Ericsons gain weight the age, like me.
So it's bottom paint up the boot for both of us.
I bought my E32 brand new in ‘73. Living in Miami, the waves from passing boats dirtied and fowled the white strip constantly. On her first haul out and doing my own work (with many then budgeting constraints) I raised the stripe and bottom paint up myself....
And NOW, the REST OF THE STORY!
...Funniest and most memorable part back then was the yard I was in. It was a WAY UP the Miami River yard (Poland’s Marina) that was more a junkyard and akin to a Pirate’s Den of questionable dressed and cigar chomping characters! (By enlarge, they were good down to earth TRUE salt water seasoned sailors as I got know and was actually privileged to interact with!)
...One of them, passing by our boat, ...a rag tagged dressed guy chewing a short cigar in his mouth and can of open paint in hand not to mention beat up worn out old sea captain’s hat at a loose angle on his head, smiled at me and said, “Raising the POT LINE Ehh???!!”
????...Apparently, back then, commercial boats and more were changing their waterlines to reflect and then hide heavier loads of illegal drugs and all!!!
It was indeed a truly interesting and educational few days in that long since forgotten and now sadly lost family owned boatyard! ...I often reflect back on those days of their many wooden boats begging for repair, the distinctive smells of their salt water soaked wood and my imaginary tales they secretly withheld, and not to mention the few incredible individuals I got to meet and interact with as true pieces of the Miami River boating community and history!
Raising my “Pot Line” certainly resolved my dirty waterline issues over these many years, but said memories are much more enduring than my clean white stripe!
Fair Winds and hopefully EQUALLY GREAT MEMORIES to all!!!! ...ARGHHH!!!