Captain's Log: Hopewell, Virginia—The Sequel

Seven months ago today we arrived here for the first time. Our host, Robert had been following our travels on Facebook for a while, and when we were coming south, he invited us up the James River to visit his berg, which we did. It was then, with the help of the generous loan of his well-loved Jeep that I attacked a major repair/upgrade to Stinkpot's engine room.

Stinkpot arriving in Hopewell, Virginia, Nov. 2021. Photo Credit: Robert Walker.

Both of our alternators had failed, so we were very dependent on our little Honda EU2000 generator to keep batteries charged, as daylight (we also charge batteries with solar panels) was getting scarce for the approaching winter. I knew I'd need to upgrade and rewire while I was replacing the alternators, which would take a lot of back and forth to auto parts stores and chandleries (marine stores), so I put it off until we had ready access to wheels, and as it turned out, that was here.

At the Theatre.

We stayed here for eight days. I installed two alternators, fuses, and some big, beefy wire to handle the current that the 150 amp port alternator supplied and the 200 amp starboard alternator (for house loads) cranked out. We had a lot of fun getting to know Robert all those months ago. He took us out to dinner and even bought an extra two tickets for us to the see the Tab Benoit concert that he and his lady-friend, Paige, were going to at a nearby, historic theatre.

Ever an enthusiastic, attentive host, Robert invited us out for an afternoon on his boat, the Lauren Leigh, Stinkpot's sister ship and named for his daughter. He told us that he had ordered a new generator for the Lauren Leigh though the existing generator still worked. We gently asked him what he planned to do with the old generator, hoping we might be able to buy it from him, and his answer was "giving it to you," though he made it clear we'd have to wait until the new one arrived in the spring. ​

An afternoon cruise on the Lauren Leigh. Robert gave both of us a try at the helm. So much like Stinkpot, and nothing at all like her—very surreal!

The Lauren Leigh's old generator being removed.

​So here we are. Seven months later. Full circle. We are readying Stinkpot for the installation of Robert's generous gift: cleaning out, throwing away, preparing wiring and plumbing, repairing/replacing old or worn parts on the generator itself in advance of installation. Cutting access hatches into the deck to mimic those on the Lauren Leigh to make maintenance of this specific generator possible.

​You'd think, being nearly identical boats, that this would be a simple "drop in," but in fact, the one-model-year difference between Stinkpot and the Lauren Leigh happened at the very time that Bayliner changed

from Westerbeke generators (original equipment on Stinkpot) to Onan generators, and that difference means modifications. So here we are, buying and borrowing tools, ordering parts, and making the most of Robert's genuine and generous hospitality.

Robert and Paige setting off to move the Lauren Leigh to her new slip.

Just this past weekend, Robert moved his boat to a different marina near Norfolk. He wanted a change of scenery and to locate the boat nearer to the waters he wanted to cruise for a while. Following his instructions, after he cast off on Saturday, Stacey and I moved Stinkpot into his now-former boat slip, which she will call home for the next month or so. This month of May will see us install the generator, and attack some (more) deferred maintenance,

after which I will be flying back to New England in a couple of weeks to watch my son, Kieran, graduate from Lesley University.

​To wit, the plan is that I will leave Stacey here at the boat, fly one-way, into Portland, Maine, where my good buddy, Steve, will pick me up at the airport. I'll spend a day or two with he and his wife, Leah, while I get my car, which has been parked in their garage all winter, ready for a trip south. I will then drive to Medford, Massachusetts to impose upon some other dear friends, Jeanne and Charlie, for a few days whilst the graduation and other related (and unrelated) festivities happen. Finally, I will put myself behind the wheel for the long trip from Beantown to Stinkpot back here in Hopewell, at which point we'll decide what's next for Stinkpot.

As of this writing, we plan to be cruising Chesapeake Bay for the summer. I might play some gigs here and there, and there will also be some online concerts from the boat as we go. Where around the Chesapeake Bay region would you like to see Stinkpot drop anchor? Let us know in the comments. 
​

Hopewell, Virginia sunset. Photo Credit: Stacey Guth.