Sandy Cheeks

We've named the boat for a summary of our intentions with her

Today was our second time out and another “test and tune” day for Sandy Cheeks. We launched her on nearby Potanipo Pond (pronounced “Lake Potato” according to Nolan) and things went pretty smooth! Nolan was attempting back flips/back smackers off the tube, Elliott was sleeping because Nolan kept him up late watching youtube videos, and Erin wasn’t outwardly skeptical of my plan! Of course that was only after we were actually out motoring around Lake Potato.

The boat, motor and flooring have been buried under everything in the back of the truck since we left Detroit. Digging her and the motor out from back there was like doing sit ups in a sweat lodge. I was making loud, involuntary grunting sounds with every push and pull. Once free from the truck we fell in to a groove. Actually it was just me moving the pump from valve to valve while everyone stood around bored. Nolan fell in to the creek.

Twenty minutes of partial inflation and it’s time to put the floor in. It’s marine grade epoxied plywood with aluminum tongue and groove edges. It’s heavy. More grunting and then help from Erin and the floor was in. Then Erin had to go get the fire extinguisher from camp (I’m 2 for 2 on forgetting the fire extinguisher). You know what this story needs? Even more grunting! Enter the boat motor. It’s crazy awkward! Every time I pick it up I feel like it’s going to come loose somewhere, swing out and chop off some of my toes. Today I escaped injury and just got a super greasy left hand.

I think we finally rolled her down the boat launch after about an hour of set up. Only three other boats and at least five kayaks arrived and launched since we had been at the boat ramp. A local guy was interested and quite astonished at the effort to get it all together. Which was weird because my entire campaign for us to own and bring this boat was about how easy it was to launch. It’s ok, though, I have a plan. And a winch.