Pier (part two)

Since we bought the boat (exactly one week now), we had a pressing need to finish the pier. We put out three sections a couple weeks ago, but they were not strong enough to keep a boat secure. I assembled frams for three sections, and used one frame as the the first section in the water.

I had to install the decking and notch the pier sections so they would line up on the posts. I took most of the measurements from the sections of the pier that we are replacing.




Once the two sections were complete, we hauled them to the waterline (we used the truck, because the treated lumber was heavy) and replaced the outer two sections. We decided to put in a fourth section, and reused one of the older sections as the last. So, the section closest to the shore is a new frame with old decking. The next two sections are new frames and decking, and the last section is the old style.




Next week, I will take the new decking down to the pier and replace the decking lumber on the first section. We may or may not, wait until next year to replace the fourth and build a fifth section. We will also used a stain or dye to provide additional protection to the treated lumber.

Is It Ever Easy?

I made a trip to the License Branch this morning. I need to register and title the boat and trailer. I did some research last night, and brought everything that I thought I needed, but I was wrong.

The process for the boat was fairly easy. I had the original title that had been signed over to me, I had the right numbers filled in on the forms, I verified my address and flashed my Drivers License, and I had my watercraft stickers. So far, so good.

The trailer was a different story. I am the third owner of this boat and trailer. Obviously, I bought it from the second owner. The couple I bought it from have never titled the trailer, so they gave me a Bill of Sale. This is where the problem starts.

When the trailer was new (1984), Indiana did not require plates on trailers. When the trailer was sold to owner #2 (1986), Indiana required plates and titles. Owner #2 should have titled the trailer at the time of purchase. Here it is 23 years later, and I cannot title the trailer. The BMV cannot prove that the trailer was legally sold to owner #2 from owner #1.

My job now is to contact owner #1 and have him title the trailer in his name and then sign it over to me, as if he sold it to me. Another option is to have him fill out a Bill of Sale that would allow me to prove that he sold it. Luckily, his name is relatively uncommon. I would be in some real trouble if he was a Smith.

Update...

I found the original owner. The internet is great. He responded to my voicemail message with a voicemail message of his own. I called him back about 30 minutes ago, and spoke to him. I explained who I was, and what I was doing. I tried to express my desire to complete this task as quick and painless as possible. I was met with his desire to have nothing to do with the process. If I cannot persuade him to sign the papers and title the trailer that he hasn't owned in 25 years, I will have to go to Small Claims Court and seek a Court Order that would allow the BMV to grant my title.

We got a Boat

This weekend, we took the next step to becomming "Official Lake People"; We bought a boat. We got a 1984 Rinker Open Bow. I picked it up on Sunday afternoon and parked it under the carport. We hope to have it in the water this weekend. I will take better pictures once it is out in the open.

Again With The Trim

On May 19, 2008, I posted that we were finishing up with the trim around the windows and doors. I feel the need to clarify to you that the project made great strides, but did not get completed. I am sorry to have led you to believe that we checked another item off of the "little things" list. We have been working on the trim on and off again for some time.

The issue at hand is that with the elimination of the fiber board behind the drywall, and the addition of the dividing wall in the front bedroom, we do not have enough trim to complete the project. We found some ceiling trim that was very close and decided to make it work. The floor trim will be a close call. We are planning a storage rack/ bookcase behind a door, and that will free up some material. Hopefully in the next week or two, this one will come off the to do list for good.

Fitting in with our Piers

2009 marks the third summer that we have owned the Project Cottage. It is also the third summer that we have not installed a pier. It has never been a major source of concern, since we have been working on the house. We have access to our neighbors pier and have taken advantage of that access. While we have enjoyed the neighbor's pier, we have been feeling like we should put in our own. It would be one more step to becoming "Official Lake People".


The cottage came with three sections of pier. The sections were in pretty bad shape. I have been told by the neighbors, that the previous owners had not installed it for at least 6 years. The stringers were rotten on two of the sections, and the decking was weak and in some places, it was missing. If we were going to install the pier, it was going to take a construction project to do it properly.


I rebuilt the framed section of the first section (12 feet) and reapplied the original decking. I used short screws, so I could remove them easier when I added the new decking. We used the other two sections with plans of replacing them with new units in the near future. In the mean time, the pier provides us with an area of our own.

Trust me, it looks a lot better the darker it gets.

Porch Light

Every time we enter the cottage, we walk past the porch light. It hangs there, dirty and rusty, reminding us of the neglect that it has witnessed. I decided that this was the weekend to repair or replace that light.







I shut off the power and removed the fixture. I capped and taped the wires so I could turn the power back on. It didn't take much time to disassemble the light. I sanded the pieces, removing all of the dirt and rust. Once I had the metal sanded and clean, I was ready for the paint. We chose to paint the fixture black and pewter. The pewter is the color for most of the visible sections, and the black was for the "shadow" areas.

Rock and Roll

In an effort to control the amount of water that pools in the front of the house, we felt the need to raise the level of the flower beds. In order to raise the level, we needed to use something to hold in the additional material. We decided to use Indiana field stones. The best part about using Indiana field stones, is that they are readily available, and typically free. Oftentimes, you can find large piles of stones in the corner of crop land. I would encourage you to ask permission before removing the rocks.







I gathered about 75 stones and transported them to the cottage. My "source" is on the route from my house to the cottage, so it was pretty convenient. I dry fit the stones, by placing them on the edge of the sidewalk. It would have been just as easy to place them in their final resting position, but I wanted CMV to make the final call. If she wasn't happy with the look, they would not last very long.


Once the stones got the nod of approval, we moved them to the edge of the bed. The flower beds were ready for some additional dirt and mulch. Some flowers might not hurt either.

Gutters

I finally got around to re-hanging the gutters. The gutters had been removed when we put on the new roof. I wanted to install fascia boards and then rehang the gutters. I also wanted to re-route the water flow.

All of the water from the front of the house was routed to the drainage tile in the back of the house. When that tile clogged, the water backed up until it started to flow to the front tile. The logical step was to drain the front of the house to the front drainage tile, and the back of the house to the back tile. This should help even out the drainage and eliminate the pooling of water towards the back of the house.

Spring Time Means Only One Thing

Yep, It is spring time, the season of rebirth. Where life blooms from the dead of winter. Here at the cottage, it is easy to see the signs of Spring. The birds are out singing, the ice has melted off the water, the grass is starting to turn green, and the holding tank needs to be cleaned. I hope the sewers are really only a few years away.

The Benefits of Winterization

Our place does not have heat, so every winter we are required to turn off the water supply, drain the lines and winterize the systems. In theory, this is a simply task. The application of the theory has not been so easy this year.

We arrived at the cottage and found the pump cracked from freezing. This means that I did not get all of the water drained, and the freezing temperatures cracked the head. We also discovered that the shower cartridge was also a victim of the temperatures. Both of these issues are a result of improper winterization. I did not get the line blown out completely, and I paid the price.