As Barefoot's Boatswain, Chris McBride keeps the club's pontoon boat "Favored End" in good working order.  Here are the latest updates:

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2024

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March/April

• Chris and Bill installed the new deck box, put the boat back in the water, and returned the trailer. 

• Favored End is parked at Bill Anchor’s dock. Debbie has primed and painted the
  decking with battleship gray, and Bill has built a new box/cover for the stern covering the
  engine, battery and gas tank.

• Bill Bond and Jack Schoer conducted a search for a new console, but did not find anything that was in better condition than the existing one. Bill mentioned that the console cleaned up pretty nice and we will need to see whether the new gauges will fit the existing holes. If not, some modification may be needed.

• Accessories for the new engine are being spec’d out and the package (engine plus accessories) will be ordered together ASAP to get FE operational again.

• At the board meeting on April 9th, the board discussed a request to add some color to FE, either using blue or red from our club colors. After some discussion, we decided to paint the deck boxes, engine cover and console a Royal Blue, while leaving the deck the battleship gray.

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February

• 25th: In this evening's Membership Social/Meeting, CapX ependiture of roughly $10k was approved for purchasing a new Yamaha 90 HP F90XB engine for FE. Look for details of a work day to be posted.

• ~22nd+: Bill Anchors removed rotted wood from the back of FE. Sanded and painted deck where the new box will go.

• 8th: Favored End was pulled out on trailer this morning by Slade Marine. The pontoons will be pressure tested and steering evaluated to determine if the pontoon can support a larger motor. Bill Anchors has volunteered to store FE at his home during the repairs. 

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2023

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October

• 14th: Favored End suffered an engine fire while in service of the BFO. Fortunately, no injuries.

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August

• 12th: Chris replaced both batteries.

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April

• 23rd: Favored End was used as the Race Committee (RC) platform for Spring Race #3.  Thank you to Jeff Elam, Linda Webster, Orla McCormack and Chico Wojna for serving on RC.

• 22nd: David Bryant drove Favored End w/RC chase crew in the JHM Regatta. FE was refueled afterwards.

• 21st: Tom Beachem prepped Favored End for it's next day role as RC chase boat in the JHM Regatta.

• 15th: Chris McBride and Jeff Elam participated in the Favored End Clean-up Morning.

• Plan in place to get a new deck box assembled.

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March​

• 11th: Favored End was used as the platform for our Blessing of the Fleet ceremony before the first race of the Spring Series. Many thanks to officiants Sheri and Hugh Smith along with photo/videographers Angela and Scott Williams.

• 4th: Favored End was used as platform for RC Training class.
   

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2022

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December​

• Favored End fuel/start-up check. Tank is 3/4 full and after a slow start due to cold, confirmed engine is running fine.

October

• 8th - 9th: Favored End was heavily used as a mark boat in the 48th Barefoot Open. Race Committee volunteers manning FE included:  Chris McBride, Pete Maurer, Jon Rodriguez and Thom Unger.  Additionally, Jack and Lisa Schoer's pontoon was a second mark boat. And Frank Taylor's S/V Bear's Den served well (yet again) as the race committee platform for the PHRF closed course.  Many thanks to the volunteers.

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May

• 22nd: Favored End will be used by the Race Committee for the Joan Holcomb Memorial Women Skippers Regatta.

April

• 10th: Favored End made it's 2022 debut as the photography platform in the Around (Lake Lanier) Alone race.  The day before the race, Favored End was taken out to verify a couple of marks and then had its 20 gallon fuel tank topped off.
  
   

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2021

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October

• For this year's Barefoot Open, race committee members Chris McBride (Boatswain) and Peter Maurer (2018-2019 Commodore) were on the lake (way too) early both Saturday and Sunday, setting up race marks in Flowery Branch Bay for the closed courses. Guys, your early mornings and hard work were much appreciated!

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September

• Favored End hauled Barefoot volunteers and trash for the September 25th LLA Shore Sweep.

• Favored End was used September 11th in an advance effort for Lake Lanier Association's annual Shore Sweep. Favored End easily towed 3 large and heavy dock floats to Shady Grove Campground, an advance pickup site. Several bags of trash and recycling were also hauled away. The plan is for us to again use Favored End for Shore Sweep day, September 25th, 2021.

• Fuel was topped off afterwards to be ready for the next haul.

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July

• Favored End was used by First Saturday Cruise participants to raft up and watch University Yacht Club's Independence Eve fireworks show. Many thanks to Norman and Lee for taking her out with 5 crew. FE was also fueled up for the outing.
   

June

• Replaced the fuel gauge and sending unit. (Chris dryly added "The wiring, unaccountably, is fine.")

May​

• Favored End was used by Race Committee for the Joan Holcomb Memorial Women Skippers Race.

 

April​

• Installed a solar panel w/feed to the batteries to keep them consistently charged.

• Load tested the batteries, replaced one.

• Rechecked connectors throughout the system for short circuits.

• Replaced the anemic 5 watt panel with a 15 watt panel as it had before.

• Still need to get the gas gauge working. Next on my list.

• Favored End was used (and fuel topped off) by Race Committee for the Around Alone Race.

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January

• Favored End was used by Race Committee for the Dean Holcomb Poker Run.

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{As needed}

• Favored End checked for needed maintenance.

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2020

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December

• Main power switch works fine and the batteries are good and charged.

• Radio is working again having fixed ground line.

• Dock lines need replacing in 2021.

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October

Favored End was used by Race Committee for the 46th Annual Barefoot Open Regatta. Replaced anchor lost during the BFO (well, it was in duty of a good cause!).  Many thanks to Peter Maurer and Jack Schoer for providing the replacement anchor, chain and rode. The replacements are much appreciated!

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2019

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October

Favored End was used by Race Committee for the 45th Annual Barefoot Open Regatta and the 10th Annual Joan Holcomb Memorial Women Skippers Race.

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September

Favored End was used to haul away abandoned tires off of the shoreline for Lake Lanier Association's annual Shore Sweep.

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June

Thanks to all of the hearty souls* that came out to help repaint the deck of Favored End:  Chris McBride, Tom McBride (son), David Bryant, Gillespie Kirkland, Peter Maurer, Joyce McIntosh, Jack Schoer, and Ron Spiers.

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