WRC Guys & Gals
Where to start ? Ryan and Kelly were worried about how many were planning on coming to the meet as they had only heard about 4-5 that had sent back an SRVP they were coming ! As the Week progressed a couple more contacted Ryan saying they were coming ! So now It’s Friday and he calls me and says it looks like we’ll have a pretty good turnout !
Saturday morning Peg and I are up early and are on the road by a little after 7:15 (did you catch that) say 7:20 ! The Morning was a bit cool compared to the previous week but promised to turn into a nice day. After a quick stop at the local Speedway for a couple cups of that morning wake up mix (Peg likes the Latta) I prefer just the regular brew with a touch of cream and sugar ! The sky was a beautiful clear blue with hardly a cloud in sight (Hummm almost scary how clear it was)
We arrived at about 8:00 on the dot and had the whole place to ourselves. Ryan arrived shortly after we did with his boat in tow and another Bug Green beast sitting on the transom. AKA a PO15 ! He said he thought we should have a pretty good showing today as he’d receives several more RSVP’s
Soon more of the gang started to show up, Paul Wood with his little Feather Craft and an Evinrude 10 on the transom, Bob Joynt and Leslie came rolling in with his Patina special and another 10 Evinrude, Marty and Tom Belfi were right behind Bob with their Gar Wood Crestliner and a very nice Evinrude Lark on the back. John Hagerman surprised me when he rolled in as I didn’t think he was coming Yeah ! John Fairgrieve also rolled in with his boat and a nice Evinude 18 on the back ! Bill Jatzek brought his Lyman with I think a 5 1/2 Johnson, Bill also brought his Son and his son’s grandaughter, welcome to the WRC ! Tommy Kenepp came with his boat but I didn’t see what he brought I think it was his little red aluminum !
We had a few more attendees show up, Pat & Gary Cuffman ( Kelly’s parents), Mike Seachrist, Bill Reed, TJ Fitzgerald, Chip Rabbit, Bob Davidson, Scott Becker Bill Mohat & Lilly his Dog, Emma Hollingsworth and her boyfriend Richard, who is in the Navy (Thank you for serving) !
On to the day’s fun ! My big challenge was bringing the Big Green Monster aka my 1950 Elgin 16hp, This is an engine I just recently rebuilt and had never had it on my boat ! The challenging part was first getting it on my boat as it weighs a heft 92Lbs ! Luckily I have a chain fall to assist in putting it on the boat ! Once launched with John Hagerman’s assistancenext challenge was getting it started, but to both John’s and my surprise it only took about 10 VERY had pulls ! once running I idled out of the channel not sure it it was going to keep running or stall when I tried opening it up! WOW it actually did open up and run quite nicely for a bit and according to my GPS speed on my phone it did 20 mph ! But shortly after that started popping and missing, so I headed back in to pull it and put my backup engine (Merc 200) on the boat ! A big thanks to TJ for helping me get the Elgin off and the Mercury on !
With the Merc back on the boat it only took a couple pulls and it was running, Bill Mohat and Emma hop in the boat for the first run which wasn’t too bad, we went for a shot ride and the merc was running pretty well. I head back in to drop them off and then head back out to see what it’ll do with just me in the boat ! It seems to not be getting full throttle and is only doing about 17mph ? I know it’s run better than that in the past, but the more I run it the better it seems to run ! It finally seemed to run Ok so I head in to the beach where everyone is pulled up ! TJ and Chip and there so I ask them if they want to take out the Merc for a run ! I tell TJ how to start it and get it running but after a couple puffs it just won’t fire ? So they paddle back in and I tell them I’ll take it out to try and find the problem ? But I have no luck starting it either, so I pull the hood and look things over, I pull the plugs and they are bone dry ??? Then I notice the fuel pump hose has come off the fitting, Hmmm no gas no run ! reattach the hose and tighten it up ! The Merc fires up and we take off like a shot, Problem solved :~)
By now everyone is out on the water, John H is getting pictures of all the boats running John Fairgrieve, Bill Jatzek, Bob Joynt and Ryan with his PO 15 is tearing up the water so I just have to go race him, He buried me by a couple MPH ! Marty & brother Tom have the Lark running like a charm. I’m not sure were everyone went but all of a sudden they are all gone ! Opps it’s lunch time ! Time to beach it and get some chow !
Ryan & Kelly never disappoint when it comes to the lunch menu, Pulled pork sandwich’s, Potato salad, chips and dip. Pop and water to quench the thirst ! Watermelon, brownies and other sweets for desert ! A big thanks to all that added to the menu !
After lunch it was back out on the water for more fun ! I took Mike S. for a ride down the lake and then headed back to the beach. Saw Ryan going back out to run the PO so had to go out after him ! We raced again he pulled away again, so I gave up trying to beat the mighty PO ! On the way back I saw Paul was rowing back the the launch area so it was time for a tow ! Always good when a Mercury pulls an OMC powered boat back in, Oh maybe Paul was pushing me with one of those new stiff ropes ! I head back out after getting Paul and the Penguin back into the dock area ! Just out of curiosity I kill the merc and raise it another pin hole, what a difference a hole makes ! Ok where’s that darn PO now ? Another day another time we will all do it again ! Perfect day with wonderful friends ! See ya’ll at the next meet !
Gary & Peggy
I hate to follow such a wonderful day with a Sad Note ! Many of you saw and met Ryan & Kelly’s dog Daisy, I just talked to Ryan and he told me they went directly to the vets on the way home. Daisy had an abdominal tumor and had to be put down ! Very sad !