Equipment failures and getting home on a flat bed tow truck

[Ronnie]

Thanks guys. I can't just move it across the street or a few feet those kind of things won't bring me into compliance according to the rest of the ordinance. If I move it into the driveway (actually access way now) on the side of my front yard I could be fined immediately $150 for the first 10 days (I know this from experience unfortunately) so I'm left with few options.

The note on the back says I was cooperative last year so the officer is willing to let me keep the boat there another 3 days if I ask. I've since asked and counter the claim that my boat has been there over a week already. I haven't heard back from him though and if I don't I'd be safer moving it before Monday. I dont like the idea of backing it into its spot for just 24 hours but having it towed or getting a ticket I dislike even more.

 

[PEARCE]

You have a lot of patience to put up with these rules and snotty neighbors that live around you. I remember you posting about this ordinance stuff before and I thought you handled better then I would have. I would have put my house on the market or leased it out and moved. I couldn't stand people who make themselves the neighborhood rule pushers or they call and report a recreational vehicle parked someplace longer then it should be. Give me a break! Is it blocking traffic? No. Is it an eye sore? Hell no! Are they jealous of what you have? Probably. I admire you @Ronnie for putting up with all that crap!

 

[scot71]

Wow @Ronnie, when it rains it pours doesn't it? Glad to see you're getting it all sorted out.

 

[Bill D]

Ugh, @Ronnie we have some awesome ordinances in Alabama too. Like that you can park your boat along side your house or in your back yard, but not in your driveway... The first day I had my boat a "neighbor" called me after they reported me to the city. I explained that I was going to find a spot for it but hadn't yet since we just got it. The next day I had a $150 ticket on my front door.

I HATE my neighbor.

 

[Ronnie]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Bill D I'm jealous that you have a neighbor who at least had the balls to tell you what he did although only after he did it. My guy can't be bothered to yell, "move that shit or I'll call it in" across the street. Yeah I know who it is. Coincidentally, the pile of junk he had I front of his house for three weeks suddenly disappeared today, but his fishing boat and pop up trailer are still on the side of his front yard. I'm going to let him know I'll be calling that shit in on Monday unless he moves it before the weekend is over.

Why am even dealing with this?

Back to the tasks at hand. Wind line contacted me today to let me know that the ladder is not under warranty. I can exchange what I have plus $100 for a new one or buy a new one from them for $160. So I will be going with option 1 early next week.

I sure hope the brakes will be fixed by next weekend. We usually boat up to old Sacramento and stay at a hotel on the water there. It's a good 3 hour trip each way, just my wife, son (sometimes my sister in law) and I.

I found some rims on Craig's list for $100 that I'm thinking about replacing my current trailer rims with when I get new tires.

Still stuck on the ordinance bs and feel like throwing in the towel, at least the cop is not being a turd but ... I'm sure he will do his job if necessary.

 

[Ronnie]

Ok, A little noodling and a floor jack and I resolved the problem so I'm back in compliance.



Thinking about painting a middle finger salute on a sheet of plywood and leaning it against the boat facing my neighbor's way.

Next.

 

[SCSTWG]

Ok, A little noodling and a floor jack and I resolved the problem so I'm back in compliance.

Thinking about painting a middle finger salute on a sheet of plywood and leaning it against the boat facing my neighbor's way.

Next.

On one of the really nice lakes near me, a couple of neighbors got into a dispute and the neighbor under attack purchased manican's and put them in the windows of his house facing the neighbor with each of them giving him the middle finger. Keep in mind that theses guys houses cost about $4 million each.

 

[msavold]

Or... you could buy a beater of a car from some local junk yard and give them his driveway as a delivery address - and then call it in at the same time!

 

[njmr2fan]

I always liked sending magazines to those people. Bill me later of course. Double points if its something his wife will beat him for.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Utility locate is also a good one. The locate company comes and spray paints all over the lawn, sidewalk, street and driveway marking any underground utility. They also set up pretty little flags!

