In the winter of 2017/2018 I bought my first trawler/Looping boat- a 1980 38 ft Marine Trader. That summer, I rebuilt hatches, bottom painted, fixed canvass, reupholstered cushions, made curtains, fixed leaks, replaced and aligned drive-shaft, replaced motor mounts, repaired motor mount stringers and installed some new electronics. I also replaced one head, fixed black tank leak among other numerous mechanical, cosmetic and performed other general upgrades.
We departed from our home port to do the Great Loop in the fall of 2018.
The boys were all eager
And were ready to go
We lined up our gear
All in a row.
Bruce made the comment
“It’s way too much stuff
We’re never going to fit it
The room’s not enough.”
But into the cupboards
The closets and drawers
We fit all our belongings
And had room for s’more.
Before leaving our hometown
We slept on the lake
But unfamiliar noises
Kept us awake.
With sore eyes and muscles
But still full of life
I started the engine
Which woke up my wife.
At 6 in the morning
We left from our slip
For the start of our journey
Not aware of a blip.
After only 10 miles or so, we turned around because of excessive noise from my single Lehman 120 diesel.
I think a gremlin
Crawled in overnight
And put a kink in my engine
Just out of sight.
There started a noise
A clicking of sorts
That made me concerned
So I turned back to the port.
“We’ll get this noise fixed,”
I said to the boys,
“And be back on our way”
To continue our joy.
But one thing led to another
As projects sometimes go
Soon we’re pulling the motor
To get down below.
To locate the problem
And give her new life
So she’ll purr like a kitten
And relieve our strife.
So we’ll make a new plan
To go on our trip
When the engine is fixed
And get over the blip.
Even though we were fully prepared to continue on, I’ll call this my shakedown cruise. Suffice it to say, it was a little disappointing for all of us – My wife, my 13 year-old son, and a couple of his cousins who served as my first mate and crew members.
The knock in the engine
Would not go away,
So my wife, Margaret, and I
Decided to stay.
Until we could figure out –
What, where and why,
For we were afraid,
Our propulsion would die.
Learning more than I thought,
I ever would need,
Digging into that diesel,
Was a challenge, indeed.
Checking injectors,
Valves, wrist pins and pressures,
We found a bad piston,
Needing serious measures.
After returning to Hancock, we immediately began the process of removing the engine, got quotes on various scenarios:
- Replace with new
- Replace with a rebuilt engine
- Have original engine rebuilt.
I opted for the 3rd one and personally (with the help of my brother and his mini excavator) pulled the engine on August 28th, 2018 and trailered it 275 miles to a diesel shop in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Deciding to rebuild,
The Lehman that day,
Resulted in changing,
Our plans just to stay.
The season was getting
Too late to depart,
Even if the rebuild,
Went fast from the start.
Preparing to winch up
The engine was slow,
Supporting the deck
With beams from below.
Detaching transmission,
Throttle, shifter and mounts,
We lifted the beast,
As if only an ounce.
I built a steep ramp
With screws and some wood,
Up to the port gunwale,
As strong as I could.
The port door was narrow,
So just to be sure,
I removed all the trim
To gain an inch more.
Sliding on oil pan,
And sledding on tin,
Pulling thousand pound motor,
Up with a grin.
It happened so easy
With barely a glitch,
Excavator and straps,
Plus little brother Mitch.
I’ll spare you the details,
So not to bore,
Sometime over coffee,
I can tell more.
They totally rebuilt the engine and I was lowering it back into the engine compartment on October 17th, only 7 weeks later. Two days after that we had snow on the boat, soon I put it to bed for the winter.
Suffice it to say,
The rest just cost money –
Even that part,
Was ok with my Honey.
Now with more time,
To plan and to think,
Even so, that Great Loop trip,
Will come in a wink.
The following summer, I did more work on the boat. The most major project was removing the fly bridge floor, which was sagging from rotted decking. It took many gallons of epoxy, many yards of fiberglass cloth, lots of sanding and paint. The ceiling in the salon had to be jacked up too.
Since last I wrote
It’s been a long time,
A lot has been done
It feels like a crime.
That you’ve not been updated
On the Yooper Looper trawler,
So I’ll try to relate
How we’ve been spending our dollars.
With the chartering season
Now coming to end,
Now I have time
And money to spend.
