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Old 10-14-2013, 01:02 PM   #1
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City: Gig Harbor, WA
Vessel Name: Micki
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Los Angeles to Seattle - Getting Micki Ready

I drive a vehicle every day that has 208,000 miles on it. It’s clean, the AC blows cold and the stereo sounds great. And I like it.

Some people (wife included) would consider it crazy to commute through busy Seattle freeways in such a car. They’d call it unreliable, risky. Or even dangerous.

Make no mistake - I don’t want my 19 year old daughter trying her luck in this car: Safely pulling onto the shoulder of a busy freeway requires a level of skill that I don’t want her testing yet.

But let me back-up a bit… We’re assuming the car simply stops running on the spot. Of course that is possible - but it’s most likely not the case. Old cars, like many things mechanical, tend to die slow deaths: They make strange noises, lights come on, performance suffers etc. Boats are exactly the same way (there, I finally connected this long-winded analogy).

Micki’s mechanical capability to slog up the Pacific West Coast was the least of my worries. Her dinosaur-technology Ford Lehmans ran smooth and sounded great. These old tractor engines ooze reliability, the odds of one failing without some kind of warning were very slim. Both dying simultaneously? Lotto ticket territory.

Her outrageously outdated electronics worked great.


Lots of old systems to learn quickly. Makes you appreciate the new stuff.

I came to Los Angeles prepared to commit significant time and money preparing a 35 year old vessel for the challenging voyage home. But other than a quick inspection and major clean-up it boiled down to renewing several electrical connections, stockpiling some spare parts and changing the filters/ fluids.


Good news: Micki's fuel tanks were bone dry, diesel quality was no concern. Bad news: Empty tanks make water, which grows algae.

I took a quick trip around Catalina in 1- 2' seas and checked-doubled-checked all systems.... Micki seemed ready

Next: San Pedro to Shelter Cove
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Old 10-14-2013, 01:36 PM   #2
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Like the car analogy. And the continued saga.

John
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Old 10-14-2013, 02:05 PM   #3
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...Well written.
Keep going. I wonder if you dream about becoming a writer in your early days.

Easy pen
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Old 10-16-2017, 10:20 PM   #4
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So what happened to this storey? Did he not make it?
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Old 10-17-2017, 07:38 PM   #5
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H'mm! I drive a 47 yo vehicle that has probably 500,000 miles on it. It is due for some routine maintenance and once that's done I'd be ready to go for a 3000 mile drive before an oil change. What's wrong with a car with 200,000 miles on it? Dinosaur technology? Outrageously outdated? Geez, I sure don't want to hear what you have to say about me and my car when my back is turned. Most boats are built to last and be dependable, not like a car that has built in obsolescence.
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Old 10-17-2017, 10:08 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg S View Post
H'mm! I drive a 47 yo vehicle that has probably 500,000 miles on it. It is due for some routine maintenance and once that's done I'd be ready to go for a 3000 mile drive before an oil change. What's wrong with a car with 200,000 miles on it? Dinosaur technology? Outrageously outdated? Geez, I sure don't want to hear what you have to say about me and my car when my back is turned. Most boats are built to last and be dependable, not like a car that has built in obsolescence.
??? Wrong thread maybe?
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Old 10-18-2017, 01:05 PM   #7
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Not wrong thread. Did you read original post?
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Old 10-18-2017, 02:12 PM   #8
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I did. I was just expecting something from or about the OP and the trip. I read throught the original posts where he purchased the boat and was wondering what happened. Only shows to this point and nothing more.
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Old 10-18-2017, 03:09 PM   #9
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As the OP hasn't posted here since 2013, I wouldn't hold my breath.
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