---

Hi Dave, Joe,

No I haven’t been up there in about 7 or 8 years now.

I have a 17 foot 1967 whaler the only original wood is the anchor well cover. A couple of years ago I took off the front railings they hindered my getting in and out of the boat when beaching and camping and I was always repairing them. I now have all stainless steel fittings if I ever get around to fixing er up; not that it needs it.

In 1988 I bought the boat motor and trailer for 600 dollars. It had spent the winter in the ice in Mackinaw Straits The gel coat had chipped and had to be ground away and replaced. The motor was no good So I gave it away to a guy who was going to outboard motor school. I had a 1985, 90 horse Evinrude from my old MSG which was just right. By the time I got er ready for the water it looked pretty good. I built a Counsel for it which I replaced about 10 years ago. Since then I have not done any work on it to speak of. Except to replace the Evinrude which I plum wore out. With a 90 hp 4 stroke Johnson which is 100 lbs too heavy.

It looks a mess The new gel coat is holding up fine but I do need to do something with the inside as I keep it in a brown canal here in Houghton Lake. Everything is still solid and I fish in it a lot as well as take the kids out in it. The good thing about the condition of it is that I don’t worry about a scratch or a few stains from fish blood or scales. Of course I take good care of the engine. So if you see a beat up old whaler named visitation it is no doubt me. My radio call is “visitation”.

God Bless,
Chaplain Hoagy