Chapter 8: A Month to Remember

"Boats are females, Del. You know that. The name makes sense and I like it," I said strongly, hoping to put an end to the discussion.

"I give up. Go ahead and do what you want," she said, resigned.

"Good, it's decided then. Del's Choice it is," I announced, trying not to sound triumphant.

I glanced toward Ardele and saw that she wasn't pouting or looking unhappy, so I decided I had achieved what I wanted. My argument had been that she had found the boat, organized the transfer and engine installation, and been totally involved choosing the interior fitments and décor. It really was her choice as much as mine. I just happened to agree with much of what she did. I wasn't sure, but I suspected she was very proud of my support.

Our love life was wonderful. As our moods shifted, so did our lovemaking. There were times when it was slow and soulful, others when it was fun and rambunctious, and other times when it was wild and crazy. We seldom went more than a couple of days without having sex, and often that was because of Del's monthly visitor or we had been so aggressive that she was sore and needed a day or so to recover.

I'd made up my mind that I wanted to make this permanent, but I hadn't quite decided how to broach the subject. On my own, I had been looking at rings and when I found one I knew was just exactly what I wanted, I bought it and stashed it away until the time was right.

The completion of the work on the boat was a little behind schedule, but it would still be done in early December. We agreed we would enter the Parade of Carol Ships this year and I notified the organizers of our intention and the dates we would be participating. We decided not to charter this year since we hadn't had our sea trials yet and didn't want a problem to crop up that would force us to cancel on our clients.

The finishing touch on Del's Choice was the lettering on the transom and some minor interior and exterior painting. I had installed some propane heaters in the boat shed to allow the work to be done in the otherwise cold, damp air of the harbour. When we pulled the boat out to view it in its final form, I was smiling from ear to ear. It looked terrific and Del was taking pictures from every angle.

"So, there we are," I said to her. "We're back on the water. Hell, we're back in business. What a great day!"

She hugged me to her and nodded, herself a picture of happiness at the product of our efforts.

"Baldur will be along for sea trials," I said. "Said he wouldn't miss that."

"What about Tom Thompson? Is he coming too?" she asked.

"I should have thought of that," I said, angry with myself for forgetting my friend. I pulled my cell out of my pocket and punched in his number.

"Tom, It's Pat. Sea trials are tomorrow. Can you make it?"

"Of course. What time?"

"Ten o'clock to about one or two, depending on weather."

"Perfect. See you then. I'm anxious to see the finished boat."

"I think you'll be impressed with it. Del's done a hell of a job with the interior."

"I'm sure she did. See you tomorrow."

I ended the call and nodded to Del. "He'll be there."

"Should we get some food for lunch?" she asked.

"Good idea. A couple of those trays they sell at the deli counter would be perfect. We can graze as we sail."

Tuesday morning dawned with some overcast, but signs of blue sky to the north and west. Better still, little wind. The temperature might make eight or ten degrees by early afternoon, but not more. We would need to dress for a chilly three or four hours.

Baldur arrived early, almost twenty minutes before departure.

"You're early. Would you like some coffee?" I asked.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure about the traffic and I didn't want to be late. I'm very interested in your new boat. The last time I saw it in Astoria, I saw promise, so I want to see what you have accomplished in the last three months."

"Come aboard and Del will show you what we've done."

Del welcomed Baldur with a hug and then stepped back as he looked around the refurbished cabin. He paid particular attention to the galley and staterooms, nodding his approval with each step. Then he spent a few minutes in the engine room, checking the new Volvo power and gensets.

"It looks very good, Ardele. You must be very proud of your accomplishment."

"Thank you, Baldur. I'm happy with it. We'll be spending a lot of time on this boat, so I wanted it to be just right."

Baldur nodded and showed his approval with his smile. I poured his coffee, waiting for Tom to show up. I was sure he would be on time. That was his habit and he was predictable.

"Mornin' everyone," Tom said, stepping aboard. "Hello, Baldur. Good to see you again. Ah, coffee. Just what I need."

"Help yourself, Tom. Have a look around. I'll get the engines warmed up, then we'll head out."

I had been practicing for a few days on getting used to the throttles and rudder response, but I had yet to use the bow thruster. Both Tom and Baldur had experience with that device and I decided I needed a tutorial before I played with it. For now, I would use my cautious skills to get us away from the dock and into the harbour.

The command bridge had both side and back curtains as well as a heater, so I decided to work from there to begin with since it gave me better visibility. I carefully powered aft from the shed into the narrow slipway before putting the transmissions into drive. Slowly we motored out of the marina.

The engines had been dynamometer tested and were showing their expected 330 horsepower and plenty of torque to turn the big bronze props. The trim tabs were at zero degree pitch to begin with and I soon found I wanted some lift in the aft section and moved the tabs fifteen degrees to measure the effect. Immediately the engines sounded less laboured and I shifted the revs up to bring the boat to its cruise setting.

Tom was watching the gauges and noticed that the starboard engine was running at 100 rpm less than the port. I dropped the port engine back to match and found the wheel was free from pull. It was going to take some experimenting to find the ideal settings. I could tell right from the start that this boat felt more lively than Captain's Choice and handled much more nimbly. Whether it was the fibreglass hull or the weight distribution or something else entirely, it just felt lighter and quicker.

I handed the boat over to Baldur and he began to put it through its paces. Nothing extreme, mind you, but I could see he was enjoying himself. After fifteen minutes of fun, he handed it over to Tom for his turn. After Tom, Ardele took over and I could tell by the look on her face that she was in love with this craft. It was so completely different from my previous boat that it didn't bear comparison.

We had left the aft curtain open and the bridge was still warm enough with the heater on. There was a light chop on English Bay and that seemed to be exactly what this boat wanted. It rode through the small waves without pounding or bucking. At thirty metric tonnes, I didn't expect any. As our trial continued, I knew I had the boat I wanted. This was exactly what I imagined and more. I could tell that Del felt the same way.

We rounded the corner at Point Atkinson and hooked back into Horseshoe Bay for lunch. Aside from the ferry traffic, it was quiet in the bay. December wasn't much of a month for boating other than a few hardy fishermen and the odd sailor. The snack trays were soon emptied as we chatted about Del's Choice and compared notes, searching for any shortfall to address.

"Very stable," Baldur said. "Handles very well for a boat of this size. Before we leave, you should get some experience with the bow thrusters. They are very helpful, but require practice to use them effectively."

"I agree," Tom chimed in. "I'm a sail type guy myself, but compared to our previous experience together, this boat is more responsive, Pat. The engines don't seem to be working hard to maintain cruise at 1800 rpm. I made it to between twelve and fourteen knots by my reckoning."

"That's better than we expected," Ardele said. "It will be interesting to see what the fuel consumption is. The tanks were full when we left, so we can top them up and see what we used. The Hobbs meter is logging the engine hours."

Baldur nodded. "Good. Pat, have you checked all the electronics?"

"Yes," I said. "All tested and working fine. Radar, sonar, GPS, and VHS radios. The collision avoidance system and sounder were tested as we moved out into English Bay and then again when we came in here. Everything seems right on the money."

"Noise level was good," Tom said, "considering it's a stink pot."

The got a laugh from all of us. Sailors always bragged about how quiet their boats were.

Ardele had turned on the stereo system and had some soft rock station playing in the background. She came and sat beside me, her arm wrapped inside mine.

"Happy?" she whispered.

"Very," I replied, kissing her cheek.

"Me too."

"When are you two love birds going to tie the knot?" Tom asked brashly.

I wasn't ready for that question and Ardele's reaction said she wasn't either.