03/05 - 03/07 - Hontoon Island, Florida CBGT

Avidmagnum12

Avidmagnum12

Member
It's time again to make your plans to join fellow C-Brats at Hontoon Island State Park located on the magnificent St. John's River near Deland Florida.
2019's dates are from Tuesday March 5 thru Thursday March 7. But many cruise the river and its tributaries before and after the gathering.
If you have attended in the past you know we have some day trips, some C-Dory seminars, evening potluck meals, great fellowship around the campfire, Colby S'mores, Lee's ice cream, Clow's fund raiser auction and much more.

More information to come later.....

moderator please set up event signup and album...Thanks


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-TyBoo
 
The Thataway Crew (Bob, Marie and Angel) will be there a few days early and stay a few weeks later for one best gathering on the C Brat planet.
 
Unless I'm frozen in, in the Midwest, Rosanne and I will be there. Don't have our exact dates planned out yet, but suspect we will arrive to launch in the area Sunday, and then stick around at least a week or longer after the gathering.

Also, while not absolutely sure yet, I may have a Solas Rubex 4 Blade Aluminum 13.25" dia. X 13" pitch SR prop for the auction, along with my old AIS. It is a Chinese unit and a very simple GPS chart plotter at that, with the AIS transponder. It mostly worked good for me. Except this past fall at Lake Powell, for whatever reason it would not "fix" itself, even though it showed sufficient satellite coverage. But then back at home in the midwest working fine again. My MMSI number has been cleared, and simple process to input your own. (I have a new smaller Simtex unit. It appears to work good, so Tom should still be able to keep track of me!)

As always, looking forward to my first boating adventure of the new year/season and seeing old friends! Colby
 
Unless we're frozen in, in a Biscayne Bay FL area adventure, Eileen and I will be there (so, same two 255's as last year, huh? Maybe 3, if BTDT finally shows up).
Always a hoot!
Colby, 81 degrees and sunny today.
Why not make your 'first' boating adventure of the new year/season 6 weeks in Key West at Stock Island Marina with us in 2 weeks?
Cheers!
 
Why not make your 'first' boating adventure of the new year/season 6 weeks in Key West at Stock Island Marina with us in 2 weeks?
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If you only knew how tempting that is to me! :D If I could just get my wife to retire early! In the low 60's a few of the past days, but cooling off to highs in the low 30's by weekend... Colby
 
We’ve attended quite a few C-brat gathering across the country but for us the Hontoon Island gathering last year was by far the best. You need to come early and attend the pre-tour and post tour of all the back channels and see the huge variety of birds, ‘gaters, manatees and blue springs. Without a guide it would take years to find it on your own.

Unfortunately, we can’t make it this year, Penny just had Hip Replacement surgery. She limped around last year with a knee problem that turned out to be a hip problem. She is really agile with her “walker” but that’s not a good bet on board a boat. Oh well, there is always 2020.

Chuck
 
gulfcoast john":13xcdk1s said:
Eileen and I will be there (so, same two 255's as last year, huh? Maybe 3, if BTDT finally shows up).
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I'm planning on being there but not signing up, as every time I do, I seem to end up in the hospital losing or replacing body parts.

I've discussed my plan with avidmagnum…… and hope to see y'all there ;-)
 
Wow ....lots of early interest.

Please be sure to sign up on the C-brat web site and also on this link

https://form.jotform.com/60634279765163

(John and Vickie can ignore this.....we don’t want to “Jinx” you. 🍀)

New park manager this year but all is well. For those like Chuck that can’t make it this year plan for 2020.

More later......Tom
 
As now Wendy and I will be there by car but without the boat. Looking forward to good friends and great times.

Larry K
The Odyssey
 
Having joined this forum last year and looked hard for an Angler 22 with no luck I bought an Atlas Pompano 23. Tom said all boat owners who subscribe to the C-Dory philosophy, and I certainly do, are welcome at Hontoon. So I will be there.

Below is a pic of the boat. It is similar to the C-Dory but it has a shallow full keel. It is a downeaster style boat that has been adapted to an outboard with the addition of the motor mount bustle.

Looking forward to seeing y'all at Hontoon.

David

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2015%20P23%20on%20trailer.png
 
Hi Brats!

Marcia and I are in, too! We’ll arrive 2-3 days early and probably stay about a week after.

Also, Marcia is retiring on 2/1, so this will be our first big retirement excursion. Heading to the Keys for a month or so after that.

Nick
“Valkyrie II”
C-Dory 25
 
Here's a tentative. Having just been pushed into the no longer employed crowd, Wendy and I are thinking we can make this. However, there are a couple challenges: a) we are in Michigan, the land of lovely winters; and b) the boat is shrink wrapped, and put away for the winter. Provided we can get Toots back in cruising order, and the weather cooperates, I think we can make it.

This would be our first CBGT and a fine kick off to our next phase in life.

Bruce
 
Bruce, there are several of us here in the Midwest facing the same issue. (Except I and I don't think the others shrink wrap.) I always pray for some above freezing clear weather a few days before we plan to trailer out so I can pull the boat out of the back yard and run the engine on the muffs. (I'd hate to tow it 1400 miles to find out it won't run...) Most any food items and such that can't freeze, I don't load in the boat until we get to warmer weather. This would include not filling the water tank until we get south. I also drain it again before heading north. The next big area of concern, is what weather we will face along the way. I have no desire to travel or tow in snow and ice. However, we usually plan to arrive early, so we do have some leeway with our departure date. Same with coming back home. Fortunately, I have had the necessary weather to make the gathering the past 3 years, and plan to again this coming year. I have dodged tornadoes on the way down, and been in snow squalls on the way home though. (Two years ago.)
In any case, I believe this gathering is worth the effort to get there. And I'm more than ready to find some warm weather with the boat come early March! :mrgreen: Colby
 
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