much like our wives do with a new hairdo. You should see her! She looks like a ‘river queen’. (If you don’t come to visit in the near future, when I get done [after the third order from Overton’s], I’ll snap and post a photo or two.) I also hosted a marine electronics fellow on Sea Bell Sunday evening. I think I want to update the electronics to a newer chartplotter/gps/depth/speed/temp/fishfinder, unit that will accept AIS/DMS and perhaps radar in the future, but I’m just a little in “sticker shock” currently. I’ve also found a local woodworker that I want to talk to about some shelves and hand-holds to help Laura get in and out of the boat, as well as move around the cabin easier. And, then, of course, there is the cavas fellow who made the enclosure for my pontoon boat…he’s come out briefly and is coming back to talk about a bimini for the aft cockpit, and curtains, and who knows what else!
We’ve got a lot of plans to make Sea Bell fit “riverlife” and to travel to the NY Canals next surmmer, but hope to go slowly and very delibertly. We’d really like your thoughts and ideas! (The most wonderful part of our transaction was that after spending a week living aboard a Nomad so smiliar to the Sea Bell in June, Laura and I knew she would fit our needs exactly when we first saw her…felt instantly comfortable with her, and now we want to go forward carefully to maintain the sense of integrity and care with which you gave her to us.)
Please do check your schedules and see when you can come to visit Sea Bell and usl Chuck needn’t pine over the loss of the Sea Bell. She’d love to see him, too…and he can go home when it’s time to mop the deck and check the bilge.
Steve