Free Yacht Chapter 4: Outboard Motor Mutilates Foot

Step 2 Brad's Garage

I hightailed it up to Crockett (north of Berkeley, CA) to take a look at this wonder and meet Brad Low who had the honor of owning "The Best Outboard for the World". That's the British Seagull company's official slogan.
The motor was just as it was promised to be. Brad has an accumulation of boat equipment and other outboards for sale at good prices. Give him a call at 415-497-3731.
I tried to lift the motor to look at it better. Brad moved a garbage can that was in the way. It somehow snagged another outboard motor, pulling over so it toppled onto Brad's foot. That was bad. He yelled for Ann, his wife.
Then he said "Let's deal with this thing before the pain starts." and started explaining how the motor works.

Ann is a nurse. She nurse-walked into the garage, took in the situation, and started telling him how bad it was, "That toe has to come off." and scolding him about having too much stuff in the garage. I whispered "howabout "poor sweet baby?"" to her. "Don't get me started." she said, gesturing at the garage. "EVERYTHING!" the gesture said.
We were all enjoying ourselves a lot, making the best of the situation.
Even Brad was having sort of a good time, except he was bleeding and kind of messed up. After all, a motor had just smashed his toe at the root of the toenail, leaving broken shards and a lot of pain.

I said "howabout $120?"
Through gritted teeth he said "there are a couple of other guys coming to see it."
Ann was working on his foot with utmost care and giving him an earful about the dangerous garage.
To her I said, "Okay, you're in charge of the bargaining"
She said "Well, if I were you I'd suggest that we split the difference."
"You're costing me money!" he exclaimed.
Me: "Do you have an external gas tank for my Yamaha to maybe throw in?"
He: "I've got the exact one, but it's down at the marina and I can't go there now because of this." (the foot)
Me: "howabout this one over here?"
After a bit more of this, I was the proud owner of a motor that could ornament an Irish pub and an external gas tank for my other one. Brad had $150. "Hey, why are you giving it to him?" Ann said, smiling and reaching for it. "No way", he said, cradling the money like a football.

Later that day I called to see how he was doing. The bone is crushed and the toenail is gone but he kept the rest of the toe. If we ever find out what toenails are for he's going to be feeling pretty left out.

Comments

[MT-LB]

exactly why they invented steel toes. but i don't blame him for wearing flip-flops.

[aiden120000]

don't toenails grow back?

[kagenin]

Not if the root is destroyed. Nails are kind of like hair, in that they both grow from root cells under the skin. No root, no new growth. My girlfriend lost a toe nail to something I speculate was a fungus, but no podiatrist would prescribe her an antibiotic. The nail would try to regrow, but the new growth would eventually peel off. One doctor wanted to remove the nail root surgically. She's glad she didn't go that route, because she eventually got the nail to grow back normally. As a side note, that doctor's wife was a runner who frequently had toenail fungus. He removed all her toenail roots.

[Grey_Wolfe]

I thought toenails were for picking your teeth, in the chance case that you've lost both hands (or all five fingernails?) in a freak boating accident.

[Gryzio]

"When life hands you lemons, make whisky sours"----W.C. Fields
Excellent "Instructable". I been wanting a Sailboat to live on and trying to get the most for my money. This a good approach to Free for now and pay later. Ha! Many people pay to get and then pay some more. ;-)