Thursday, January 13, 2011

Beginning of the blog of Drift Away, our 1980 46' Cheoy Lee trawler.

We (Pam and Dave) purchased our boat in April of 2010.   Drift Away was pushed by a small runabout from Bridgeport to Westport where it stayed on a private dock for the summer.

We named the boat Drift Away because, quite honestly, we didn't know if the engines would run.  The boat sat on the hard for 20 years until we bought it from an estate.   It is a project boat, but we are finding out more and more that most things seem to work, like the engines.

Last summer, I spent several hours trying to get one of the two generators to start.   It was blazing hot and I thought that if I could fire up the generators, I'd have enough power to run the air conditioners (if they worked).   After getting exasperated at my lack of success, I stared at the start buttons for the two engines.  I might as well try turning them over, I thought, and if they turn over, I can change the oil and filters, fill up the radiators, etc.  I pushed both buttons, and within seconds they both started!   QUICK, HOW DO I SHUT THEM DOWN!? 

Well, I figured out how to shut them down, and later did the proper engine maintenance.  I'm still amazed that they started and ran, especially because the fuel line was stuck into a jerry can with 20 year old diesel.

This is the beginning of our blog.   Living on Drift Away are Pam and Dave, Ruby and Chevy the dogs, and Smudge and Charlie the cats.  Our plan is to cut the dock lines someday soon.   We've talked about doing The Great Loop, or maybe cruising down the ICW to Florida first and then looping.  We'll decide along the way.

I plan on posting some of the issues of living aboard in Stamford Connecticut, especially this, our first winter aboard.   Later posts will include many upcoming boat projects, and hopefully a few boat trips as well.

-Dave

2 comments:

  1. We have one like yours we purchased on eBay in Nashville Tenn. we named her, Pineapple Princess. We are presently in the Keys.

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    1. Wow, so you do. Awesome boat, isn't it? And not too many of these out there.

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