[SIZE=3]It might seem this was the trip from hell. I have had better weekends with fewer issues I must say. Our journey was not a day tour, a Disney adventure ride or a weekend outing. It was a 1,000 miles of challenges, hilarity, boredom, beauty and education. There were NO guarantees or time outs. The "possibility s" of danger and failure heightened the experience and gave the effort a strange sort of value to us. Even in a "groundhog" sort of way, we would do the same trip again in a heartbeat. There was so much more to this adventure that I did not or could not write about here. Those that can should make a similar trip, but do try to take willing people.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3] The Gibson was great. My main complaint with her was the way the cables & wires are "built into" the boat @ time of construction. Including the way the helm is constructed, it is almost impossible to find, trace, repair or replace anything concerning cables, or wires. The steps I made and the equipment I bought were good & performed well. The boat was comfortable above but not in the cuddy. Once in the lower 1/2 of the trip, our friends slept on the salon floor just to get some breeze. Those better financed may run the Genset & ACs all night I suppose. I found that redundancy wherever possible is best. I am going to install a set of engine gauges IN the engine compartment, a gas AND hand water pump & a solar battery charger.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3] The computer-based navigational/GPS was great. The 20" monitor however was over kill, hot & a power pig. A laptop screen will do better. I was VERY glad I had installed a separate battery bank just for the navigational system. The sonar should be wired there also. We had 2 VHF radios, 1 was hand held, "The best" item we bought was the portable icemaker! It worked best when the ACs had the cabin temps down but even in the Deltas ambient heat, it made ice. We just had to tend it after each batch. No other single thing was better than ice in your drink while fixing another issue. It kept moral up & was responsible for letting cooler heads prevail. Buy one.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3] WE were a motley group! Various afflictions & disease spread between us. We filled in each other’s gaps & made a slightly dysfunctional team. We did it! There were no real “Lower Mississippi” dangers. Luck played some small role (as it does in anything), but mostly we were cautious, alert (3 of us), & used common sense. No big deal really.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3] Thank you all for wanting to hear our story!![/SIZE]

Really good read Banana Tom. Glad you shared the story of your friends adventure.

Bravo buddy. Bravo. Send a big thank you to your friend for the awesome friggin read. That was beautiful. I wanna read book #2

There is more to come.

Right after Ted and Marybob returned home, the swamp was drained the Marybobber sat high and dry for many months. It was not until the new year that the swamp waters returned to float the vessel again.

Then one morning Ted learned the vessel had sunk.

This following posts are taken again as Ted wrote it:

OK, stop the madness! LOL.

We are SO touched & emotional about all this outpouring & support. Marybob is buying tissues in bulk. First she cries over the boat, then she cries over the friendship on this forum. She has to take salt pills.

Hey, everyone, we will be fine. JUST your kind thoughts are comforting. Thank you so much.

I let BananaTom know about the Merrybobber, in part, to give a ending to his thread. We humans have a need for closure. She is the "little boat that did".

Good by Miss Merrybobber.

Based on eye witness accounts, I'm 80% sure of what happened. A weird set of circumstance's that IF anyone of them had been absent, the boat would still be floating.

We, (our family), are presently in a set of circumstance's that we have never been in. While personal, I will share that they are, Health, Job cutbacks, Family pledges of $$ support, Domestic repairs, etc.. All issues we all have in common I bet. We are proud, resilient, resourceful hillbillys. We have found over the years, that when 1 door closes, another will open. We'll find that door when it's time & go through it.

Between sniffles, Mb has already concocted another plan & Steam Boat Willie is bringing her, (and mine), spirits up.

So here's the deal...., JUST, give a toast to the Miss Merrybobber. The rest will work out, I promise!

Thank you all friends, God Bless

Well the Houseboat Magazine Forum rallied. The Judge (Rusty) A real Judge in Tennessee, was ready to cancel court. He and I were headed to Butte La Rose, with helpers tagging along and the appropiate equipment and pumps to raise the Marybobber.

But Ted put his foot down and would not let us. So two days before we traveled, we canceled as Ted wanted.

Then Ted Replied:

Oh that we could have "plucked" her up within the hour!

But, that was not to be. I'm not a quitter, nor too prideful. My mind has not stopped reviewing our options, until sleep finally takes over. The boat & what to do, mostly fills my days. The local news has warned that another 7' of water will be here by April 10. We go today, to enter by window & try to salvage things in the salon.

Then, Miss Merrybobber will sleep with the fishes for awhile.

Think of what your gracious offer compares to. A wedding reception or a funeral wake. Either way, at some point, everyone goes home & back to their lives. Then it's just us. Us & a floating hulk, and ALL that entails. For the resoans I've mentioned, "we" are not up to the task.

