Splash! We're almost there dad!

[copout]

It's with great joy & pride that I am able to create this post! Some of you may know the back story to this but for those that don't I'll try to give a quick readers digest run down of events.
Mom & Dad divorced when I was 4.
Dad was second owner of this boat.
He was a charter Capt at the Castaways docks in the late 70's to early 80's when not on duty to Metro Dade.
Many of my memories, first catches & every other weekend visits were spent on this boat. (waiting for pics)
Dad got remarried, moved to WPB, boat sat idle for way to long, so long it had a tree grow through it! (waiting for pics)
1996 after retiring Dad, my two brothers from another mother & myself started the rebirth. (waiting for pics)
1997 Dad finished project & splashed it himself in WPB. (waiting for pics)
Early 2003 Dad fell ill.
Jan 4 2005 I got a call from Step mother that we needed to come to Nashville, kemo was getting the upper hand.
Jumped on a jet with 3 of 4 siblings & my wife but we didn't make in time, dad had passed while we were in flight.
His wishes were to be cremated & have his ashes spread from his boat off Dade county.
There were a few fiberglass repairs that were needed in order to get the boat seaworthy again.
Time went by, step mother got a new man & Dads wished fell on the back burner. For her!
I made several attempts at pushing the issue but having a close relationship with my siblings was far more important than making waves.
One year had passed & I couldn't take it any longer. I made a call & suggested I bring the boat down to Davie where I could get a few estimates to have the patch work done. I followed through on my end & supplied her with 3 different quotes from $1500 to $3000.
She said go ahead & get it fixed! To that I responded that I'd like to be added to the title before I put any money into it.
This we fought over this for nearly another 14 months. It was beginning to divide her from her kids as they too agreed that I or even we (5 kids) should be named on the title. To insure the boat & dad's best interest we in mind.
She had enough & showed up one Saturday afternoon to take it back. I knew this would happen, with or without being repaired but I was still broken!
Once she got it back all things went idle again & there sat dad in a wooden box somewhere in her house. All the while her new man sleeps where he once rested. I tried so many different ways to figure how to honor his wishes without being disrespectful to dad or my brothers & sisters. Till one day my incredible wife said "lets see if she'll sell it to us!" One quick call to my younger sister & a drop of the dime. Well the very next day I get a call from none other than the step-monster! Get this! She tells me "I was just about to put it up for sale!" Oh, the words I wanted to lay on her!
Well Black Friday 2009 I drove to Wellington, gave her what little cash we could put together, hooked it up & brought it home!
Over the last year I've tinkered, overhauled, fabricated, replaced, drained, re-wired & dreamed about yesterday!
There are many more issues to resolve, both with the boat & the step but I am much closer to fulfilling my old mans wishes!
Once the boat is ready my next obstacle will be how to address the ashes. Until then I will be using her just the we did as kids.
I got it done in 51 weeks & 2 days!
Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!
Here's the only pic I took yesterday. My ole' lady & my girl! 1969 SeaCraft 20SF