Preparing Molly for her 1,000-mile journey home
In our family, boat ownership has been a cooperative effort, and as the guy who maintains and repairs Molly's major systems, it's those details I'm keen to document first, not only for our benefit (and record) but also for fellow trawler travelers who might encounter maintenance considerations similar to those we faced upon making Molly ours. Besides, careful prep is the first step in any successful cruise. Molly's distance from home was both attractive and a challenge. Part of the reason my folks wanted to buy her was because she was located perfectly for a summer trip through some of the best cruising waters in the Great Lakes region. Ensuring that she was ready for an extended trip - likely the longest trip she'd ever taken - meant tending to critical details as well as those details that, under different circumstances, might have been delayed for weeks, months, or maybe even years. At almost 40 years old, Molly, although generally well cared for, showed some o...