My last voyage as owner of Cecelia

 A voyage doesn't have to be at sea. It can be a long journey (you can look it up) and this last voyage was very long  (1200 miles). 

Readers may recall Cecelia was named for " ...shakin my confidence daily..."  Cecelia stayed true  to the very end. I got her all ready for our last voyage together by mostly filling her with items that were making a one way trip to Texas. Yes, my boat became a wedge shaped UHaul!

Loaded and ready to go with new tires, a repaired hitch and one less motor I thought I was well prepared, but Cecelia always tests me. 

Scott flew in from San Antonio and we left early Saturday morning. Less than a mile south of Springfield IL, a semi immediately in front of us exploded an outside tire. The sound was defending and we were showered with flying chunks of rubber. We stopped but saw no apparent damage to my truck or the old girl. This wasn't Cecilia's fault or was it??

When we stopped for gas I noticed the license plate was nearly broken off. The support plate behind it was shattered. Cecelia has shed multiple license plates in the lake but never tried to rip one off on dry land. 

Day 2 started ok, until south of Dallas Scott noticed Cecelia's cover was ballooning up like it was taking off. We discovered she had ripped a hole in the cover. We had to buy some duct tape to make a temporary patch. Scott also doubled all the bungees holding the cover to keep it from reinflating.

We finally made it to San Antonio to her next (hopefully not final) resting place.  It took multiple tries but we finally got her in the spot Scott cleared for her. I handed him the paperwork which officially ends my ownership.

Now that she is a Texan maybe she will get a new name. Let's hope so because old Cecelia still leaks!

Cecilia

 "Cecilia you're breaking my heart , you're shaking my confidence daily"

I have owned my boat for 22 years and never named her until now. I told my buddy, Paul, on a recent trip I needed to give her this name. The opening of the song accurately describes my relationship with her.

 From her initial voyage with Scott and me when she almost sank because I failed to put the plug in she has shaken my confidence. The photo above was taken that August 2, 2003 morning. The photo shows  she still had the advertisement for Paul  (not my buddy Paul) Center for guiding and custom rods. I have a fishing rod that he made for me and have been on several fishing trips with him. Both sides of the stern of Cecilia still say "Angling Adventures".  

Cecilia today looks a little different. In 2003 there were no scratches or dents and she didn't leak. There was a different trolling motor, no spare wheel and tire, a different winch, trailer tongue, different depth finder, fewer seats, no 9.9 hp motor, and different trailer lights. There were no tie up ropes, carpet stains or anchor. The live well didn't fill with water until I turned on the pump. Now the intake is plugged to keep unwanted water out.

Cecilia also didn't have any memories on that August Saturday, but she was about to create many. 

On August 2, 2003, neither Scott or Sarah were married. I didn't have granddaughters who would come to spend time with me and Cecilia,

Cecilia has given us trophies too numerous to mention.

and many times she saw us get skunked. 

As I scan these photos of time spent with family and friends in Cecelia, I am sad to see her go. She has given me multiple memories that start with a smile.

It's time for my son to continue on with her and make more memories...if he gets her leaks fixed!