Log of the launch Electra



Electra.

Log of the launch Electra

for the years 2004 and 2005

(the earliest entries are at the bottom, or you can jump forward to 2006)

12/6/05 I didn't expect to be making further entries to Electra's log for 2005, once she was put to bed for the winter. But events continue to transpire, and they must be logged, by damn!

The day before yesterday, the circulator had been in operation for about four days (with four one-hour runs in each 24), so I looked to see if it was doing its job of keeping ice away from the lift. It was doing a good job on the ends of the lift, but not the sides. With advice from Commodore Ward, who has used circulators in the past, I changed the aim of the circulator, by adjusting the lines that suspend it. I went back yesterday to see how the new aim was working, and found the lift solidly surrounded by ice an inch thick. I could hear the circulator running beneath the ice, but it didn't seem to be moving any water. At the time, I didn't have suitable clothing or equipment to investigate further. Today, I went back with arctic attire and electrical test gear. I swept away all of the snow on the dock finger and the lift, to give a safe footing. I could then see that the circulator's propeller was wrapped with some kind of foreign object that seemed to be composed of fabric.


Foreign object found in circulator.

I have not been able to identify this object. Others who have examined it think it may be some kind of garment. My hope is that the original owner will come forward to help identify the object.

I think that this foreign object is now my property, under the laws of maritime salvage, but I will return it to the previous owner if that person will explain in detail how it came to be on the bottom of the river.

Once the circulator was freed of the foreign object, it cheerfully resumed its mission of anti-icing.

Enough for one day, I thought. But then a call came from National Marine, where Electra is wintering indoors, saying that, "the boat is making a funny noise." I checked, and found the main bilge pump running. I don't know what triggered the bilge pump switch, but can't help wondering whether Karl Rove is somehow involved.

10/30/05 Today ends Electra's first season on the Illinois River. She is out of the water and on her trailer, nearly ready to go to National Marine Sales for winter storage (and workspace to install an additional fuse & switch panel, a horn or whistle, and a searchlight).

It's a sad day when your boat leaves the water, and it gets sadder if the following week is made up of glorious boating days. But the sadness soon gives way to schadenfreude, as you watch other boaters who have waited too long to end their boating seasons, and are now freezing their fingers and sitting parts.

Electra's season spanned 202 days, and included about 40 cruises, most of them between 60 and 90 minutes long.

Historical data accumulated by Electra's E-meter in her two seasons of life show that the battery has been discharged by as much as 10% seventeen times. The average discharge between charges has been 79.1 ampere-hours (15% of battery capacity). and the deepest discharge was 136.6 ampere-hours (27% of capacity).


A fish out of water: Electra headed for hibernation.

Electra's lift will remain in her slip for the winter. I hope to keep the slip free of crushing ice with a "slinger" from Scott Aerator. This device sends up a stream of warmer water from the abyss (OK: four feet) to keep the surface from freezing.


The slinger, before installation.

The controls for the slinger include a thermostat that activates the system when the air temperature goes below 30° F., a GFCI for electrical safety, and a timer that goes on for short periods a few times in every 24 hours.


Controls for the slinger.

10/16/05 Out for an hour with Elaine Duffy. There's a nip in the air these days, reminiscent of Pearl Harbor.


Elaine Duffy.
1014/05 An hour's after-supper cruise with Donna Kinne and Kay Ziegler. The Asian Carp are becoming less noticeable, while the pelicans are becoming more noticeable. Is this a seasonal pattern, or are the latter eating the former? Many boaters hope so.


White Pelican.
10/5/05 Out tonight for an hour after supper, with Carolyn Coulter & Ken Black, Donna Kinne, and Jean & Ron Slonneger. The night was as black as the inside of a cow. A black cow.

One objective of this cruise was to try out a nice brass searchlight, before I permanently install it. The light, which came from eBay, is the "Half-mile Ray" model, made by the Portable Light Co.

In this trial, the light produced a piercing beam that went about ten feet, which may be why we don't hear much about the Portable Light Co.

