Newbie from Philadelphia area!

Yochach!

Member
Aug 22, 2016
44
Boat Info
1997 330 da
Twin 7.4l mpi
V drive
Engines
Twin 7.4l mpi
V drives
Recently purchased my first boat other than a pwc. 1997 330da and I'm in love. Looking forward to getting some great information,tips,advice from fellow owners. image.jpg
 
Looking good!!! Very welcome
 
Welcome to CSR!

You're going to love that boat! Take your time and really learn how to drive her well. That's a big jump from a PWC. Learn how to drive it with the throttles and try to stay away from the steering wheel. It maneuvers really well in tight spaces. Practice doing figure eights in forward and reverse. Once you have that down the rest is easy.

Learn the sounds she makes when running properly. Some of the stuff I listen to is the generator, the vacuum pump for the toilet after a flush, and the sound of the bilge blowers. If you know what they all sound like when operating normally you'll notice the difference when they're not and be able to react a little faster.

Learn where the sea strainers are located and how to clear them of debris. You'll more than likely have to empty the AC and generator more often when you use these during the summer.

Learn the breaker panel inside the cabin and how to use them for different situations. Mainly for switching from shore power to the generator. Don't leave things like fresh water pumps on while away from the boat. Run your refrigerators on shore power while at the dock and not your batteries.

Practice dropping your anchor and retrieving it before you actually need to for the first time. Getting used to the windlass and how it operates is very important should you ever need to anchor immediately.

Learn how to start your engines. If those are the original carbs in the boat they can get touchy after not being used for a few days. There are a few good starting tips in the forum.

There's a lot to do on a boat that size so develop a maintenance plan and stick to it. Filters, belts, plugs, wires, hoses and impellors all need to be changed regularly.

This forum is a wealth of knowledge, use the search features and happy reading.
 
Welcome to CSR!

OUTSTANDING advice from Boater420 and you'd do well to read and re-read his post. Just one comment though since you're new to operating a boat like this.....by "throttles" he means using the boat's ability to shift the two engines in and out of forward and reverse to steer instead of the wheel. When docking you probably won't actually use the throttles the way you might think he meant, in other words, accelerating the boat.....you'll need to learn how to bump the gears in and out of forward and reverse, and dock by maneuvering the boat that way, but it will be done at "idle speed", for the most part. NOT actually giving the boat any gas, so to speak. (Moving the throttle forward out of idle speed.)
Look at youtube to see what I am talking about if I'm not being clear. Just nudging the boat's engines in and out of gear, forward and reverse, at different times, will allow you to steer the boat and dock it, especially if you have to back into a slip and not dock alongside it. Once you've mastered that technique everything else is a lot easier to do. Be careful about taking the boat out at first on windy days because there WILL be times you'll actually have to nudge the throttles a little if the wind is working against you, while still bumping in and out of gear, and that is tricky for a newbie. (Hell, it's still tricky for me sometimes, I admit it, and I had a much larger boat, 42 feet, that had me in a cold sweat when we'd return to the marina and I had to back it into it's slip on a windy day, with inches to spare on both sides and a couple feet in front of me when I'd pivot. I do NOT miss those days, and docking my current single-engine bowrider alongside my dock now has probably made those skills very rusty, but I digress.)

Anyway, watch those videos to see what I am talking about and take an experienced captain out with you to show you how it's done a few times, so you don't get in trouble trying to get back in your slip. Some practice and you'll be fine! Beautiful boat and enjoy her in good health!
 
Wow! Thank you guys for the friendly advice! It is much appreciated. I am very surprised of how nimble she is around the docks just using the transmissions to maneuver is very effective. I back into my slip and the current can rip through so it can get hairy but all in all a very nimble vessel.
 
Welcome to CSR! I have the same boat as you so any questions you may have fire away or shoot me a pm.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
Thanks a lot I really appreciate it!


~Bob
 
Welcome to CSR! I have the same boat as you so any questions you may have fire away or shoot me a pm.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

+1

Plus my in laws live in Philly and the Admiral and I visit often. I have a Samsonite full of BFH's! If we can't fix it, we can scare it to death and replace it!!!
 
Welcome and enjoy! Do you keep your boat on the Delaware? I grew up not far from Ridley. We keep our 330 down on the Chesapeake! If I can answer any questions s feel free to PM me.

Take Care!

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
 
Welcome. I pass your boat pretty much everyday on the way to Philly. I'm right on the Elk River and next season will be at Summit North Marina right on the C&D Canal.
 
Welcome aboard. Lots of great advice here and what is nice you have already received some. Now go enjoy the boat and post some pics.
 
Welcome and enjoy! Do you keep your boat on the Delaware? I grew up not far from Ridley. We keep our 330 down on the Chesapeake! If I can answer any questions s feel free to PM me.

Take Care!

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

oh nice! I keep her at Ridley marina which is on the Darby creek about 5 mins "no wake zone" from the Delaware river. Where on the Chesapeake are you? I make runs down to the Chesapeake in every now and then it's about an hour 45 from me. I will certainly pm with any questions thank you!
 
Welcome. I pass your boat pretty much everyday on the way to Philly. I'm right on the Elk River and next season will be at Summit North Marina right on the C&D Canal.

Thank you!, I'm assuming you pass it while driving on 95. I am kind of familiar with the elk river about a month ago I ran to the Chesapeake inn and there were no slips open for transient so I stayed at triton marina on the elk. Pretty cool spot very layed back and good food. I've stopped at summit north for fuel and that place is beautiful!. I may be at Bohemia bay yacht harbor next season.
 
Welcome aboard. Lots of great advice here and what is nice you have already received some. Now go enjoy the boat and post some pics.

Thank you very much! And I can already tell that this forum is a great resource!. Also I noticed you are at bush river. I've been there years ago on my buddies dads boat while he was there.

Thank you for your service!

~Bob
 
Thank you!, I'm assuming you pass it while driving on 95. I am kind of familiar with the elk river about a month ago I ran to the Chesapeake inn and there were no slips open for transient so I stayed at triton marina on the elk. Pretty cool spot very layed back and good food. I've stopped at summit north for fuel and that place is beautiful!. I may be at Bohemia bay yacht harbor next season.

That's exactly where we do all of our boating. Just bought a 270 SunDeck with no bottom paint so I will keep it at Triton for the rest of this season and then move to Summit North in the spring. Generally, Summit North has the highest priced fuel around so look for other options if you can. Chesapeake Inn is our favorite place to hang out after a day on the Bohemia.

Summit North is 35 minutes from my house so that works best for us. The C&D is well lighted for night time travel as well for when we head back from the C-Inn. Ah, another bonus of Summit is it allows you to register your boat in DE and avoid the PA or MD sales tax.
 
Bob, What marina on the Bush River? I am at the GNBA which is on APG as I am retired military.


Thank you very much! And I can already tell that this forum is a great resource!. Also I noticed you are at bush river. I've been there years ago on my buddies dads boat while he was there.

Thank you for your service!

~Bob
 
Bob, What marina on the Bush River? I am at the GNBA which is on APG as I am retired military.

Joe, he was at the bush river yacht club in Aberdeen. I don't recall exactly where it was but I know they had a bar and pool there.
 
Welcome aboard.
 
Welcome aboard! Nice to have another Philadelphia boater here. I keep mine at the Philadelphia Marine Center, right next to the Ben Franklin Bridge, and we pass by your area often. Look forward to comparing notes and maybe seeing you on the river some time.
 

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