And We’re Off!

And We’re Off!

Better late than neverIt's Sunday in Omaha at Dodge Park Marina and we're aboard Prime Time with Come Along Charters and our guests Mary Ann and John. Today we start our big journey.Omaha to Brownsville - first gas stopWe got up early to begin preparations for our departure. I was too excited to sleep anyway and couldn’t wait for daylight to start pestering Sean with questions, ideas and to do lists. We rousted Mary Ann and John and we took them to our favorite breakfast diner in Omaha, a little retro dive called Harold’s. We had just ordered when the priest from…

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Good Times/Bad Times

Good Times/Bad Times

Or all's well that ends wellWe arrived at the marine a little after 11 pm on Friday. We’d gotten a late start, in part because the new buyer for our house came at 10 am to get a lesson on the pontoon boat and the home inspection took from 11 am to 2 pm. I popped out to Walmart to pick up the camping portable potty I ordered, a new unbreakable coffee pot and some last minute supplies and came back and fixed a massive bunch of dill potato salad and Helen’s pasta salad for the dock party on Saturday and some…

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Provisioning for Safety

Provisioning for Safety

There's been an entire list of things we needed (wanted) for the boat to make the boat safe and ready to go. After a lot of research, here's some of what we've purchased and where we've gotten it. 1. A way to get the gas from our reserve gerry cans into the tank without spilling it everywhere. Plus we needed a pump when it's time to do an engine oil change. This workhorse should do it all. It has great reviews and Sean's excited to use it. Siphon Pro XL - Largest Siphon for Water - Gas - Diesel - SEE VIDEO -…

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Tune up, tune out

Tune up, tune out

When we return to the slip, we examine the boat's architectural drawings. Sure enough, they show a gas capacity of 360. Now Prime Time was modified from the prints we have; the original layout had a second head off the salon and the back of the boat had a sliding patio door walkout to a great outdoor seating area. This design was changed to include a wall and door to create an owner's stateroom. Besides that, the underside layout with everything below seemed like it should be the same. But it’s not. Dad and Sean  measure the fuel tank and it’s 60x18x38…

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What Now? Plan B (or C, or D?)

What Now? Plan B (or C, or D?)

We left Columbia, MO by 8 am and made it to the Marina shortly after 1 pm. After dock introductions and a quick bite to eat, we set about unloading the overpacked van. The first thing we did was set up the new bed. The 12” memory foam mattress is 24-48 hours out of the box before it fully expands. That went over the new foldable lightweight platform frame, selected because it gives enough clearance to store full size totes underneath, negates the need for a box spring and ability to move it out of the way when we need into the…

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Making Plans

Making Plans

We’ve had a whole week now to work on our plan. It’s been the most back and forth jumbled up mixed up mess on top of trying to catch up with work, house showings, research and learning how to start and monetize a blog (which for now, I’m putting on the back burner). But here’s what we do know, in a chicken/egg sort of way: Turns out our housing is still available in Key West. For now. We still have airfare booked from Columbia to Key West on September 5. It’s on award tickets so dates can be changed, if needed. We…

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Second Thoughts

Second Thoughts

Driving back to Missouri Sunday afternoon we are making lists of all the things that has to be done, how much it’s going to cost and how the logistics will work. I start to realize how absolutely complicated it’s going to be. And expensive. Sean is giving me the math on the cost of fuel for a trip starting in Omaha and ending in Key West and I’m blown away. I mean, I knew it was going to be crazy but just didn’t realize it would be off the charts certifiably nuts. Then we get out the calendar and start on making…

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Buying Prime Time

Buying Prime Time

It all started with a craigslist alert I’d set in May and a boat I’d spotted that looked really interesting... Fast forward to the end of July and some serious star alignment…If Sean had not had to drive water taxi at the Lake of the Ozarks. If we had found a great vacation spot to use up the expiring Wyndham rewards points. If we hadn’t just learned our housing in Key West for the season was falling apart. If the River house hadn’t been rented for three days through AirBnB forcing us to vacate. If the Missouri River hadn’t flooded closing the…

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