WRC Guys & Gals,
Every now and then we wake up to a day that we know is going to be special in some way, yesterday was one of those days ! My day started by getting the boat hitched up to the truck and checking that I had everything needed for a day of fun on the water ! Because Leesville lake has a 10hp limit I had swapped motors on the boat to my (not so) trusty little 10hp ScottAtwater. I had started it in a tub of water the day before to make sure it would fire up and pump water, which it did ! So I thought I was all set for the day !
I had called John Reed the day before asking how many replies he had received from members saying they were coming, he told me they had about 20 members that replied. But we both agreed it would probably be closer to 25-30, as it turned out we had 30 people that signed our attendance sheet. John said his wife, MaryKay had prepared plenty of food for everyone but more on that later !
Peg & I arrived a little after 9:00 and I was surprised how many of the guys were already there ! I could hear motors running out in the lake as soon as I got out of the truck ! Mike & Bob Korosa were unloading motors and getting ready to launch Bob’s boat. John Hagerman was already out tearing up the lake with his great running KG7 Mercury on his boat. There were several other boats out on the lake but I couldn’t see who they were! Peg saw Cindi and they were off to the Marina for a cup of coffee and some catching up on things.
I launched our boat assuming my trusty little Scott Atwater 10 would soon be streaking across the waves, It started right up and was pumping water nicely ! I mention this because some Scott’s are known for not being very reliable due to a poor water pump design ! If you don’t believe me ask John Hagerman LOL ! So I back the boat out from the launch ramp and it’s sputtering a little, I’m thinking it’s Ok, it just needs to run a little bit and I’ll adjust the carburetor ! Once I get out to open water I try to open it up, more sputtering and miss firing ! It doesn’t clear up so I decided to go back to dock the boat and head up to chat with the members that had just arrived !
I see Bill Reed and Don Moore and am alway greeted with a good hand shake and hug from Bill, some people are just so friendly genuine you can’t help but like them ! There’s a bunch of guys at the back of Scott Wimbush’s truck so I walk over to see what the topic is ? Just catching up on things are Dan Curran, Rick Whitman, Jerry Kay and Dave Mettle. Pretty soon Bob Davidson arrives with his beautiful double ender inboard with the single cylinder engine, a boat and motor combination worthy of being in a museum display ! Right behind Bob, are Bill & Jan Mohat with Ryan Hollingsworth coming in with his boat.
John Fairgrieve pulls in with his boat in tow, and I remember he asked me if I knew of a place that would fix a generator, so I walk over and sure enough he’s got it in his hand along with a small weld job he needs repaired. I don’t mind as that’s what our club is all about, I like to think paying it forward is a great way to help good friends !
I didn’t see Bill Mohat help Old Bob launch the double ender and head out to tour the lake but some of the guys said they did ! More on that later ! More boats hit the water and pretty soon the new floating docks are filled to the point that we need to raft off other boats in order to fit everyone in ! I decided to give the old Scott Atwater another try and headed out in the lake sputtering and popping, every once in a while it comes alive and starts to rev up only to pop sputter and slow back down ! Frustrated I finally decide to give up expecting it to run good as I suspect either a condenser or coil have given their last spark to SSPP (that’s, Suck Squeeze Pop Phoey). As I come back in limping on one cylinder and tie up the the dock I see Bob Korosa is pulling his little 7 1/2 Elgin off the boat and is getting one of my favorite motors on, the ChrisCraft Commander 10hp. John Hagerman is helping and I suggest to John to take his KG7 out and see how they compare ? John in his true considerate fashion, says go for it ! So for me it doesn’t take much arm twisting to hop in John’s boat and head out !
Bob gets the Commander mounted and fires it up, I have John’s KG7 idling and doing donuts out in the lake waiting for Bob to come out and throw the coal to the Chris ! Of Course Bob has to fiddle with everything to get it set just right just taunting me till he’s ready ! Then he’s off ! I open up the KG7 but the magneto advance is a little loose and it won’t stay wide open so I have to hold it there and am right with him, it’s a dead heat side by side not a MPH difference between the two motors ! All of a sudden I slow down as I hear the last drops of fuel explode thru the engine. John had said I would probably have to add some gas to it, so I I top off the tank and fire up the Merc again ! Bob is long gone somewhere up the lake so I head in that direction when all of a sudden there’s a couple pops and some other noises that don’t sound good, then the KG7 dies ! I try to start it again but it’s a no go ! Luckily Domonic and Maryann come along and give me a tow back to the dock !
As we approach the docks I yell to Dom to cut me loose and I’ll row back in. John is standing on the dock and I tell him I broke his motor, In true Hagerman style he says ” I know someone that can fix it ! Seems my luck with motors today isn’t going so well !
The Reed brothers, Donny Moore and Ryan Hollingsworth are out tearing up the lake with their KG7’s, man those guys know how to get the best out of a Merc ! I see Mike Connor is up by his boat showing off some of this favorite fishing lures to Bob Peters and Tom Kenepp, so I go down to the popup tents where Jay miller and Kerry York are sitting to catch up with them ! Our Infamous Treasurer and my friend Mr. Bob Joynt is also there after taking his Patina Special out for a tour of the lake. Dave Nau was going to bring his little aluminum boat but it didn’t measure up to his class standards yet, so he had to leave it back home !
By now it was Lunch time and John said MaryKay had just arrived with the food ! When John told me he just gave her the number of people coming and then just stepped back and let her do her thing that was a huge understatement ! This Lady knows how to prepare a spread of delicious goodies that will make your mouth water ! Pulled Pork for sandwich’s, potato salad, greens salad, By MaryAnn, Veggie tray by my wife Peg, Watermelon by Mike Connor and apple crumb cake by MaryKay ! This meal was second to none ! And a big thanks to those that added to the meal ! There was plenty of food even for seconds ! John told later me Keith Ott, the marina owner had invited us to use the marina to set out the food which was a very nice jester on their part and gave everyone a place to sit and enjoy the meal !
We only had one incident, Old Bob Davidson apparently had gone out in his double ender inboard to take a trip to see the area and no-one knew where he was when lunch time came around, only that he wasn’t back from his cruise. So Scott Wimbush and Bob joynt took Bob’s boat and went searching for him, they found him down the lake close to the shore ! Apparently the engine had died and he couldn’t get it started again. They towed him back to the docks safe and sound ! And the ladies had saved enough food that he didn’t miss out on lunch ! So a scary situation turned out good because of the caring camaraderie of the great people in this chapter !
A few more rides in the boats and soon people were packing up to head back home ! A great day on the water with good friends that ends well !
On a small side note John told me they had enough food left that they asked the people that work at the marina to come and enjoy lunch also ! That’s the kind of people we have in this club, they Pay it forward !
Again a special thank you to all that helped with the food for lunch and an extra special thank you to MaryKay for making it a fantastic meal ~
And remember Keep the Blue Smoke Flowing !
Gary & Peggy