Hitting the lake today.

[jdonalds]

The air temp is supposed to hit 91 degrees today. I'm going to hit the bed soon then get up about 10am. I'll pull the cover off the boat for the first time in a couple of months, wipe things down, take the battery charger off, check the trailer tire air pressure, do a quick inventory for life jackets etc., install the carpets, fire up the engines, and head to the lake. This is what we call de-winterizing in California.

I've started the engines a few times over the winter. I think the last time we had the boat out was early November but it could have been late October.

A wind storm and lack of care on my part ripped my $150 cover so a lot of water got into the boat and soaked the carpets. I cleaned the boat up then I put the Yamaha cover on. A couple of months later I checked and learned that the expensive Yamaha cover is no longer waterproof. So I'm kind of expecting I'll have to spend 45 minutes or so cleaning things up. I have the material to patch the $150 waterproof cover but have just been too lazy to sew it in place.

The lake will be way too cold for water sports but we'll just drive around the lake for fun.

Boating season has started!

 

[Jim Robeson]

Went for a ride yesterday...felt good to be back on the water!! Have fun!!!

 

[txav8r]

I hope to go out this afternoon @jdonalds , I know what you mean, you cover up and put stuff away, but it still gets dirty. My boat was in the shop getting the stereo finished (lack of time, I threw in the towel), and I removed everything, and have to put it all back. I need to vacuum it just from road debris and some minor dusting from the install. I hope to change the oil and plugs before we go for the maiden run of the year!

 

[jdonalds]

My five-year-old was actually very helpful today cleaning the boat. He washed cushions and did the whole floor of the cockpit. He did such a good job, even with mildew on the seats, that I didn't have to touch up after him

We ended up spending 2 1/2 hours cleaning the boat. I forgot how big the boat is and how much surface area there is. In the end we hit about 90% of the dirt so I still have some left to clean up. The Bimini has to be taken down and scrubbed by hand.

The boat has never looked so bad after a winter. I really have to get that cheap cover, that is so waterproof, patched and back on the boat before the next winter. It was all worth it though.

We spent three hours on the lake. The water temp was 61 degrees but the air temp was in the high 80s with just a slight breeze. It was really quite nice. We did a mix of puttering around at 5 mph, some at 30 mph, and full throttle hitting about 42 mph for a few minutes. There were a surprising number of people around the lake and on the water; sailboats, pontoon boats, fishing boats, and I even saw another Yamaha which are rare in this neck of the woods. Some young people braved the cold water and were tubing or wake boarding.

The boat ran perfectly. We'll invite friends for the next time out. I like to run with no guests for the first time of the year. This is the latest we've ever taken our first boat trip of the year. We usually hit the lake for a day in February as California often throws in a week of summer weather about that time.

Here's a few pics from our little waterproof Fujifilm XP60 canera,

My little helper had a great time on the lake. He didn't settle down for the whole 3 hours. He dangled his feet in the water and asked to go tubing but we told him it was too cold and there was nobody to go out with him. Perhaps the next time. The water temperature was 61
degrees.

Whiskeytown Lake is beautiful, if small, and less than 15 miles from home to the launch ramp we used today.

Cameron jumped from place to place, sat on my lap to drive the boat, but didn't settle down much for the whole three hours. He really enjoyed himself. He did fall asleep on the short trip home.

We spotted this osprey which are quite common at Whiskeytown Lake. There's an eagle's nest next to the lake as well.

A Yamaha preparing to tow four youth on a tube. We don't know these folks and they weren't in a position for us to idle up to them for a conversation. I'm guessing they are local so we'll likely see them again. Most folks who drive a distance to come to this area are heading for Lake Shasta not this tiny lake. Lake Shasta is down 72' so there is no hope for it to fill this year. It had been down 177' so this is indeed progress. Whiskeytown Lake is always full in the summer. They drop it about 10' each winter to kill off any weeds (quite rare here) around the shoreline.

There were at least 1/2 dozen sailboats on the lake today.

My wife Nancy watching Cameron being silly.

It was a great start to the season. To me winter is just a waiting period between summers. Redding area weather seems to just flop over into summer rather quickly once it starts. We can certainly use rain but for the most part that part of the year is pretty much over.

 

[Russ C]

I grew up in Weaverville and worked at a marina on Trinity lake all through high school. Sure miss the lakes in North Cal. I hear Trinity is about empty right now.

 

[Scottintexas]

thanks for the pictures, I always enjoy your pictures, those lakes are beautiful!