Solid choice. Speedi-sleeves have been around forever for a reason - they protect the spindle and give the seal a perfect surface. No groove worries there.
Haha, nice find! Those look like the SwimWays spring float loungers. Bet the guy was pretty confused when he got to the lake and realized they were gone.
Yeah, everyone thinks their boat’s “special” and worth more than book value . Just wait a bit - winter’s coming and prices usually soften when storage bills hit.