9/26/05 Boating has been infrequent for a couple of weeks, because of a dusty construction project at the IVY Club.

During this hiatus, we encountered a recent book of photographs, Revealing Chicago: An Aerial Portrait, by Terry Evans, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. The pictures are striking; often beautiful, and sometimes disturbing. One of them, reproduced below with permission, shows a wooded island next to the Museum of Science and Industry. The author's caption, in part:

Remnants of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition can be seen here. The Museum of Science and Industry (background) is the sole remaining building on the site of the former "White City" constructed for the 1893 fair. The Japanese Garden on the Wooded Isle (foreground) is also a legacy of the Columbian Exposition.

During the Fair, this lagoon was cruised by a fleet of 55 Elco electric launches, each 36 feet long, that carried over a million passengers.

9/13/05 An hour's cruise on a very dark night, with Carolyn Coulter & Ken Black, and Susan & Hon. Judge John Gorman. We were at times surrounded by strange, shadowy, flying shapes that may have been pelicans, or bats, or the undead. The undead are seldom seen in Peoria County, due to strict zoning, but we may have been in Tazewell or Woodford County waters at the time.


John & Susan Gorman.
9/9/05 Out for an hour on a windless night, with water like black mercury beneath a misty slice of lemon-yellow moon. With us were Donna Kinne and Kay Ziegler.
9/4/05 After the Pig Roast Foxhole, we rafted with Ricochet for a secret Halloween Costume Planning Meeting. Nothing more can be revealed at this time.
9/2/05 This evening is a beautiful doorway to the Labor Day weekend. We dined with Carolyn & Ken Coulter-Black, Donna & Bob Kinne, and Bill Nordsiek, Donna's former co-worker. All but Bob then went out for an hour's cruise in the sunset.


Bill Nordsiek, aka Nordo.


Photo by Inge Brown.

9/1/05 Out for an evening hour with old friends Mary & Jack Steenrod. Three of Jack's breakfast associates (Bill Fischer, Ron Harris, and Ted Scheuermann) came down to our embarcadero, to (1) welcome him to the club and (2) order him off the property.

The Steenrods brought a chocolate pound cake that went well with a drop or two of Electra muscat wine.

Jack was at the helm most of the way, and took us into the innermost recesses of Rainbow Cove Marina, which we hear is now named Dolphin Cove Marina. We saw neither rainbows nor dolphins.


Mary & Jack Steenrod at Rainbow (Dolphin?) Cove Marina.
8/31/05 After supper at the IVY Club, we went for an hour's cruise with Carolyn Coulter, Jean & Ron Slonneger, Sally & Breck Thomas, and Donna Kinne.
8/30/05 Two new rugs arrived today, cut to fit the cabin sole. Ben Bladel, an Interior Designer associated with Lippmann Furniture helped make this happen.

8/25/05 Today was the third day of a four-day meeting at the IVY Club for 30 members of the Caterpillar Global Mining Team. This evening, Electra was one of three IVY Club boats that ferried the participants from the Club to the Alexander Street Steakhouse. We were glad to have them aboard.


Renee Balaco
Cat Peoria

Chris Davis
Cat Western Austrailia

Chris Gehner
Cat Peoria

Eric Howells
Cat Tasmania Australia

Jim Humphrey
Cat Decatur

Steve Margetts
Cat Tasmania Australia


Andres Muñoz
Cat Decatur

My camera passed away early in the evening: These photos were provided by Eric Howells, Chris Davis, and other members of the Mining Team.

8/24/05 Did I say that last Sunday was the best day of the summer? If so, I was wrong. Today is the best day of the summer; fine for everything but yard work, for which there are no fine days.

Out for an hour, after supper, with Kay Ziegler, Sally & Breck Thomas, Ron Slonneger, and Donna Kinne. Breck at the helm most of the way.

8/21/05 This is the best day of the summer, so far.

To begin with, there were two comfortable Star races (comfortable for the Race Committee).

