Almost 25 years ago Tracy and I were joined in marriage. It's hard to believe it's been that long and a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
With the recent engagement of our son Matt to his future bride Carly, we were reminded of how special it is to find the person God has prepared for you and to make a life together.
We have experienced the joy of watching our daughter and son-in-law find the same happiness and fulfillment of a happy marriage.
Our union was the culmination of an unconventional beginning but with the love and support of our families it turned out to be the perfect event at just the right time.
I always hoped that as Tracy and I got older, we would find more ways to spend time together and develop interests in things that we could share. Little did I know that somehow it would turn out to be camping in a travel trailer, boating and fishing that we both enjoyed!
When we first started talking about a special way to celebrate our 25th anniversary we thought about the usual things - a trip to an exotic location, a cruise, or some other special get away.
In the final analysis neither one of us was really all that interested in anything beyond spending the time in Matagorda. We hatched a new idea - "Let's buy a small boat and expand our ability to explore the Middle Texas Coast". So the idea for the Second Honeymoon was born.
After some weeks of research and a couple of false starts the dream has become a reality. Here are the pictures to prove it:
We have the lettering ordered. This is a Carolina Skiff J16 with an Evinrude 40 hp outboard.
The center console with a GPS / Sonar combo and a small compass I added.
The power plant has an integral oil reservoir and fuel injection. With no break in and no scheduled maintenance for 3 years, this engine is fuel efficient, has the lowest emissions of any 2-stroke, and the best weight to hp ratio of any engine in its class. (besides that it was on sale!)
The 18 gallon fuel tank is under the console. No oil mixing required.
There are two dry hatches under the bow casting platform.
This view from the bow shows the passenger seat in the front of the console and some rod holders we added. The driver seat is a 70 quart ice chest with a seat cushion and a flip flop back rest so you can face forward for driving and backwards for fishing off the stern.
This shot shows the aerated live well in the rear deck and the battery under the deck.
Here you can see the casting deck, the bow rail, and the socket for the bow running lights.
The live well is fed by a pump in the bilge area and has a valve to adjust the flow.
Matagorda may not be all that exotic to some people and a small boat driven by a novice captain may not be your idea of a cruise but for us it is the perfect event at just the right time in our life.
To all who may read this - May God bless your marriage as you seek His blessings.
"Bobby" Grilling
13 years ago