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2 days to Launch day !

I’ll be launching on my great loop adventure this coming Monday, May 29th from Galilee boat ramp south of Providence Rhode Island.

Today I begin final preps. Washing down the inside of Foote Loose and began packing

I went through all the stuff I thought I would need on my great adventure. There is to much stuff! Began sorting and packing. Worked on attaching the new anchor, sorting items into different storage bins that I will store on top of the boat. Also cleaned the insides. Tomorrow’s plan is; packing, washing and waxing the outside and fueling. Coming soon – a way we can interact in a more person to person way.

#greatloop #seniortravel #footeloose #aglca

Prepping for the Great Loop Launch end of May 2023.

Stage 1 – Sold dirt house

Beginning Stage 2 – Relocating to Massachusetts. Today my cousin, Jackie, and I traveled over 500 miles from Gearhart Oregon to Boise Idaho. No issues – good weather – two mountain passes. Spending the night in Boise, Idaho.

#GreatLoop,# #NationalPark, #NationalParks, # BoatUpDiningGuy

Today I stopped at an abandoned scales in Oregon. In Oregon when they abandon their scales they still leave the scales for the public to use. After working on the scale with the truck in the trailer period it appears to tongue weight is eight hundred pounds.

#great loop,#boating, #cdory, #c-dory, #greatloop, #cbrats, #c-brats, #cruising, #national Park, #national Parks, #Foote Loose, #Foot loose, # boatupdiningguy, #boat up dining guy

After four months of delays I was able attempt to calibrate the auto pilot. After four unsuccessful attempts each one lasting several hours. I reconted contacted the raymarine text support for the 3rd time and was able to get to the 2nd tier support system. . After doing a diagnostic. It was discovered that it was talking to the automatic identification system but was not talking to the garmin plotcharter. Upon further investigation the wiring that was used for the connections is not raymarine wiring which can create an issue. So at this point, I need to take it into a raymarine qualified technician to troubleshoot the situation. I’m not gonna have time to do that until I get to Massachusetts.

I just returned from Florida teaching sheriff’s department’s de-escalation skills. On the way home I stopped in Denver, Colorado to spend a little time with my 95 year old mom. I contacted Harbor Marine and FOOTE LOOSE is ready to pick up. I arranged to go pick FOOTE LOOSE up on Thursday. After I pick FOOTE LOOSE up, I’ll take him over to Boat Country so we could get the oil, air filters, fuel filters and lower gear oil changed getting ready to start heading East. Once that’s done, then we’ll go out into Puget Sound and start learning the auto pilot.

I put my dirt house up for sale on February 24, had mutual acceptance on February 25th. I need to be out of the house by March 28th. There is an old saying “The job fits the time”. Part of the challenge is to be out of the house by March 28th. I was scheduled to conduct de-escalation training In Defuniak Florida 26th through March 3rd. I had also promised my 95 year old mother I would visit her in Fort Collins Colorado on the way home. Staying there until March 7th. I’m selling just about everything. If it doesn’t fit in a U-Haul pod, it ain’t going! So I have 20 days to get everything taken care of in the house. I need to hit it in high gear on March 8th when I get back.

Foote Loose is still in at Harbor Marine getting the compass, for the auto pilot, moved while I’m away. With luck that will be done by March 8th so I can move it to Boat Country so the engines can be serviced. Changing the oil, spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters, and lower gear box fluid changed.

#great loop #cdory #c-dory #greatloop #cbrats #c-brats #boating #cruising

Took foot loose out For a training session to begin using the auto pilot.

I cruised out on Possession sound and position myself between Hat Island-Comano Island and Whitby Island. Well away from electronic interference. The 1st task was to calibrate the compass. That was accomplished. When it came the auto pilot to set a course, I set a way point in the Garmin and attempted to navigate to it using auto pilot. Foote Loose did not follow the track. I explored several different settings, attempted different processes and none worked . After 2 hours of attempting to get it to work with no success I decided to bag it, get lunch and study the manuals some more.

Tomorrow, I’m heading back down to the boat show and talk to the Garmin folks in regards to how to set up for auto pilot. To see if there’s something I’m missing. I’m also bringing my information for the auto pilot to explore that as well.

My current plan is to go out again on Sunday.

Today I received a phone call that it was good to come get Foote Loose that all the work was done. Turned out installation was a hefty price to upgrade. I figured the investment is well worth it. When I went to pick up Foote Loose we discovered the electrical cord connecting the boat to the truck had been cut by mistake when moving Foote Loose around the work area at Harbor Marine. Of course they’re fixing it at their expense. So, Foote Loose. Is still at Harbor Marine, I hope to be picking it up the next day or so. I’ve been studying up how to run the auto pilot and all I need to do now is get out on the water and play with it.

Other things I accomplished today were; Prepping my generator to sell and list on Facebook’s marketplace. Straightened up the garage allowing me to store all my empty boxes in the garage in a nice neat matter. Straightened up the dining room area making it look nice. My target date to list a house is February 19th and here it is February 6th. I’ve only got 12 more days to get the house ready to list.

#great loop, #cdory, #c-dory, #greatloop, #cbrats, #c-brats, #boating, #cruising, #national Park, #national Parks, #Foote Loose, #Foot loose, # boatupdiningguy, #boat up dining guy

Foote Loose is still in the shop. I’m pleased to announce though that headway is being made. I got to visit her last week and quite a bit of work has been done.

This week in prepping for the great loop I’ve gone to the Seattle boat show, one of the biggest boat shows on the Western side of the states. I’ve been focusing on seminars. Don’t need another boat I’m happy with the one I have. Courses I’ve been taking include how to use tablets and smartphones, essential gear you need, advanced anchoring, mastering Navionics, analyzing weather patterns and staying connected to the Internet while cruising.

#great loop, #cdory, #c-dory, #greatloop, #cbrats, #c-brats, #boating, #cruising, #national Park, #national Parks, #Foote Loose, #Foot loose, # boatupdiningguy, #boat up dining guy, #Seattle, #Seattle Boat Show, #Boat show