Then came Brian & Judy Finn's shrimp boil at Foxhole. The recipe was about like this, with some garlic added.

Then Bonnie went to volunteer at the zoo, and I took a boat ride into the lower lake with Bobbi & George Knight (in an embarassing polkadot shirt), Ron Slonneger, and Dr. Norm Meyn. Norm was at the helm the whole way, and dealt with more wakes than an Irish priest.


Fr. Meyn.

8/20/05 After the IVY Club's Mexican Party, we went for a short ride with some of our fellow diners: Anne Haas & Gary Rafool, Carolyn Coulter & Ken Black, and Donna Kinne.


Anne Haas & Gary Rafool.

8/19/05 In the wake of the engagement celebrated in the 7/28/05 entry to this log, we dined this evening with the betrothatrix and betrothor, Ashley & Kevin; his parents, Donna & Bob Kinne; and her mother and step-father, Bonnie & Dave Hinrichsen. All but the fathers of the engagees then took a boat ride in the cool of the evening, but were driven ashore by lightning.


Dr. Bonnie Hinrichsen

I discovered this evening that I had failed to log an important improvement to the boat which was made about a month ago.


Since this cautionary plaque was installed, we have definitely seen a better class of people on the boat. I'm going to suggest to Elco that they make it a standard feature.

8/17/05 An hour's cruise after supper with Carolyn Coulter Black, Donna Kinne, and Jean & Ron Slonneger.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy. Fish are jumpin', and the river is low.

8/13/05 A short cruise in light rain with son, Dr. Art Cox, and Art's wife, Michele Mazzei Cox. Art & Michele are passing through town on their way from a pyrotechnic convention in Mason City, Iowa, to their home in Athens, Georgia.


Art Cox...

and Michele.
8/7/05 We dined on this Sunday evening with Jean & Ron Slonneger; Jean's mother, Betty Peth; and Betty's long-time friend, Lynn Landes. A short evening cruise followed, punctuated by the frequent trajectories of Asian Carp. I watched one of them arc over the top of Electra's flagpole (six feet above the water), but was too slow to catch it with a camera.


Betty Peth, visiting from Seattle.

Lynn Landes, visiting from Chillicothe.
8/5/05 Neither Bonnie nor Bob Kinne made it to supper this evening. Donna Kinne and I did, and afterward took a half-hour ride that included riverine rendezvous with the wind-powered boats Ricochet and Nepenthe. We had to reduce speed to stay with them. I just wanted to mention that.


Photo by the Officers and Crew of Ricochet.
8/3/05 TRC & BEC out for an hour on a lovely cool summer evening with Carolyn Coulter-Black, Donna Kinne, and Ron Slonneger, with Carolyn at the helm.

There was a misty rain falling. It wasn't a hard rain, but it had a Bob Dylan feel...

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains,
I’ve walked and I’ve crawled on six crooked highways,
I’ve stepped in the middle of seven sad forests,
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans,
I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard,
And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard,
And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, what did you see, my darling young one?
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it,
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin’,
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin’,
I saw a white ladder all covered with water,
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken,
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children,
And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you hear, my darling young one?
I heard the sound of a thunder, it roared out a warnin’,
Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world,
Heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin’,
Heard ten thousand whisperin’ and nobody listenin’,
Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin’,
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter,
Heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley,
And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

Oh, who did you meet, my blue-eyed son?
Who did you meet, my darling young one?
I met a young child beside a dead pony,
I met a white man who walked a black dog,
I met a young woman whose body was burning,
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow,
I met one man who was wounded in love,
I met another man who was wounded with hatred,
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

Oh, what’ll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, what’ll you do now, my darling young one?
I’m a-goin’ back out ’fore the rain starts a-fallin’,
I’ll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest,
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty,
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters,
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison,
Where the executioner’s face is always well hidden,
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten,
Where black is the color, where none is the number,
And I’ll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it,
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it,
Then I’ll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin’,
But I’ll know my song well before I start singin’,
And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard,
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.

Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
7/28/05 This evening, Kevin Kinne and Ashley Enter took the boat out, alone, for an hour, and came back engaged to be married. We celebrate with them.

During the cruise, the boat's owner nervously paced the strand, looking out to sea.


Kevin Kinne and Ashley Enter, captured by an automatic shutter-release.

The picture raises several questions: First, is Ashley smoking a small cigar? And if so, is this the usual practice at engagement events in the new millenium?

But more importantly, were they maintaining a proper lookout*?

* From the International Navigation Rules: Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.

Note added later: On 8/19/05, Ashley explained that the putative cigar was actually the remote control for the camera.

7/23/05 We slipped away from the IVY Club Luau for an hour's cruise with Blanche Hall and friends Donna Hoerr, Mary Jane Lizer, Audrey Brown, and Lois & Ron Litterst.

At the Luau, Brad Pettet told Blanche he knows that a flower over one ear means, "I'm taken," while a flower over the other ear means, "I'm unattached." Brad wondered what it means to have flowers over both ears, as Blanche had. She explained that it means, "Been there. Done that."


Blanche Hall.

Audrey Brown.

Mary Jane Lizer.

Donna Hoerr.


Ron & Lois Litterst
7/22/05 Out after supper for 90 minutes with Kay Ziegler and Donna Kinne. Bonnie at the helm.
7/21/05 Bonnie is one of a group of women who regularly dine out and travel the world. They call themselves "The Girls' Group" (I suppose they must have had a contest to pick the most imaginative name). Their common bond is that each has worked in the OB department at Pekin Hospital at some point in the past or present.

Tonight, eight of the group dined at the new restaurant, Jill's, and seven came out for an hour's after-dinner cruise.


Some of The Girls' Group: (from left) Carol Beyer, Carol Urban, Bev
Wilson, Mary Ann Mayer, Susie Greer, Bonnie, and Loretta Harms.
7/20/05 Out at sunset for an hour with the Slonnegers, Carolyn Coulter-Black, and old Peorians (and New Mexicans) Sue & Eric Frow. On the west brow of the Narrows, we passed through an area where the bottom of the river was closer to the top than expected. Jean Slonneger pronounced the bottom to be composed of shells, based on the boat's bumping, crunching, motion.

This was the first trip with some long-awaited new furniture.

We were entertained by a fine display of sheet lightning (see 6/10/05 entry), and alarmed by several encounters with Asiatic carp.


Eric & Sue Frow.
7/17/05 Along with some of the Knights, Coulter-Blacks, Kinnes, Astwoods, and Covingtons, we were the hosts for today's Foxhole, the IVY Club's summer Sunday afternoon snack binge. Afterward, all who were available went out for an hour's cruise. George Knight was a first-time passenger.


George Knight.
7/16/05 A number of discussions and diagnostic steps have led the good people at the Elco Boatworks to believe that the source of the occasional squeal is the propeller. Consequently, they sent a replacement for it. The replacement was installed today, with help from Ron Karcher and Norm Astwood. Early indications are that the squeal is gone!
7/15/05 Out for 90 minutes, after supper, with the Thomases and Donna Kinne. Breck at the helm, playing chicken with barges. Barges consistently winning.
7/13/05 After a great week in the bay area of California, we went out tonight after supper, in a cool mist, for an hour's ride with Jean & Stan Morris (see log entry for 6/26/05) and Alice & Henry Cakora. Henry was at the helm the whole time, and took Electra into the lower lake for the first time.

The Cakoras do a lot of good things, and their family owns and operates Tazewell Machine Works.

Something mysterious happened to Alice's picture that makes it hard to believe she lives in Pekin.


Alice Cakora.

Henry Cakora.
6/28/05

I replaced the drive belts, to rule them out as sources of the squeal.

6/26/05 Today is oppressively hot and humid. It's an August day that has fallen in June; probably part of some Karl Rove scheme.