Last winter was spent
On upholstery and more,
Rounding up parts
From the marine vinyl store.
From cushions to canvass
The zippers and foam,
I sewed in my basement
With no time to roam.
The fly bridge was next
On my list of repairs,
It had a soft spot
So I stripped it to bare.
To get at the deck
With seats in the way,
I had to remove them-
They couldn’t stay.
The fiberglass skin
Was removed with a saw,
Scrapers and pry bars
Until it looked raw.
Epoxy resin and
Marine plywood,
Paint and sore muscles
It finally was good.
Upgrading electronics
Is next on the log,
A radio, some charts
And radar for fog.
Then we’ll pack up the boat
With gear from our truck,
Come Friday this week
I hope we’re not stuck.
With wind in the forecast
That may cause delays,
‘Cause Superior gets rough
With very large waves.
We might wait for a window
When the waters are calm,
Because if it’s flat
We’re gonna take Mom.
Weather or not
The winds are a-gust,
I’m excited to go
Fort Meyers or bust!
That fall, 2019, we departed once again and along the way, I installed an AIS VHF radio and got it hooked up to my GPS, in order to see commercial boats on the river system as we cruised down the rivers to Mobile, Alabama.
Some say dreams
Don’t come true,
I dare to differ
I say they do.
To float on a journey
To Chicago and beyond,
We left from Houghton
To cross the big pond.
Various family members joined us for a spell along the way. My wife, Margaret, joined me for parts too, but since she was running our printing shop back home, was unable to stay on board for very long.
Several days later
We picked up my wife,
Her mother and gear
From Whitefish Point.
At Sault Ste. Marie
Soon at the locks,
And down the St. Mary’s
Then we did dock.
At DeTour Village
On a ferry we went,
To Drummond island
A few hours were spent.
The ladies went home
But we spent the night,
Left for St. Ignace
At the first light.
Under the big Mac
The next morning early,
On to Naubinway
The lake was real squirrely.
Rocking and rolling
On big waves that day,
Loose gear scattering
About 5 footers I’d say.
Our next stop was shorter
Manistique we’d tie up ‘er.
Then go to a ball game
Followed by supper.
At Leo and Sarah’s
We spent the night
Then back to the boat
The weather looked right.
To push off with friends
Dawn and Chris from below
Who came from Grand Rapids
And wouldn’t you know:
We had a good time then
With trailing seas,
Wind and waves pushing
More than a breeze.
At Washington Island
We rode our bikes,
For many miles
A bit more than I liked.
Pedaling by fields
And up to a tower,
Passing lavender plants
It took several hours.
The next day protected
Inside of Green Bay,
Continuing south
For most of the day.
Down to the Sturgeon
A pretty big bay,
Into the town there
Two nights on the way.
Tomorrow at sunrise
We’ll get up to check
To see if the weather
Will allow us to trek.
On Friday I hope
To watch CHS football again
So we need to get back
Some time before then.
Big time break here
At Orange Beach Marina
Just East of Gulf Shores,
We stayed a long time
Good friends there and more.
Saltwater fishing
For Sheepshead and Drum,
Using the dinghy
At least we caught some.
With eyes like a mammal
And ivory teeth,
It’s no surprise
They’re named after sheep.
Their needle sharp spines
Had punctured our boat,
And required patches
To keep it afloat.
Passing our time
By biking around,
The trails there are endless
No snow on the ground.
Finally Margaret
Was able to come,
We drove to Florida
We all got some sun.
Visited siblings
My sister and brother,
Bruce swam in the ocean
One wave after another.
A wedding back home
Shortened our stay,
A son who got married
On Valentine’s day.
Soon after the wedding
I took to the skies,
With United Airlines
Now selling my prize.
My, now 14 year-old son was getting bored, so I decided to sell the boat in Orange Beach, Alabama and return home.
My prize is my boat
Which I’m ready to sell,
The Yooper Looper
Performed very well.
I’ll buy another
To continue the quest,
Being on the water
Always is best.
Then in the future
Through the Erie Canal,
Down the Hudson River
Into the New York locale.
I’ll recap the rest
When the time is right,
For now I am done
I wish you good night!
That summer, the COVID year of 2020, I was able to strike a deal on a (barely used), Nordic Tug which was right there in my home port, which also needed work, but not nearly as drastic as the old Marine Trader.
