Shining Like New Money....

My wonderful grandmother has a phrase she uses now and then to describe something that looks really nice and new. That phrase is that it is "shining like new money." Well...our little Monk trawler seems to be shining now like new money herself!

We made our way from Atlanta to Guntersville today and Alred Marina to inspect the boat and prepare for the return trip up river. Due to school and baseball schedules, it is just dad and me making the trip back up to Island Cove. My mom was kind enough to drive us over to the boat so we had a nice ride together and got here around mid-afternoon. Russ Cranford, the marina and service yard manager, met us and took me out to the covered slip they had placed her in since resplashing her again late last week. First off, Russ is simply great and I could not say enough about how positive my experiences have been with him and Alred. I HIGHLY recommend them!!

The boat looks great. It is like a night and day difference compared to how her exterior used to look. It was a cloudy and grey day today but boy did she look good. I still have multiple pieces of trim I need to install/reinstall before everything is 100% done (i.e. reinstall the teak grab rails along the flybridge for the side decks, venturi shield, trim around edge of flybridge where it ties into the bridge deck, etc.) but I am very happy with our "new" boat.

Just for fun, here are some good "before" and "after" pictures so you can get an idea of how much better she looks!

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After:

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After:

I'll try and get some more pictures tomorrow of her in the sun so perhaps if you check the blog tomorrow be sure to be wearing your sunglasses. :) As well, in case you are wondering why in the "before" pictures the flybridge is all discolored and yellowed...the previous owner had planned to paint her topsides some time ago before we bought her. He sanded it down, primed that area, and then sanded again before stopping. He never painted her and, over time, the primer turns yellow thus her former splotchy appearance. Also, in the "after" pictures you can see the refinished and newly installed name boards...complete with 9-10 coats of Epiphanes varnish (front and back). We will have the new name installed once back at Island Cove.

Anyway, our plan is to leave for our trip up river right after dawn tomorrow. After a month away from the boat due to the painting, I can't tell you how wonderful it feels right now to be resting peacefully in the aft stateroom berth surrounded by our beautiful teak interior, the faint and familiar smell of the boat, the gentle and slight roll of the boat. There really is something special about older boats that cannot seem to be replicated in new boats. It is like there is a sense of history and a past to this boat...like we are not owners but stewards of this purposeful little trawler. It feels so good to be back aboard on this calm, quiet night.

Here's to safe travels tomorrow, warm sunshine, and fun times with my dad on the 125 mile run back up to Island Cove.