Nevertheless, after Foxhole, we go out for an hour or so with Joyce Meiser, Wayne Powell, Jean & Stan Morris, Donna Kinne, and Norman Astwood. At full speed, there is just enough air movement to stave off hyperthermia, but we have a good time, anyway.


Joyce Meiser.

Wayne Powell.

Jean Morris...

and Stan, who didn't get the
memo on lime green shirts.
6/20/05 A brief morning spin with Carolyn Coulter and old IVY friends Reed & Mary Jane McClintock, who have come ashore after lo, these many years at sea.


Reed & Mary Jane.

In the evening, out for 75 minutes with neighbors Dan, Cindy, Susan, & John Moore, and Emily Smith.


Cindy & Dan Moore.


Susan Moore


Emily Smith and John Moore are thrilled
to be wearing Personal Flotation Devices.

6/19/05


Photo by Mary Pratt.

A beautiful, warm day on the Illinois River. After Foxhole, out for an hour with Dave & Jean Erwin, Norm Astwood, and Bobbi Knight.


The Erwins.


Bobbi Knight.

In the cool of the evening, we take a nice 90-minute ride with David & Inge Brown, during which we discover several areas of shallow water near the East Peoria Boat Club entrance.


David & Inge.

6/18/05 After a hot day on the river, a cool hour's evening cruise with Norman Astwood and Donna Kinne. Norm had spent the day on a variety of sail and power boats.


Norm Astwood.

On this cruise, Bonnie tried out new lanterns from The Pottery Barn.


Lanterns.

You are wondering what kind of fuel these lanterns use? Batteries, silly.

6/17/05 The propeller goes back on the boat, looking good. The new anti-singing edge is about 3/8" wide, and is on the suction side. Time will tell.


No singing, please.
6/14/05 I remove the propeller and take it to River City Marine Works, to have the "anti-singing edge" renewed.
6/12/05 A two-hour sunset cruise with Ron & Jean Slonneger, who are concluding 11 years and 13,000 miles of cruising southern and Chesapeake waters aboard their Island Packet, Cadenza.

The Slonnegers brought a lovely set of nautical signal flags for Electra, for which we say...


(Tango Hotel Alpha November Kilo Yankee Oscar Uniform)

6/10/05 TRC/BEC out for an after-supper hour with Kay Ziegler, Donna Kinne, Kevin Kinne & Ashley Enter. Ashley and Donna at the helm most of the way. Driven in by flashes of "heat" or "sheet" lightning."


Some kind of intracloud lightning.
6/9/05 Out for an hour to observe drive system sounds, with telephonic communication to David Brown at Elco.
6/8/05 I go out for an hour to study the squeal, but it refuses to happen. Working hypothesis: it only happens when guests are aboard.

Chuck Houghton of Elco has suggested two more possible causes: stuffing box too loose, or an obcure phenomenon called "singing propeller." I tighten the stuffing-box to reduce the intentional leakage to 3 drops a minute, and await further developments.

6/5/05 After a fine Foxhole, which included pork loins grilled and smoked by Ron Karcher, we went out for an hour in a fresh breeze with Bill Mitchener, Dave Erwin, and Beth & Larry Brethorst.

We are finding that Electra doesn't mind a chop, or the wake of another vessel, or the occasional seamount.

During this outing, the drive system squeal returned. I know that my friends at Elco follow this log, and will have further suggestions for dealing with this minor matter.


Bill Mitchener.

Dave Erwin.

Beth & Larry Brethorst. Larry appears to be looking for someplace to spit.
6/3/05
evening 		A pleasant hour's cruise with Sally & Breck Thomas, Cisty Davis & Hon. Justice Jim Heiple, Donna Kinne, and Betsy Jones. David Jones wanted to go, but had to stay home to practice the Ippolitov-Ivanov Sketches.

We found some shallow water near Rainbow Cove. As a service to other boaters, we stayed in the area for quite a while, dredging a new channel.


Cisty Davis.