It’s been seven months
Since I sold the Trawler,
And only three
Since buying another.
She’s a bit smaller
Than my Yooper Looper,
But I’ll get the job done
Though there’s only one pooper.
We did a shakedown
And I got my wish,
To Isle Royale
Where we caught some fish!
This Nordic Tug boat
Needed attention,
To live aboard safely
Caused apprehension.
My pocket book flatter
Because it takes money,
Electronics and davits
And support from my honey.
Adding a railing
A windlass and motor,
Takes lots of time
It’s the life of a boater.
She’s named Yooper Too
Almost the same,
As Yooper Looper
From whence the name came.
Called a FAST trawler
As some people say,
Can cover more water
In the course of a day.
The plan to head west
Through Canadian waters,
Was spoiled by Covid
But don’t really matter.
We’ll head south
Just like last year,
The old Mississippi
Holds nothing to fear.
Now underway
As I’m telling my story,
Why don’t you join me
And share in the glory?
On a side note, I’m typing this as we cruise westerly on Lake Superior from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette.
This Nordic Tug had all old electronics. I opted to keep the radar, but replaced the marine radio, added an autopilot, a windlass, new water heater, new battery banks, and added a railing and ladder to the upper deck.
We departed for a 3rd time on the Great Loop with the Nordic Tug, which I named “Yooper Too” this was in the fall of 2020 – COVID didn’t stop us and as it turned out, was a great time to live on a boat.
Later on, at various places en route, I replaced the radar, GPS, added a 2nd marine radio, a stereo system and speakers, fixed the diesel heater, added solar power (two 350 watt panels on the roof), replaced anchor chain with 100 feet of chain and 300 feet of 3 strand rode.
Life on a boat
While very much fun,
Is sometimes a challenge
In the long run.
No shortage of problems
When out on a boat,
All systems need fixing
To keep it afloat.
Bow thruster was weak
So I took it apart,
Found parts that were broken
Now it won’t start.
I ordered some parts
To put it together,
But we had to leave
Before the bad weather.
The water pump humming
And seemed out of kilter,
No water was coming
And found a clogged filter.
There must be lots more
Of slime in the tanks,
It keeps on clogging
Whenever it cranks.
A leak under the sink
Still has me stumped,
If it keeps leaking
Will have to be pumped.
The windlass up front
Had jammed up the chain,
A curse came to mind
But I had to abstain.
The engine room blower
Makes lots of noise,
If run in the morning
Wakes up the boys.
I wrote on my list
To fix it someday,
It just needs some oil
To make it go ‘way.
I really don’t mind
This fixing and stuff,
This life in the slow lane
Is not very rough!
It’s just kind of lonely
When M is at home,
And she goes to work
But I get to roam.
We made lots of great memories, friends, saw neat stuff from a really cool perspective (imagine the Big Mac from the underside and going through downtown Chicago with NO traffic lights to slow you down.)
Seeing sky scrapers
And thousands of people,
Passing under bridges
Even a steeple.
Trump building ahead
Strategically placed,
Lined up with the river
With towering grace.
Most interesting part
Of our trip to date,
I wished we could stay here
But it was too late.
Lots of boat traffic
But NO traffic lights,
In downtown Chicago
Just didn’t seem right.
Great Lakes behind us
Now that’s a relief,
The rivers are flatter
I’ll hear less grief.
Spent a couple months at anchor in Florida. During that spring (2021) I made it as far as Chester, Maryland, directly across the Chesapeake from Annapolis and left it there for the summer as I returned to my summer fishing charters back home (in other words, I had to WORK for the summer.)
The next two winters (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) I spent on the Yooper Too, cruising from Maryland to Florida and back and returned home (by plane) in the summers to do fishing/sightseeing charters.
At the end of last summer (2023) Margaret sold her printing shop and retired, so we opted to travel by RV for the winter months, then ended up in Chester, MD where we left the RV and jumped on the Yooper Too finally to cruise it home to complete the Great loop, by way of the Trent Severn, Georgian Bay, North Channel and now Lake Superior.
The bottom line is, it’s been a nice, memorable trip and Margaret wants to do it again, only next time she’ll plan to be along for the whole trip. God willing.
We saw lots of bridges and industrial sites.
