C
Craig Taylor
Guest
I finally have a chance to give you all a run down on the big day. I
had to come back to work just for the rest. I had three and a half
weeks off and it was just insane. In that three weeks I put in a new
lawn, bought a boat, had new carpets installed, had about a dozen
friends and relative stay at the house, got the Amphicar swimming and
oh ya... I got married too. I was a busy beaver running people across
the lake. I never would have gotten it all done if I hadn't broke down
and bought a pontoon boat. My little 14 foot glasstron would have never
hauled everyone back and forth let alone got a 15' roll of carpet to
the house. Lets just say I was an absolute freak.
Don't get me
wrong. It was a blast. I had friends up for the wedding I hadn't seen
in a long time. My father-in-law, Dave, turns out to be a retired auto
mechanic. He has half a dozen project cars at home attends shows with
his 72 Mustang on a regular basis. We got along great. He loved the
Amphicar! I got him out to the storage unit with a tool box and my
Amphi and in one afternoon we had installed most all the bits and
pieces I had purchased this winter. We became fast friends to boot.
I was ready to test float her that night. Taking the advise from
several list members I plugged the bilge and turned on the hose. I
filled most of the bilge with water with no leaks. Last thing to check
was the ugly fiberglass patch under the battery. It leaked like a
sieve. :-( Well being two days before the wedding I decided against
using it to transport my new bride. It just wouldn't do to sink the car
on our wedding day. After the wedding we spent a few days in Talkeetna
for much needed rest. I had no idea how much work wedding really were.
I thought I'd done the hard part by getting down on one knee... Anyway
after getting back I snuck out with Dave and went at the fiberglass
patch with a tube of silicone. I had the fullest intentions of removing
the rear seat tying a rope to my old plow truck and backing in real
slow... Well maybe it was the beer or the crowd gathered at the ramp
but I just said the hell with it and drove right in. I had installed a
Jacubus pump and hoped it would keep me from looking like a fool.
It went great! I drove in made a few turns and drove back out. After
checking it out I started giving rides, and rides and more rides... I
went a little farther with each swim. By the end of the day my courage
way in full force or maybe the beer was by then... I decided to take a
real cruse and made my way all the way across the lake. it was a seven
mile trip to my house. I stay close to shore so it may have been a
little longer then that. I made a lot of stops on the way. People were
coming out on there docks and taking pictures. If they had a ramp that
looked good I just drove right out and said hi. It was a good excuse to
check out the car and have a beer or two to boot. The Bar where we
had our reception was on the way so of course I had to stop and give
rides to all the girls. It was a blast. I got the car home and tied
up to my dock. I actually left it there over night, I don't have a ramp
yet. I was a nervous wreak that night. Up and checking the car several
times. All was well in the morning with only a few inches of water in
the bilge. The silicon was holding... I got the car back to storage
that day and left for work a few days later. So there you have it. My
first swim...
Craig in Alaska
Red 66
had to come back to work just for the rest. I had three and a half
weeks off and it was just insane. In that three weeks I put in a new
lawn, bought a boat, had new carpets installed, had about a dozen
friends and relative stay at the house, got the Amphicar swimming and
oh ya... I got married too. I was a busy beaver running people across
the lake. I never would have gotten it all done if I hadn't broke down
and bought a pontoon boat. My little 14 foot glasstron would have never
hauled everyone back and forth let alone got a 15' roll of carpet to
the house. Lets just say I was an absolute freak.
Don't get mewrong. It was a blast. I had friends up for the wedding I hadn't seen
in a long time. My father-in-law, Dave, turns out to be a retired auto
mechanic. He has half a dozen project cars at home attends shows with
his 72 Mustang on a regular basis. We got along great. He loved the
Amphicar! I got him out to the storage unit with a tool box and my
Amphi and in one afternoon we had installed most all the bits and
pieces I had purchased this winter. We became fast friends to boot.
I was ready to test float her that night. Taking the advise from
several list members I plugged the bilge and turned on the hose. I
filled most of the bilge with water with no leaks. Last thing to check
was the ugly fiberglass patch under the battery. It leaked like a
sieve. :-( Well being two days before the wedding I decided against
using it to transport my new bride. It just wouldn't do to sink the car
on our wedding day. After the wedding we spent a few days in Talkeetna
for much needed rest. I had no idea how much work wedding really were.
I thought I'd done the hard part by getting down on one knee... Anyway
after getting back I snuck out with Dave and went at the fiberglass
patch with a tube of silicone. I had the fullest intentions of removing
the rear seat tying a rope to my old plow truck and backing in real
slow... Well maybe it was the beer or the crowd gathered at the ramp
but I just said the hell with it and drove right in. I had installed a
Jacubus pump and hoped it would keep me from looking like a fool.
It went great! I drove in made a few turns and drove back out. After
checking it out I started giving rides, and rides and more rides... I
went a little farther with each swim. By the end of the day my courage
way in full force or maybe the beer was by then... I decided to take a
real cruse and made my way all the way across the lake. it was a seven
mile trip to my house. I stay close to shore so it may have been a
little longer then that. I made a lot of stops on the way. People were
coming out on there docks and taking pictures. If they had a ramp that
looked good I just drove right out and said hi. It was a good excuse to
check out the car and have a beer or two to boot.
The Bar where wehad our reception was on the way so of course I had to stop and give
rides to all the girls.
It was a blast. I got the car home and tiedup to my dock. I actually left it there over night, I don't have a ramp
yet. I was a nervous wreak that night. Up and checking the car several
times. All was well in the morning with only a few inches of water in
the bilge. The silicon was holding... I got the car back to storage
that day and left for work a few days later. So there you have it. My
first swim...
Craig in Alaska
Red 66