Jim Heiple.
6/1/05
morning 		Out for half an hour to investigate the squeal. Chuck Houghton of Elco had suggested several possible causes (stuffing-box too tight, belts too tight, or motor fan rubbing on housing), and the third seems to be the right one, easily fixed.
5/30/05
evening 		A 90-minute sunset cruise with Alice & Ron Karcher, Arlen West, Donna Kinne, BEC & TRC. During Arlen's watch, Electra touched bottom for the first time. Arlen then took immediate and decisive action to jettison cargo, in order to reduce the boat's draft.

During this cruise, we heard a new sound from the drive system; a squeal at one particular speed. I know what you are thinking, but the squeal was heard before the grounding.

Alice docked the boat with a lot of skill (or a lot of luck).


Ron Karcher.

Alice Karcher.

Arlen West.

5/30/05
afternoon 		On this Memorial Day, an hour's spin with Blanche Hall, Jerry Anderson, Diane & Brad Pettet, Carolyn & Ken Coulter Black, Donna Kinne, and BEC/TRC (Electra is proud to inhabit the slip that used to house the Halls' Hankerin').


Photo by Sharon Robinson.


Diane Pettet.

Jerry Anderson.

Brad Pettet and Blanche Hall.
Back row: Ken Black and unidentified woman.
5/28/05 A very pleasant (but cold) hour's evening ride with Breck & Sally Thomas, David & Betsy Jones, George & Vicky Sales, and TRC & BEC.

Breck again put the boat into the slip with great skill, bringing his lifetime achievement to 2 in 6 attempts.


Dave & Betsy Jones.


George & Vicky Sales, demonstrating the Fireman's Carry.

5/25/05
evening 		An hour's postprandial cruise with Ken & Carolyn Coulter Black, Breck & Sally Thomas, Donna Kinne, TRC & BEC. David Jones, Esq., was to have joined us, but was unable to get permission.

At the end of the cruise, Breck put the boat in the slip like an arrow into a bullseye, obviously having learned from his many attempts on a previous evening.


Ken, asleep sitting up, and Carolyn.

5/25/05
morning 		After much soul-searching, I today drilled the first hole in the boat, to install an accessory power receptacle. After passing this emotional milestone, I was able to drill four more holes, for burgee mounting eyes.


The wrenching first hole.
Four more holes.
5/22/05 Out of slip for another lift adjustment. On the way back, IVY Club Manager Todd Ricca came along.
5/21/05 We go out for two hours with Donna Kinne, Donna's son Mike, Mike's wife Perla, and Perla's niece and nephew, Emily Medina & Jonathan Berman. Emily & Jonathan said they are Harvard students, so they were allowed to drive the boat. At Perla's insistence, they wore Personal Flotation Devices at all times, even in the restroom.


Perla, Mike, TRC, Jonathan, and Emily.
5/20/05
evening 		We dined with Kay Ziegler, Breck & Sally Thomas, and Donna Kinne, and invited them out for an hour's after-supper cruise.

Kay declined, because she doesn't care for boating, and prefers to go home and do housework.

It was really too cold for a boat ride, but Sally insisted on going out, as she can't get through the day without some boating.

We managed to sneak up on a duck resting on the water. This was due to the quiet operation of the boat, aided by the duck's preoccupation with a nearby duck.

At the end of the evening, Breck demonstrated several different ways for the boat to approach the slip.


Breck Thomas, BEC, TRC, and Sally Thomas.
5/20/05
morning 		Finished side extension on dock to provide a gangway to the boat.
5/15/05 More trials on and off the lift, to adjust lift.
5/13/05 In and out of slip a couple of times to re-position bunks on lift. Bill Nordsiek came along on one of these runs.
5/8/05
1:00 pm 		Short Mother's Day afternoon cruise with Ken & Carolyn Coulter-Black, Carolyn's parents, Harold & Harriet Coulter, TRC and BEC.
5/6/05
8:00 pm 		Hour cruise with Donna Kinne, Cindy Macmillan, Kevin Kinne & Ashley Enter, Kay Ziegler, and the Coxes.


Kevin Kinne and Ashley Enter.



