The B*tch is gone. Long live The B*tch

When we first bought Nymeria, we also bought another boat. It was an 8’6″ inflatable dinghy with a 4hp outboard. We got it used from our friend to use as our “car” on the water. We didn’t know what we were looking for in a dinghy so with this being really cheap, and since it was fully inflatable and could fold up and stored in a bag so we though it was a great start.

For the first few months we had it, we continually had troubles getting the engine started (mostly user error) so the little boat earned the affectionate name “The B*tch.” Once she earned that name, she became much more manageable, but still would randomly decide not to start, or die somewhere in the middle of the lake. The name stuck.

We used used The B*tch fairly often over the last 3 years. From afternoon booze cruises, shuttles to other marinas to see friends, bar runs, and even an evening at anchor in the bay to watch the fireworks from below. She had her fair share of issues though. She had a slow water leak that we continually had to bail out using a “Joes Cup” every half hour or so. The engine never really reached a reliable running state. The fuel tank leaked, which caused the floor to become rather sticky. Toward the end, the fuel hose started leaking air in so the motor became even more “iffy”.

Through all these quirks, and her well deserved name, we really did have a special place in our hearts for her. But in the end, she was too temperamental, too small, and too slow to be our long term cruising dinghy. She was great around the lake here, but not good enough to get us from Nymeria to some tropical island somewhere loaded up with gear and groceries.

Yesterday we said goodbye to The B*tch. We sold her to a new home for almost as much as we bought her for. She will be missed. Tonight, we head out to pick up our new 10’9″ Aluminum hull Inmar dinghy. She will have a brand new 15hp Tohatsu fuel injected outboard. More on it, next week.

Any suggestions on a new name?