Aristo! Aristo! A la lanterne!

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

The inside of the boat just needed some light cleaning and a good wash-out. Over the last week, I assembled the needful gear (oars, anchor, paddle, PFDs, etc). All are in place and secured.

The trailer... somewhat more. I stripped off the bad stuff, and over the next week or two it will be restored to all its trailer glory (Snerk).

It's getting all new wiring, lights, bunker covers, winch repair and new line, and new tires and wheels. Basically, everything but the metal frame is being repaired or replaced.

On the power front, I procured a brand new Suzuki 2.5 hp outboard. It came via FedEx today, and I began its break-in period.

Yeah, I know. 2.5 hp is not much to push a 14' Jon-Boat around. The thing is, we don't need to zoomie. We just need to safely move around the river and the trolling motor is not up to that by itself.

I looked HARD at used outboards. Real hard. I could have had my selection locally of name-brand units from 4 hp to 20 hp. From $400 to $2000.

What held me back is the possibility of adopting someone else's headache, and not finding out till we are half a mile downriver. We don't need to go fast, but I'd prefer to spend our time fishing and not worry about the engine quitting.

The Suzuki 2.5 is not best-in-class, but it's surely in the top three. That, and it cost a LOT less than the next better quality unit... and just now has a $100 discount they apply at sale.

Looking it over today, it's an impressive bit of technology for what it is. Lots of good skull-sweat in the history of this thing.

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Robert Heinlein

"Do not confuse "duty" with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.

But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible. It is easier to deal with a footpad than it is with the leech who wants "just a few minutes of your time, please — this won't take long." Time is your total capital, and the minutes of your life are painfully few. If you allow yourself to fall into the vice of agreeing to such requests, they quickly snowball to the point where these parasites will use up 100 percent of your time — and squawk for more!
So learn to say No — and to be rude about it when necessary.
Otherwise you will not have time to carry out your duty, or to do your own work, and certainly no time for love and happiness. The termites will nibble away your life and leave none of it for you.

(This rule does not mean that you must not do a favor for a friend, or even a stranger. But let the choice be yours. Don't do it because it is "expected" of you.)"