Kay Ziegler.


Donna Kinne.

Cindy Kinne Macmillan.

Cindy brought a boat-warming gift: Electra cocktail napkins.


We also took advantage of the opportunity to admire Donna's gift: a wicker picnic basket.


5/4/05
10:00 am 		TRC in and out of slip a couple of times to adjust lift.

I also made minor changes to the programming of the E-meter and depth-sounder. The depth-sounder offset was set to -1.6 feet, so that readings will represent the full depth of the water. The E-meter display was set to remain on whenever significant current is being drawn from the battery. The E-meter's "discharge floor" was set to 50% (when the meter says we have 8 hours left, it now means 8 hours to get down to 50% charge). This last change was based on my intention to keep the battery above 50% charge, to make it last longer.

4/18/05
6:00 pm 		90-minute cruise with the Slonnegers and Coxes aboard. Jean polished the brass. Ron polished off some wine.


The polishing Slonnegers.


TRC & BEC.

4/18/05
2:00 pm 		Ron and TRC do some touch-and-goes to improve docking skills. Improvement is slight.
4/14/05
11:30 am 		The lift arrives by truck from dealer Tiger Waterfront Products in St. Louis, and is installed.
4/13/05
5:00 pm 		Bobbi & George Knight and Kristy & Norm Astwood brought a boat-warming gift: a bag full of very manly fenders and dock lines.


4/12/05
2:00 pm 		Brief (because it is cold) cruise with Kevin Kinne, Ron, Donna, and TRC aboard, accompanied by a bottle of Electra wine.
4/12/05
9:00 am 		National Marine launches Electra from her trailer. With Walter Fredricks, Ron Slonneger, Donna Kinne, and TRC aboard, we make a five-minute run to the Illinois Valley Yacht (IVY) Club, and put Electra in her slip. This is her new home, on the upper Peoria Lake of the Illinois River.
4/11/05
1:00 pm  		Electra arrives at National Marine in Peoria Heights, Illinois, on her trailer, brought by dealer principal Walter Fredericks, accompanied by former-Peorian Dave Logan.

With Ron Slonneger's help, we remove the shrink-wrapping and install the canopy.

March, 2005 We decided to name the boat Electra. When we chose this name, we weren't thinking of the Electra of Greek mythology. That Electra was not a warm, nurturing person. She was a daughter of Agamemnon, a general, and Clytemnestra. While Agamemnon was out of town, Clytemnestra dallied with a neighbor named Ægisthus, and together, they murdered Agamemnon, when he returned.

Daughter Electra then hounded her brother Orestes until he murdered his mother and her lover, Ægisthus. The story goes on from there, but it doesn't get a bit better.

While awaiting Electra's arrival, I resolved to keep a good log, and bought a handsome bound book of blank pages for the purpose. Later, I acknowledged that my handwriting is illegible, even to me, and decided to keep the log online. I also decided to include in this log a picture of every first-time passenger, in case I later find anything missing from the boat.

Also during this waiting period, I decided to berth Electra under a roof (to make the varnish last longer), and on a lift (to eliminate antifouling paint, and get the boat up to the level of the slip walkways, for easier boarding).

11/02/04 After visiting the Elco plant in Athens, NY, with CEO Chuck Houghton, we travelled to Chester, NY, to view an Elco boat at dealer Adirondack Boats. She was already put away for the winter.

We were told that her past history included construction in 2003, and a short ride on Schroon Lake (New York) in 2004.

The next day, we offered to buy the boat. She is 24 feet long, has a beam of 7' 2" and a draft of 2 feet.

Prolog After several boatless years, we (or one of us, at least) decided that our next boat should provide some of the better features of both sailboats and powerboats. This led us to consideration of electric boats, and eventually to the web sites of Elco (The Electric Launch Company) and two of Elco's dealers, Adirondack Boats and the Southeast & Northern Company.



Heading home.

Tom & Bonnie Cox

(We are referred to herein as TRC & BEC, and pictured in the log entry for 04/18/05)