Shhhh! Don't say it out loud, but it appears that everything on the Kittiwake is working!!

The refrigerator, the shower sump, the dinghy motor, the electrical system, the LectraSan system, the bilge pumps, the washer/dryer…no problems remaining!  Dan did the oil changes, the antifreeze change, engine tune up on the starboard side and will do the port engine in the spring when we return.  I am so proud of my husband, his talent, his can do attitude, his fortitude. 

This week we’ve taken the boat out of the slip a couple of times, just for fun and for practice.  I’m comfortable driving the boat, except for those close quarters.  Sitting in the captain’s chair and looking at the slip – it just looks so small!  But, I’ll keep practicing and one day I’ll feel more at ease.  Out in the middle of the river yesterday, I just decided to turn the Kittiwake 360 degrees for the fun of it.  It’s pretty easy with two engines – just slowed down to idle speed, put the starboard engine on forward and the port engine on reverse – she almost turned on a dime!  We also tried out the dinghy for the first time.  We had the engine serviced, and it works like a charm.  The dinghy rests on a cradle on the top of the boat.  To get it into the water, you connect it to a crane-like device, called a davit, pick it up, then swing it to the side and drop it into the water.  Not difficult, but not something we’ll want to do often.  And, frankly, with Max as our passenger and his needing to get to land several times a day, we will not be anchoring out much.  One enhancement we will consider is the installation of a davit on the aft of the boat, which will lift and lower the boat from just a few feet above the water.  It’s a much simpler and quicker way to utilize the dinghy.

On Wednesday, we plan to head down to Norfolk.  It will take us about two days to get there.  We want to have Dan’s grandsons, Eric and Jared, come to visit us and take them for a ride.  They live in Chesapeake, Va.   Next week, we will come back to this marina, winterize the boat, and leave her for the winter.  

This picture is of our dinghy, with Dan and Max.  We didn't try to take it out with Max this time, because getting him in it was enough!  Notice there's not much room - not sure if all three of us could even get in there!