The Afton

13/09/2021

First time out in a looooong time today. Great crossing paths with our old friend Mitlite.

27/04/2019

The hull was fully repainted five years ago, and it has held up generally well. Still.. it's a wood boat. Wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity, and all that expanding/contracting is tough on paint. Little cracks develop, especially in the seams between boards. Those cracks let in moisture, which leads to bubbles and flakes. The effect is much worse at the stern, which is the end exposed to the most sun in our slip. So although we don't have budget this year for a full repaint, we're getting some extensive touch ups to the areas hit worst, and caulking up all those little cracks. It should get us through another few years until it's time for a full paint job again.

While paint and varnish are very visible, and make the boat pretty, there's one thing we're doing this year under the hood that's not visible or pretty - but very important. The GPS and depth sounder were 16 years old and starting to fail. Imagine trying to use the computer or cell phone you had 16 years ago. The GPS unit is so old we can no longer update its charts - truly a safety issue when in unfamiliar waters. And the depth sounder was starting to show signs of failing as well. Removing the sonar transducer however leaves a 2" hole in the bottom of the hull - so it can only be done when out of the water. So... out with the old, and the new transducer went in today. The new Garmin GPS unit will come later - but it can be installed after the boat is back afloat. We should get many years of service out of this important upgrade.

26/04/2019

In addition to paint touch up, the Afton's transom is also getting some love this week. The slip where Afton is parked faces west, and we park her nose-in, so the transom really bakes in the summer sun. The elements have not been kind to the lettering we put on five years ago and it was peeling off. We've removed it completely - which revealed just how much the wood itself has bleached in the sun over five years. Where the lettering was removed the wood is still that deep red of new mahogany. The rest has bleached out to a rich gold. We've been building up varnish on the transom and new lettering will go on top of that Monday. Then more coats on top of the lettering. Coming soon... a canvas cover for the transom!

26/04/2019

What a difference a day makes. First coat of bottom paint is on, and already looking so much better.

24/04/2019

On the hard for bottom paint and some other touch ups.

11/04/2019

09/08/2018

We received the very sad news yesterday that Mary Granger has passed at the age of 102. When we first bought Afton in 2013 we knew nothing of her history. Then we found an old USCG registration document on board (literally under a pile of rusty fishing tackle), which said the boat had been built in 1935 by Neil Banks in North Bend, OR. One Google search and a few phone calls led us to a little maritime history museum in North Bend, and they in turn put us in touch with Mary. Neil Banks was her uncle. At 98 she was still sharp as a tack, and told us she had pictures of the boat. She invited us down to meet her and see what she had. It was a most remarkable connection. All of the pictures we have from the 1930's came from Mary. Her son and daughter came to Seattle for the rechristening party in 2014 when we changed the name back. She was an amazing woman. Fair winds and following seas to you Mary.

Obituary for Mary Margaret Granger | A memorial Mass for Mary Margaret Banks Granger, 102, of North Bend will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Aug. 13 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 2250 16th St. in North Bend, with Father Henry Rufo presiding. Private interment was held at Sunset Memorial Pa...