• "Right of Spring"

• "An Interview With Tim McKegney"

"Right of Spring": A North Country Tradition

By Mark Gardner

We take for granted many of the traditions of spring.

It's off with the snow tires and on with the Michelins. Even if you are the type who drives a beater in the winter, the results are the same. All-season tires are great for New Jersey.... Which reminds me of another Vermont right of passage, "oh you're from new jersey eh.... what exit?".

A modern favorite is swapping the ski racks on the BMW for the mountain bike racks. It's handy that the bike racks fit the basic ski rack making the change-over rather painless. The only disadvantage to permanently mounted ski/bike racks is the paint discoloration after five years of never removing the racks. It makes it easy to pick out an old North Country BMW at the car auctions.

Exchanging your chap stick for sun stick has become more important each year. Many purists make the swap sometime in March, but the traditional date is April 15... just in time for taxes.

Lastly but far from least is uncovering the boat, or in case you didn't cover it last fall, figuring out how to wash some of the winter dirt off the hull and deck. Here are a few of my favorite tricks in getting ready for the boating season.

"Chinook" waiting for spring!

1. The first is a "yashuda". You remember your mom yelling "yashuda" done your homework last night". A good coat of wax just before you put the cover on is the best kept secret in the business. all the winter grime and soot will roll off with just a quick wash down. so remember your mother on mother's day this year.... a bottle of meguiars mirror glaze #50 and a few hours are well spent.

" 2. In case "yashuda" refers to you, here is a sure fire way to get the hull and deck ready for spring. Forget the deck until the boats in the water. Sweep the leaves out of the cockpit and open up the "basement" to let in that fresh spring air. While your boat is airing out wash and wax the top sides. While most boat yards do not have easy access to a hose, a bottle of fantastic and a roll or two of paper towels will get the basic grime off the hull. Meguiars Mirror Glaze #50 is a wax and cleaner in one bottle. It will take care of the stubborn stains and black streaks, and bring your hull up to snuff.

3. Wait until the boat is launched before tackling the deck. The deck always takes a beating during launching, so don't get too upset until she's afloat. The cure for the dirty deck blues is "soft scrub with bleach". Forget the deck brush with the long handle, and bring on the knee-pads and a good old floor brush. The Soft Scrub has enough abrasive to get the deep down dirt, yet not hurt the finish of your deck. Just in-case, if you have a high gloss area, try a small corner to make sure the results are satisfactory. Apply another coat of Meguiars Mirror Glaze #50 cleaner-wax to the smooth areas of your deck twice a year and "your right of spring" will go muchsmoother.... not to mention shiner.