So, now that I have a boat, I need a parking spot for it. A wet one.

The Massabesic Yacht Club membership grants me access to a mooring location, but I need to provide and maintain the equipment. It just so happened that a retiring member was willing to sell me his equipment in place… so I don't need to worry about assembling and dropping it before I can launch next spring.

Most of the equipment is at the bottom of the lake, so I won’t get to see it until the spring inspection. But here’s the gist:

• Mushroom anchor. We have a muddy lake bottom, so these mushroom-shaped anchors dig themselves in to use not only their weight but also suction to keep your boat tethered.

• Heavy chain offers drag against the bottom.

• Lighter chain extends from the bottom to the surface.

• Various shackles and swivels.

I have the surface pieces in storage in the basement… a mooring buoy and a pickup buoy. I’ll give them a little spring cleaning and refresh the marking paint and they’ll be good to go!