October 6, 2011.

The last 2 or 3 days before the boat show opened were very hectic. Brokers and other yachties were running about like chickens without their heads trying to get everything taken care of before the show.

Karl and I were even semi abducted when the call came in for the boat we were on to report for dockage in the boat show. We had just stepped onboard to install the mainsail when they got the call and had to head out immediately. I called my boss on the phone and he said “okay, go, I'll pick you up in the skiff in 10 minutes”.

The 3 minute crossing of Annapolis Harbor was one of the most harrowing crossings of my life. We were going 300 yards, tying up the boat, bending on the sail and being picked up, simple enough. Except that the broker/captain of this little adventure showed up with his wife and 2 hyperactive and probably ADD diagnosed kids. I considered tossing one of the kids overboard to see if the other one would straighten up and fly right.

The foredeck was littered with tables, chairs and potted plants for the show. The children were literally running around the boat as the captain negotiated the mooring field as we headed to our assigned dockage.

Part of the boat show preparations are the installation of probably 50 pilings which are used to hold the large temporary docks in place. We missed one by less than a foot. Karl asked “Captain, didn't you see that?”. The good captain replied “that never used to be there”. I'm thinkin' “how about we live in the present, Captain?” but I hold my tongue. Then we came within a foot of tee-boning a dock. The people on the dock fended us away like crazy, either out of self preservation or pity, I'm not sure, either way I was embarrassed to be there.

Finally, mercifully we got tied up. Karl and I bent on the sail. The good captains wife actually had a clue about clews, pitched in and made the sail installation much easier.

I snapped a few pictures of the last minute boat show preparations as we waited for our ride home.

Traditionally at the onset of the boat show the work around the yard slows to a more manageable pace. So this is when we decided to haul the Veranda. We motored over from Back creek and spent the night on the wall with the plan to be hauled this morning. So not quite according to the plan I cranked the engine this morning and *nothing*. Crap. She cranked just fine but no starty. Crap. There wasn't time to change fuel filters so we pulled the boat down and around the docks by hand and into the lifting well. I'm a little agitated and pretty embarrassed but I'll get over it, probably. We drop the forestay, the travel lift moves into position and the mast is in the way before the travel lift is far enough over us to pick us up. Crap. This means we have to turn the boat around and back in. We hook the forestay back up and for the hell of it I turn the key and the Veranda starts right up. Cool. I back away, turn around and back into the well. Now the backstay has to come down. Which it does with very little effort. Cool. Once out of the water and power washed the Veranda was blocked as low as possible to allow the travel lift to back away without me having to drop the wind generator. That part of the plan didn't work either but after dropping the wind genny we're now sitting high and dry with a front row seat overlooking the harbor.

We haven't hauled the boat in 2 years and I was happy to see how good the bottom looked. We had 2 years on the Petit Trinidad SR and the bottom was pretty much growth free. But, I was a little disheartened to see how much slop there was in our 6 year old MaxProp.

We'll spend a week out of the water while we get the Veranda ready to head south once again. A bonus while we're on the hard is our outstanding view of the now opened Annapolis Sailboat Show.