WanderlustandWhimSea

Just finished the annual gathering of the east coast Lord Nelson Victory Tugs. We’ve met as far north as Camden Maine and this years event was in the quaint town of Urbanna, Virginia.  It is always an interesting event with lots of Tug Talk and exploring other folks boats for innovative repairs and improvements.  It is hard to explain the special closeness shared by the LNVT owners but when you buy an LNVT you definitely join a small but mighty community of interested and interesting owners.  It is almost cult like in the close circle and caring of the owners. Everyone is helpful getting the newbies their sea legs and hearing the passion the new owners have as they begin their love affair with the boats. BTW WhimSea is not in the pictures as it is a long way from Lake Erie to Virginia but she might make the event some day.

Hearing all the maintenance projects folks have done over the season always makes me feel slightly inadequate as my skills do not lean towards rebuilding diesel engines.  However, I always leave the group energized to dive into the next big boat project as there always is one when you own a boat over 3 decades old.  I’ve decided to keep the boat on the hard for another year and get some of those big projects like – Lining the Fuel Tanks, Recaulking and bunging the deck,  Adding a Crane or Davit system,  Replacing all the thru hulls, Buying a dinghy. I’d like to get the boat painted but the last time I got an estimate for that project it made me swoon so I might have to put that further down the to do list.

Since I now live in Florida where the heat in the summer can be oppressive, I have decided to do the Great Lakes, Canada loop next summer as a gentle start to my live aboard adventures.  It will be great to finally get underway but in the meantime it was great to get an LNVT fix in Virginia.