 

[njmr2fan]

@Murf'n'surf , I cant wait to meet you! You sound like my kinda guy! Thats a great prank, may I borrow that?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I live in Condo Commando central (Naples) with all of these gated communities I hear many retaliation stories. This tactic was one of my favorite -- can you imagine the look on the Condo Commando's face when they pulled into their house and saw their perfectly maintained "example" of proper HOA rule following riddled with flags and paint?

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

All this talk of retaliation I will have to share my story. In my younger years my buddy and I were very good at trapping wild hogs in FL. His dad owned a couple acres of undeveloped commercial property which also had a acre size pond on it. We built pens back in the woods near the pond for water and kept our catch there, corn fed them then sold them for BBQ's. Well this somewhat neighboring development, people started to make a path through the woods around this pond that was on my friends property, he saw no harm and let them. Then one day we get a notice of complaint about the hogs and it was a cease and desist order so we did what we thought was right, we caught about 60 hogs, penned them for a few days then turned them loose right one night before a rain storm. It was in the papers of a rash of wild ferrel hogs tearing up community lawns. They went straight to the development and did what hogs do best after a fresh rain and those nice houses all looked like a dozer trampled through their yards, a farmer with a disk harrow could not have turned things any better. Karma was king that day!

 

[Ronnie]

Alright back to reality for me. I successfully fought the urge to retaliate but it wAs a tough battle. My naughty neighbor is a cranky old man and he is retired so he has all today to think up and act on ways to screw me over. I did call code enforcement on a few violations that I see on his property, they called back to tell me they are on it, we will see.


Anyway, I got brakes fixed (reattached caliper and line between the calipers), changed/refilled the brake fluid and bled the brakes for a little under $200, not bad.

The shop owner, Eric, seemed honest when he said I can go the rest of the season as is but before next season get the rotors trued, new pads, and repack the bearings.

The guy who did th heavy lifting on this job topped of my hearing buddies before restating what you guys already said, time to get new tires, at Least two but I will probably buy four if not 5 including the spare.

Looks like I've figured out what this offseason's upgrades/ mods are, what's first anyway.

Here is a link to a video of my son and I putting the boat away yesterday. I posted it on another thread here but think it fits here as well.

Thanks for the encouragement and ideas through all this.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/post-your-summer-boating-gopro-shorts.1796/page-16#post-128668

 

[MikeyL]

@Ronnie: 1) Glad everyone is Safe.
2) Sorry any of this happened to such a swell guy.
3) Wish I could wave a magic wand and make all of this go away.
4) Can't so I'll just wish you you and your super Family a great Labor Day weekend !

Take Care, Mikey Lulejian

 

[rkluck]

Glad she is fixed up. Nice parking that looks like a tight fit. Sorry you missed out on this weekend.

 

[Ronnie]

Well, I'm happy to report that I got the boat back from having brake work (new pads, trued rotors, re packed bearings) and two new tires installed on the trailer. Another $500 but I'm glad it's done, almost just in time for the end of the season.

 

[itsdgm]

Well, I'm happy to report that I got the boat back from having brake work (new pads, trued rotors, re packed bearings) and two new tires installed on the trailer. Another $500 but I'm glad it's done, almost just in time for the end of the season.

@Ronnie, glad to see that you've got the brakes all fixed up. You did park it on the street, right? After all, you have a week.

 

[Ronnie]

@itsdgm , funny you should mention that. When I brought it back from the shop my bitchy neighbor came out to work in his garage (or pretend to, I think he was just out to watch me). Since I don't know if i will take it out this week I decided to store or on the side of the house. When I got done my neighbor yelled out, "Hey, you are getting pretty good at that". One can only imagine how I wanted to respond.

I took the high / middle road and said nothing before jumping in the vette backing in front of his house and leaving a patch, actually two patches of rubber in front of it. That's the first time I turned off the traction control in the car. Childish I know but i felt good about it and lunch afterwards was great.

 

[itsdgm]

I would've pulled it back on the street and left it for a few days. Then make sure to tell him "I took your advice and decided to start practicing twice a week".

Maybe you need to have a bring your "boat/tv/truck/travel trailer party" @Ronnie 's house. You could even post that up on Craigslist and explain that you have an A-hole neighbor. I'll bet you'd have a decent turnout if you serve free food and beer.