The unpardonable sin of boat ownership.

[s/v Faith]

How many times have you seen some poor ship tugging at her lines....

... with peeling paint and mildew.  You know she is not going sailing....




.... she is neglected.



  It is sad.  We have a thread around here somewhere with pictures of 'sad boats'.

Well, it happens fast.

  Faith brought us home from our journey after keeping us safe for thousands of miles....

The maintenance tasks that we had spent so much time on... well she shone like new.

Cruising is hard on a boat.   

  Oh, we have sailed her, and done those things like sealing chainplates and other tasks that I knew had to be tended to ASAP.

  We sail her, and each time I notice something new that needs to be tended to.

Well, due to a set of circumstances I need not go into I had not been down to the boat in an entire 3 weeks.


  Yesterday I went, and discovered that at some point in that time, a very large fish apparently jumped out of the water (16-18" long) and landed in the cockpit.

  In the time it laid there, it turned to liquid.  The liquid spread and covered the cockpit sole.  The goo went down the cockpit drains, and some came up the sink.

  The maggots took up residence in the lazarette.... and had a great celebration.

I have seen death.  I have even seen decomposing human bodies.  I was still astounded and amazed by the stench.

I have a very strong stomach.  I spent 3.5 hours yesterday glad I had not had breakfast.  I went back to the boat today, and set about making this right.

  I pressure washed the flaking paint (the interlux Brightsides that failed on the cabin top).  I sanded and faired.

I routed out the cracks I found... some were casualties of war, others had been routed before but still had traces of the evil silicone.... and returned for it.

  I labored and sweated.  I sanded and filled.  I even got some priming done....

The work is hard, but the return is good.  It is funny in a weird sort of way....

... I may well be thankful for that fish in the long run....

[Frank]

Was starting to sound like the 1st "grumpy old men" movie  ;D I can't imagine the smell....I'm sure I'd be coughing up cookies. Grog to ya to seeing the upside

[s/v Faith]

Was starting to sound like the 1st "grumpy old men" movie  ;D I can't imagine the smell....I'm sure I'd be coughing up cookies. Grog to ya to seeing the upside

I have got a pretty strong stomach... but I gotta tell ya it was close there for a bit.

...naw, I can't picture anyone doing that to me on purpose though... about the meanest thing I do in this marina is help out in tiedown for storms... or catching lines.  No one there with a beef (fish) with me....

Thanks for the grog, kinda washes down the taste some.... (some).

[Oldrig]

s/v Faith:

That was a rough story with a happy ending.

And to think I was upset yesterday to find my cockpit sole covered with sun-dried, caked-on fish guts, because I was away from my boat for two weeks.

This is the time of year when the harbor is full of small baitfish, and the young osprey have left the nest. These otherwise spectacular birds perch on mastheads--breaking Windex arrows (I lose one just about each season). They catch lots of fish, eat some of them and, apparently, slobber fish parts while they're eating.

It's not a problem if you visit your boat every day or live aboard. But as a weekend warrior, I usually have to deal with sun-baked offal. It's not nice -- but nothing like what you just went through.

And the osprey are spectacular. DDT almost rendered them extinct, but now they're back -- with a vengeance!

Best,

--Joe

[matt195583]

mmmmmmmmmmmm .this reminds me of one summer when i had the house to myself for 2 weeks . I went hunting for a week only to get back to a freezer that had packed it in ( most likely the day i left ) ...... not nice . I feel your pain . 

[CharlieJ]

11 days after hurricane Rita, we were allowed to get to my mothers house. Still no power. Lines still down, but the gas leaks had been stopped.

She had a chest type freezer and the freezer in the frig.  Many people just tossed freezers. The city had huge dumpsters set up for spoiled food :P

Un frozen chicken after 11 days ain't a pretty smell!!!

[Captain Smollett]

I once did an investigation into the death of a poor chap who died in a sealed up camper in the middle of the South Carolina summer.  It had been several days before he was discovered.

The coroner had a special suit for such occasions, and even he had to leave the trailer after only a few minutes.

It took me about three days and MANY showers to get and feel clean..to get the smell out of my nose.

On another occasion, the lady who died lived in a house where she NEVER threw any garbage away.  She literally had at least 18 months of garbage, some in bags some not, all over the house.  Rats ran around freely inside.  She passed away and it took a few days to discover her.

You guys are talking about one fridge or one freezer worth...this was probably 75-80 bags of spoiled food (along with the lady herself) and I think a few cats.

Not fun.

(Sorry...some of my memories from my "past life" are not pleasant at all...I try to forget them just about every day).

[CharlieJ]

As a used to be fireman, I've had some of those. I don't blame you at all, and things like that are far worse than one freezer, for sure.

[s/v Faith]

Faith is recovering nicely.

  I spoke with a slipmate the other day.  He had pulled his boat (trailorable) out of the water to avoid the oil.

He said he had been down the week prior, and smelled something bad.  He and his wife had looked all over under the dock, but never even thought to look over into my boat.   He is a nice guy, and I am sure he would have removed the fish...   so, the smell was there at least one week prior to my finding it.

[Navyvet]

Glad to hear she is cleaning up well.