Some things have happened over the last couple of months or so that put the kibosh on splashing the Roamer this year. First, there was the fabricator whose windshield frame didn’t fit the opening. The windshield frame is a linch-pin for a whole lot of other things, and since it didn’t get done right or on time, it pretty much tossed my whole schedule in the dumpster. I tried to bring it back on schedule, but then my Boatamalan* painter had to be hospitalized for a bunch of gut infections…poor guy, though he is slowly coming back around.
* Boatamalan: Noun. Joking portmanteau referring to the Central American origin of the fairing crew (boat + Guatamalan). In fact, the Boatamalans are from Honduras, but Boatduras doesn’t roll off the tongue like Boatamalan does. 🙂
And then last week my tent was in the news when the boat next to mine blew up.
World’s biggest hand grenade
That boat had been in the yard along Purgatory Row longer than my Roamer has been there. Within the last 30 days, a guy bought the boat and had mechanics out cleaning the fuel system when things went horribly wrong. Aside from the two injured workmen, the grenade boat’s hull is broken all over, and the top half separated from the bottom half. Lots of pieces went flying, sending shrapnel through my tent. There are slices in the top of the tent, which means the shrapnel went quite a bit higher than the tent then rained down on top of it. The tent needs a new plastic skin, two of the tent frames are broken, a window on the aft deck was blown out, and…my hull paint that’s only been exposed to direct sunlight once is scratched.
Broken hull on the grenade boat
Separated hull-to-deck joint on the grenade boat
Super-separated hull-to-deck joint
Grenade boat jousted Tent Model X!!!
Brutal irony
Rub rail spontaneously relocated from the grenade boat, slicing Tent Model X
Blown out top skin seams
The blast not only physically rattled the tent with projectiles hitting it, but there was also a substantial change in local air pressure, which blew out one aft enclosure window and several seams in the shrinkwrap where I couldn’t install battens. Because the shrinkwrap had already been shrunk, I can’t just tape it back into position. And this, along with frames that were broken and moved, has caused the whole tent to get pretty baggy.
Blown out tent seam
Broken batten, shrapnel holes, and blown out tent seam
The owner of the business that was cleaning the gas tanks took my call on Saturday and said he’d have to call me right back. I haven’t heard from him since, he’s not answering his phone or responding to texts. The owner of the boat reportedly has insurance, so I’ll spend time trying to reach him as well. I don’t want to make a claim on my own policy because of the rather substantial claim last year when the bastard thieves cleaned me out.
So…with that said…crikey. I guess this gives me time to catch the blog up on some things I got done before the grenade boat went BOOM. But there’s no way I can splash this year.
Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Spray Foam Insulation
1969chriscraftroamer46 
Oh man Q this free boat has made a prisoner of you essentially having stolen YEARS of your free time. You could have bought a brand spanking new boat and have had years of enjoyment playing captain of the seven seas by now. Do you have any hair left? You have been cursed by the spirit if MURPHY!
Feeling you bro. If it wasn’t for bad luck you wouldn’t have any luck at all.
Bill, I’ve never understood why a guy who wastes his life waiting for Bambi and Yogi to walk by close enough for you to shoot ’em doesn’t understand that rebuilding something old and cool has value-added beyond economic. I’d agree with you that the theft last year and this explosion waste lots of time, but shit happens…it rains when you go hunting, doesn’t it? Ever gone out into the woods and come back empty-handed? Think of how much more productive your time could have been if you just did something worthwhile and tangible, like rebuilding a cool boat!!!
😉
Good points but I think I’ll go throw a couple moose steaks on the BBQ now… Dinner at 7 seas casual my friend!
Amazing story. Do you know exactly what they were doing to cause the boom?
I launched my boat in my opinion a year early. I would have had her complete if I’d waited, instead her level of finish has not changed much, but on the flip side, I’m happier when she’s in the water.
Conall
Hi Conall.
They were cleaning the fuel system and getting the boat ready to splash by the end of July. Big change of plans for everybody…
Cheers,
Q
Life is full of things going wrong. You were fortunate to have not been there at that time.
Condolences, it is really terrible to be stopped on your tracks by the ineptitude or carelessness of others…like being hit by the car of a driver texting I would imagine. We wish you patience and strength!
Thanks, Rudi!
Jesus, Q, that sucks. Are the two workers doing okay?
Word has it one of them is in the hospital with 2nd degree burns and will be there for at least a month. The other is in the hospital from being tossed through the air, but won’t be there as long. Bad news all around…