Winterized and put into storage

[ocuyler]

Although we have had a wonderful summer and fall, it's time for us to put the 20 away and end the season. Although Salmon and still hanging around just outside the river and creek inlets on Lake Ontario, it's time to get on with real life after six months of SeaCraft fun.

We logged roughly 100 hours on and around the St. Lawrence River, cruising Canada and the 1000 Island area. It was a decent year for Northern Pike and small mouth. The 20CC did it's job as a proven fish raiser.

We ran out of fuel twice, once self-rescuing with the little Yamaha 2.5 HP 4 stroke on a kicker. The second time, a fellow fisherdude towed us home - nothing like being humiliated in front of friends and family.

The 1980 Evinrude 85 HP paid for itself many times over as it towed teens on a oversize tube, carried supplies to the island and the garbage back to the marina. She got on plane once with 10 POB - the current record. The downside was that she might get 2 MPG. It's a credit to the SeaCraft hull that she can perform so well with such a small motor.

Late summer brought unusually low water, which got so bad we had to pull the boat. Working on the dock 2 weeks ago, the motor ingested so much silt and vegetation that we cleaned the intakes several times, but finally lost the battle and could no longer get her to pee like a little boy - but like an old man with a prostrate problem. So she gets a new pump rebuild this week.

With the addition of a Lowrance color chartplotter, we were able to keep clear of the granite shoals that are so common on the river. Maybe a fuel gauge would be a good Christmas gift.

She's sleeping with her sisters, a 20 Seafari and a 23CC in plain sight at our machinery warehouse, so we get to hug the m at least once a week.

So now we can get down to projects - almost as much fun as a sunset scream at WOT on a Classic SeaCraft.