Originally Posted by Hedge
Well after a day of HELL there and back, I finally got home around 330am this morning with the newest member of the family. A 1984 Wellcraft 228, I think it was the predecessor to the sportsman. I have been looking for something a little bigger than the V, and found her on CL for a great price. FREE. Yes I know there is no such thing a free boat.
I think my wife put some sort of a hex on me for the past several days thinking I would just say forget it and let the boat go, no way I said, and I finally prevailed. I took the empty trailer up, after making sure all the tires were ok and the bearings lubed. About 1/3 into the trip, there was something on the road that I didn't see until to late and it bounced up and broke something in my exhaust. The remainder of the trip was the loudest thing I ever want to experience. Then about half way into the trip the road was horrendous, or so I thought. I stopped to get gas about 2/3 of the way and figured out the reason for the "Horrible road conditions". One of my new tires was gone, not flat plain gone rim and all. I guess the "road conditions" were the tire working itself loose. It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Lugnuts, or in this case, lugbolts, were still anchored in the drum on the axle. I replaced the tire and continued on. Upon arrival at my destination to retrieve the FREE boat, the boat yard owner did give me a tire and rim, then I bought a couple off of a trailer he had, I wanted to make sure I had enough and good tires, or so I thought for the return trip.
Something I think I haven't mention until now is the location of the journey. I started from where I live in NC and the final destination was in MD, on the Eastern shore, just below Salisbury, MD. The trip itself was 300 miles each way. To get there, the journey took me up I95 to VA, 58 toward Norfolk, across the Chesapeake Bay With a toll of $20.00 EACH way, what is that all about. I want to use the road, not buy part of it.
The return trip was pretty uneventful, with the exception of the on Blow Out of one of the tires I had just bought.
But she is in my yard now, and the work will begin soon. Pics to follow.
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