Nearly all, have HBs. Think about replacing, (after removing), everything. Controls, steering, wiring, breakers, switches, flooring, cabinets, trim, gauges, on & on. By the time WE did all this, the engine & genset, with all their thousand parts, would be the easy part.

In our circumstance, it all will be done from the skiff, while floating. All the while, mold & mildew would be our constant shadow. I respectfully ask that the true circumstance of COMPLETELY rebuilding be looked at in a true light of day.

Look at our new avitar. THAT was Mbs dream to begin with. But, NOoooo, I had to have the "adventure".

At some point, (now), I have to quit throwing good $, after bad, nor allow others to....., and rethink the dream. Mb's dream this time. It won't be a HB, as ya'll have, but maybe I can share our new endeavor with you, from time to time. Stmbtwly is right, we need a bit of time first, thanks.

Wish I could give everyone a hug!, Ted.

The Merrybobber is sold for salvage.

A man with $$, family & lots of friends just paid me the salvage $$ for her. He has a plan & I wish him well.

We will always remember the support and well wishes from all of you. Thank ya'll very much!

I hope to "watch" the raising effort & take pictures. Maybe even consult.

The water is a foot higher than when she sank, with WAY more to come. I've no idea how long before they will start, but will report if ya'll are interested in the process.
Ted.

It took 6 Cajuns, 2 Cajun women, 3 boats, 5 hand winches, 2 tow straps, ?? chain & rope, ?? beer & soda, 3 full days to float the HB.

It was, (my point of view), a "cave man salvage". They attempted to pull/push it to shore after attempts to "lift" it failed. It drug about 6' along the bottom, until stumps & logs stopped it. Then , the HB was pushed sideways until closer to a tree. No straps were "passed under the hull. Cleats & eye pads were hooked to & pulled on.

There were 3 "workers" AND, 3 "egos". At one point, all progress halted until the "Egos" fought over whose idea was best.

On the 3rd. day, after all attempts to raise the boat failed, they just hooked a come-a-long to just 1 aft corner & twisted it UP, 2' and 3 pumps were started.

I assisted, by showing where the thru hulls were located. A fellow dove down & plugged each with toilet wax ring wax, (my suggestion).

By God...., after 4 hours, the pumps finally outrun the water leaking in. The boat began to rise, the beer flowed & 2 of the "Egos" went home.

Early the 4th. morning they pulled the HB 6 miles to a spot on the levee, where access by car is possible. No one was around today, as I took pictures. I really don't know the exact reason it sank. Maybe in a day or two, I can learn more. NOW, the fun begins. The man has many fronts to attack at once.

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I talked at length yesterday with the owner. They found NO evidence of any water entering into the boat at any point. Once pumped out, no more water has come into the boat. We both feel my explanation of sinking, is the most likely.

The new owner has "the correct amount", as they say here of a person with a big bank balance. A team of guys are stripping, removing, drying & disassembling the boat.. This is exactly what needs done in this climate & something we knew we could not do.
She will have a new name, new look & give new pleasure to new people.
We wish her well.

Thanks for the thread, BananaTom!

Ted

Posted on the Houseboat Magazine on 08/02/2008

I am Marybob Shelton-Ted's wife- we are the ones who had the great houseboat adventure last year-

There were so many of you that let us know how much you enjoyed his writing-he got such a kick out of it- great story teller!!!!!

I am writing this to let you know that he lost his battle with cancer 7/31/08.

Thanks to those of you who let him share his story and enjoyed it-
he not only was my husband, but my best friend since we were 13.....

Marybob Shelton

In Memory of my good houseboating friend, Ted Shelton aka Ted655.

You can google Ted655 and find many forums he particiapted. He was one-of-a-kind that I was blessed to know.

If you like, you may click the link below, this will take you to the Houseboat Magazine forum and the Thread which started this fantastic story.

http://www.houseboatmagazine.com/fus...ighlight_key=y

Know that we all have dreams.
Ted lived each day of his life for his dreams.
Please Dream and work to fulfill those dreams,
as tomorrow may come sooner than you think.

BT

Thank you for reading and enjoying this wonderful story about my friend. Here is his signature he used.

Ted, in the Atchafalaya, where gators get blamed for bull sharks deeds.

wow
 

Rest in peace river traveler ,Rest in peace.

Teds Famous Avatar, which went with his signature.

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I'm sorry about the loss. Please give my thoughts, prayers, and condolences to Ted and his family and friends. Great story. Truely brought a tear to my eye ! Rest in peace ted !

Wow.......I feel like I made the trip with them.......I'm right down the road from butte la rose......wonder if its still down There? There are a few sunken houseboats in a pond near I-10.....hope Its not one of them.

No, it is not still sunk.

It was raised as the pics above reveal, and repaired. It is somewhere down in the Bayous, making memories for new owners.