Re: Bantam back afloat
Sounds like a great life! Never been boating in that area of Canada, but the articles in boating mags show it to be great! I wouldn't want to spend summers in Florida either, or any of the Gulf coast for that matter. Yeah, I once made the mistake of going to the Everglades in late June. After that I've only gone to Florida in the winter months. However, even northern MN had record heat and humidity last summer. Good old climate change.
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "captjbturtle" wrote:
>
> Bantam sits on her trailer most of the year in Fl because 5 years ago I started spending the rest of the year in Canada.
> It is true winds are calmer in Fl in the summer but its hot day and night, humid and very buggy. Summer cruising is just more civilized on the cool fresh waters of the Rideau canal.
> Fortunately I have the States Class sharpie "Turtle" in Canada. Now however we discover the downside of a long skinny boat. Parks Canada has just decided to double the canal fees billed per foot.
> This makes Paul"s Bolger houseboat a better bargain than the 33 foot "Turtle"
> Sorry our courses never crossed. The Bantam's are simply the best boat for Florida waters.
>
Bantam sits on her trailer most of the year in Fl because 5 years ago I started spending the rest of the year in Canada.
It is true winds are calmer in Fl in the summer but its hot day and night, humid and very buggy. Summer cruising is just more civilized on the cool fresh waters of the Rideau canal.
Fortunately I have the States Class sharpie "Turtle" in Canada. Now however we discover the downside of a long skinny boat. Parks Canada has just decided to double the canal fees billed per foot.
This makes Paul"s Bolger houseboat a better bargain than the 33 foot "Turtle"
Sorry our courses never crossed. The Bantam's are simply the best boat for Florida waters.
It is true winds are calmer in Fl in the summer but its hot day and night, humid and very buggy. Summer cruising is just more civilized on the cool fresh waters of the Rideau canal.
Fortunately I have the States Class sharpie "Turtle" in Canada. Now however we discover the downside of a long skinny boat. Parks Canada has just decided to double the canal fees billed per foot.
This makes Paul"s Bolger houseboat a better bargain than the 33 foot "Turtle"
Sorry our courses never crossed. The Bantam's are simply the best boat for Florida waters.
Since I built what is I believe the second Bantam (launched in 2005) I am curious as to the comment that she lives on her trailer the other nine months of the year. Why do you only use her during the three months of winter?
When I spent the winter of 2007 there I guess we didn't cross paths. I did not go all the way across, stopping at LaBelle before returning to the west coast. Saw several other Bolger boats in anchorages, but never your Bantam.
Anyway, just wondering why she sits on her trailer for most of the year when the locals always tell me that the winter months are what they consider the worst boating because of the wind. I was told the best time starts in late March.
I also found out the following year that the winter months are really windy on the Texas Gulf coast:) One the these years I have to sell my duplex in northern MN so that I don't have to return to take care of things.
Bob
When I spent the winter of 2007 there I guess we didn't cross paths. I did not go all the way across, stopping at LaBelle before returning to the west coast. Saw several other Bolger boats in anchorages, but never your Bantam.
Anyway, just wondering why she sits on her trailer for most of the year when the locals always tell me that the winter months are what they consider the worst boating because of the wind. I was told the best time starts in late March.
I also found out the following year that the winter months are really windy on the Texas Gulf coast:) One the these years I have to sell my duplex in northern MN so that I don't have to return to take care of things.
Bob
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "captjbturtle" wrote:
>
> The Florida stretched Bantam "Pelican" has just crossed Lake Okeechobee on her way to the west coast.
> This is about the sixth time she has crossed this big choppy lake. She will be on the west coast for a couple of weeks then down to the Keys and perhaps back up the east coast to her home waters on the Indian River,
> Any of you interested in seeing this wonderful unique boat can e mail me at captjbturtle@... and we can perhaps arrange it.
> "Pelican" is the first Bantam launched and is stretched to 26 feet.She is holding up well and has circumnavigated Florida several times.She lives on her trailer the other nine months of the year.
>
Must be a real joy to have such an opportunity and such an innovative craft! Have long pondered building a standard Bantam but am sure I would always overload it with "creature comforts"! Glad you are still enjoying yours. Brent
The Florida stretched Bantam "Pelican" has just crossed Lake Okeechobee on her way to the west coast.
This is about the sixth time she has crossed this big choppy lake. She will be on the west coast for a couple of weeks then down to the Keys and perhaps back up the east coast to her home waters on the Indian River,
Any of you interested in seeing this wonderful unique boat can e mail me atcaptjbturtle@...and we can perhaps arrange it.
"Pelican" is the first Bantam launched and is stretched to 26 feet.She is holding up well and has circumnavigated Florida several times.She lives on her trailer the other nine months of the year.
This is about the sixth time she has crossed this big choppy lake. She will be on the west coast for a couple of weeks then down to the Keys and perhaps back up the east coast to her home waters on the Indian River,
Any of you interested in seeing this wonderful unique boat can e mail me atcaptjbturtle@...and we can perhaps arrange it.
"Pelican" is the first Bantam launched and is stretched to 26 feet.She is holding up well and has circumnavigated Florida several times.She lives on her trailer the other nine months of the year.