Dec 12 - ok, soon

I put the snow tires on the car, didn't want to tempt fate.  They are a bear because they're so heavy (70 pounds each, as far as I can tell) and the dang German car doesn't have studs to hang the rim from, just an itsy bitsy 3/16" ridgy and then you have to line up the holes in the rim with the holes in whatever the drum is called to insert the bolts.  They have to be precisely aligned, naturally, and there's no way of stopping the drum from turning with you other than to have someone step on the brake -- for the front.  For the rears, the parking brake holds them in place so that you can turn the rim to line them up, once you have it hung on that 3/16" ridge.

Then, drive around the block, check with the torque wrench again, then adjust the tire pressures and drive around the block again to set the tire pressure monitoring system ... done.

We took the skiff out; Cassie got some more swimming and running -- now she has crashed.  The tide was pretty low when we got back in but the skiff doesn't draw much water.  Cassie got a wash down as did the boat.

First thing in the morning we went out fishing, Cassie's first fishing trip.  There was no excitement.  I did try out the electric trolling motor and then removed it; need to pick up another mount kit as a couple of the bolts were rusted and it wasn't very secure.  That's only $12 or something; I'll do that in the new year.  Running the motor is a little tricky standing on the front of the boat.  The foot pedal steers the motor as well as on/off.  I almost fell off the boat !  It would work better with a pedestal seat up front.

I also fixed the fuel line.  It had a tiny crack in it at the fuel tank.  I cut an inch off the line and clamped it ... fixed.  I think that crack developed when the tank bounced forward as I pulled the boat here on the trailer from Ormond Beach.

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5pm rolled around and it was time to party.  Jim and Joanne were hosting and they have a nice view of the boat parade from their dock.  Jim is retired; Joanne is still working.  Their other house is somewhere in PA and the dinner theme was Pennsylvania Dutch.  I ate too much ! 

That was the end of Saturday ...

It's Sunday now; the plan is to go for the last bike ride of the year.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate; the predicted late afternoon showers really late.

Tomorrow, Monday, we head north.

Onward !