The Trailer - Summer 2018

 Jeff has been a good sport about my new boat.  He volunteered to drive up and tow the trailer home, which allowed him to get well acquainted with it.  He wasn't impressed.

It was a little disheartening, as the whole plan for this package was to be able to tow the boat to locations around Ontario.  The Trent Severn, the Muskoka Lakes, The Rideau, The North Channel all were on our short list.  The trailer was essential.

Jeff came up with a solution.  An old racing boat for sale on the internet caught his attention.  The boat was well past it's best before date.  It actually had weeds growing in it but would make an interesting project for someone!  It sat on a rough-looking but solid trailer.  

Jeff knows good bones when he sees them.  He picked up the whole package, then sold the boat off at cost and ended up with the rough trailer left over.  Perfect!  

Then began the transformation:  Sand blasted, painted, modified by a welder, new wheels, fancy rims.

The trailer ended up being worth more than boat it was meant to transport!  But Lillie May sits proudly and securely on it and can safely be trailered where ever we want to take her.

Lillie May Comes Home - Summer 2018

 Lillie May was located in Key River, about 180 km from our home.  We drove up to finalize the deal and take possession.  The owner had purchased Lillie May from our area in Southern Georgian Bay and towed her to her present location on its trailer so that was our plan.  Upon closer inspection, Jeff was not comfortable with that plan at all.  He wasn't sure the trailer was up for the job.

So, plan B was in order.  The plan was, Jeff would tow the trailer home for some upgrades and we'd drive Lillie May home through the small vessel channel down the coast of Georgian Bay.  YAY!  A two day trip in our new little tugboat.

Unfortunately that trip would have to wait as the Key River area was closed to traffic due to forest fires.  Yikes.  It took a couple of weeks but eventually we got the green light to transit Key River and head out onto Georgian Bay.  It was a desolate trip, with the smell of smoke still in the air and charred remains of the forest lining our way.

Following the paper charts closely, we snaked our way through the maze of islands that make up the East Coast of Georgian Bay.  It was the Tuesday after the Labour Day weekend and we were pretty much alone out there, passing very few boats or cottages in this Northern Corner of the the bay.  

We putted along.  Without a speed gauge we were unsure how fast we were going, but we were pretty sure there was nothing fast about it at all.  We were guessing maybe three to five knots.  

Eventually we started to see the odd cottager or passing boat.  Invariably, out came the cameras as folks snapped pictures of our cute little tugboat chugging along.  We began to realize this was something we were going to have to get used to on Lillie May.  

All in all the trip home took two days, with one overnight stop in Killbear -- and about 5 gallons of diesel.  This little girl sips!

Meet Lillie May - Summer 2018

Our main problem was that our boat was located a thousand miles away in another country.  Which was exactly where we wanted her as she made a great winter home for our seasonal snow escapes from the harsh Canadian winters.  But that left seven months during the spring, summer and fall that we were home here in Canada living comfortably in our "dirt house" while gazing over the deep blue waters of Georgian Bay.  We longed to get out there.  Something had to give.  

We came up with a plan.  We decided something on a trailer that we could tow to distant locales when desired and camp onboard would work.  The shopping ensued.

We looked at several boats and even started to get distracted, looking at several big steel tugs that we loved but would require a ton of work.  We love the old historic tug boats and they were tugging at our heart strings.  Could we sell or rent the house and move back aboard?  Which way should we go?  All possibilities were open.  

We were considering all options when I found it - a little quiet personal ad online reading "Tug for Sale".   Upon investigation I learned she was twenty-two feet long, on a trailer, with a little two cylinder diesel engine.  Jeff was skeptical but I convinced him to add her to the list of boats to look at.  It couldn't hurt to just look, right?

As we approached the marina, driving over an overpass and looking down at the small collection of boats docked, there she was.  She was hard to miss!  Fire engine red and CUTE as a button.  I was intrigued!  Jeff rolled his eyes.  

We met the owner and he gave us the tour.  It didn't take long.  She was aluminum, so lightweight enough to be easily towable, with a wooden cabin on top.  She had a comfy pilot house with access doors on each side and the cutest little brass portholes and adorable imported brass steering wheel from Scotland.  Below in the tiny cabin was the engine, a head in the corner and a single berth.  I quickly started to plan how we could build it into a double.  She even had adorable wee little tires hanging over the side to serve as fenders.  Just like a real tug!  It was love at first sight for me!

The owner asked if we'd like to take it out.  My head immediately started to bob up and down but as I looked over at Jeff, expecting to see my excitement reflected, his head was shaking in a different direction.  He agreed to come along IF I drove, which I did.  She putted along determinedly and had a kick-ass air horn that commanded the respect she deserved! (In my opinion, anyway.)  

Back in the car I excitedly asked Jeff what he thought.  She checked all the boxes - on a trailer, we could weekend on her, and best of all, she was cheap!  He reluctantly agreed and volunteered to negotiate with the owner (as that's kind of his thing).

Likely with an ulterior motive in mind, Jeff threw out a low-ball offer and to his surprise - and my delight - the guy immediately accepted it.  Whew-hoo!!  Just like that, she was mine! 

 And to boot, I had somehow convinced Jeff to give me a hand with the mechanics and towing.

Meet our new family member, Lillie May: