Thinking About Boats

Woody

Well-Known Member
Nov 20, 2007
9,349
N. Wisconsin/Lk Superior
Boat Info
2005 420DA
Engines
Cummins 6CTA8.3
Two years ago I moved up in size to a 420DA. The first season was a lot of learning about the boat. Looking out over the bow it seemed so long, so big. Prior to actually taking it out the first time I admit to being intimidated. I crawled around the boat a couple weekends checking things, did some minor fixing, ordered cases of filters, gathered up a tool kit, did a couple short test runs, and then we headed it for home….north up Lake Michigan, under the Mac bridge into Lake Huron, north up the St Mary’s river, through the Soo locks, then west on Lake Superior to the Keweenaw Peninsula.

I had planned to split the trip up with 3 stops along the way finishing up on the 4th day. The boat was running good, I had two fuel stops already and had a feel for fuel usage so on day 3 we kept on going for home, 225 miles that day, 500 miles total trip. I never had radar or autopilot before so even though I read and re-read manuals things didn’t really fall into place until I started using them. The weather wasn’t the best, cool, some drizzle, some fog, but we had a great time.

It’s been said many times at CSR that the handling is much improved on these larger boats with v or straight drives and even more so combined with diesel torque. Thankfully I found this to be true the very first time out.

When I laid out the trip home I checked out the marinas I would be using on Google maps. I measured fairways, checked fuel docks and access, I pretty much knew ahead my options for approach that would be best for me and the new boat. The first time I went for fuel it was a breeze, just as I planned it,….then the attendant said a big boat is coming in, you gotta back around and I’ll fuel you on the other side. Whaaaat, I’m thinking dude this boat ain’t went backwards yet since I’ve owned it. I went from having a 100’ of dock all to myself to backing around along side the stub at the end….let’s see, straight rudders, check, don’t get nervous, fck you….phew, we made it.

My second fuel stop went as planned also. This place had two hoses fueling both tanks at the same time so it didn’t take long. After fueling up I asked which slip they wanted me in and they said ‘just back around the end of the fuel dock’ and take one of the first two, which ever one you like. Well heck, ‘just back around’, I did it yesterday, I’m a pro now. I asked them to be on the finger in case I needed help, new boat and all. So I backed into the double well with no pilings in the middle and tied on the portside. They said I did good, they wouldn’t have known I had little experience with the boat. I didn’t tell them my original intentions were a strbd tie.

The last day we pulled into ‘our’ marina at about 10:30pm, it was dark. First time coming into our new slip….nothing but net. I said to my wife ‘hey, how about that, dark too’, she said ‘what a man’.:lol:

That first summer, what luxury, two heads, and all that room….who could ask for anything more. Well,…. After two seasons we still love the boat but we have the same opinion of it as we had of the 280DA, it’s a good 2 person boat. Man o’ man, how big does it have to get for that to stop.
 
When you actually need a crew....its no longer a two person boat.

That first summer, what luxury, two heads, and all that room….who could ask for anything more. Well,…. After two seasons we still love the boat but we have the same opinion of it as we had of the 280DA, it’s a good 2 person boat. Man o’ man, how big does it have to get for that to stop.
 
That's a great story. And a trip I'd like to take someday around this great state! Very cool.
 
I agree, great story.

So much of what you said resonated with me.

That first time on a "new to me" bigger boat does have a pucker factor.

My second time to pull away from a side tie, heavy wind wanting to pin me to the dock. Thank goodness couple of my NC boater friends happened to be in Bald Head, pushing as I was trying to get away. Only one pier bump getting off the dock.

That's the fun and challenge of boating.

Mark
 
LOL - You saw it... Remember you were running up the dock, trying to push us off. Good news was it only hit a float - left a white mark that buffed right out.

The more impressive sight was you coming in the day before - down to one engine - I think it turned out you had a filter clog. You got that big boat turned around in the wind and to the dock with no problems. Now that made an impression on me. Not sure if you remember, probably just another day of boating for da captain...

Mark
 
Man, I know the feeling well, and don't feel bad about feeling intimidated. I stepped up from a 4-Winns 245 Sundowner (v8 I/O) to my 380DA in September last year. Same thoughts went through my mind when I first stepped up to the sticks. "Holy living F, there's no way I can deal with this bow". Few lessons from the broker, and we were out in it solo 3 days after closing. Freakout moments happened plenty of times over the next few weeks, but never shifted a stick wrong, even running the thing down 8 locks through the Welland Canal. I'm sure I'll still have plenty of freakout moments in the future, but so far, so good.
 
LOL - You saw it... Remember you were running up the dock, trying to push us off. Good news was it only hit a float - left a white mark that buffed right out.

The more impressive sight was you coming in the day before - down to one engine - I think it turned out you had a filter clog. You got that big boat turned around in the wind and to the dock with no problems. Now that made an impression on me. Not sure if you remember, probably just another day of boating for da captain...

Mark
Wish I could forget that. Next time we went to Bald Head, my transmission linkage came off, same issue, all over the marina. Think I'm jinxed with Bald Head.
 
Great story. I had the same thoughts with my 410DA. Although it seemed huge initially, the teenage daughters and their friends made that boat feel really small. Especially if you wake up early and they sleep late. 1-2 kids aft, 1-2 kids on pullout couch. I don't remember inviting the friends but the daughters were much more willing to come if they could bring a friend. So, much less stress on the admiral and therefore me. I looked at the 460/48DA's, the 500/52DA's and the 550DA all while trying to find the perfect boat for 2-4-6 folks. The 500/52DA has many nice features but the 2nd state room w/ bunks is a bit tight for adults. So adults always seemed to choose the pullout couch. We were lucky enough to see each of these options most every weekend, as our friends (mostly couples) have them. Any of those options would have fit the bill for us but focused on 2nd state room that would get used prior to the couch. Never regreted choosing the 550DA although anything larger might be tough to handle if taking out alone. At the time (2012-2013), the larger boats were less in demand, so the prices were appealing. And, why make two steps if you can make one big one. To answer you question, if thinking about 2000-2009 era Sundancers, the 460/48DA is the smallest two stateroom layout that I would consider where two adult couples don't feel cramped for a long weekend. In my opinion, there is quite a bit of space for daytime socializing and nighttime privacy. My $0.02.
 
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Brings back fond moments of butt pucker. First time I took the boat out on my own I had to pass by the Fort Lauderdale annual boat show. Every idiot with a paddle was on the water, including me, and nobody had any sense of what was around them. I especially liked the folks in the "little" boats that pulled in front of me and then dropped into neutral generally resulting in a one way mental conversation of - "Hello, I am a first time driver of a 450 and this is as slow as the diesels will idle so please get the heLL out of my way so I don't run over you on my first day".

Made it to the marina relatively intact. Had the boat shipped to Lake Lanier and now I don't have to worry about being run over by Oprah's monster yacht. Still have those paddle carrying idiots (me) and the people in pontoon boats who want to inspect my anchor passing by in front of me while I am still underway on the lake but that's ok. I've found out how to drive my boat relatively well 60% of the time.

And Brett's 550 is a gorgeous boat, thrice cursed because I now have boat envy.
 
Great story, and very encouraging. I closed on my 410 Sundancer last month and I'm taking delivery of it up in Connecticut in mid April. Dependng on route and conditions it will take me 6 1/2 - 8 1/2 hours to get her to my home dock. Coming from my 300 Sundancer with twin I/O's I'm almost as intimidated as I am excited.
Not sure which I'm more nervous about: docking something that big, or navigating the very narrow channels and shallow depths around here. To make matters worse, a lot of the local towns haven't been putting buoys out in the bays in some spots until early to mid May. The last 12 miles from the inlet to my dock is going to be a real adventure. I know the water pretty well between the inlet I prefer to use and my dock and would be very comfortable doing it in my old boat, but this new one is going to be downright scary.
I figure the trip home will be trial by fire and once there I plan to go out by myself 8 or 10 times over the next week or so before I start inviting passengers.
 
When I laid out the trip home I checked out the marinas I would be using on Google maps. I measured fairways, checked fuel docks and access, I pretty much knew ahead my options for approach that would be best for me and the new boat.
Woody, great story about your beginner nervousness with your boat. I went from a 330 Dancer to the 550 so I can truly relate to what you were describing.

I had to chuckle at your comment about measuring marinas on Google maps (I use Google Earth for that). When we firsts picked up Beachcomber from the marina in Portland that recommissioned her I felt like there was no way in hell I could get used to driving that monster. As we backed her out of the slip my wife asked me "Are you sure you're OK driving a boat this big?"

Not wanting her to know how nervous I was I just replied "Sure. Piece of cake" though I'm sure my sweaty hands on the shifters were an indication of how I really felt. .

Our first stop was at Columbia River Yacht Club, a very prestigious club where they were having a bit Sea Ray Aquapalooza. I called on the radio as I approached and asked them where they wanted me. They said they wanted me to stern tie between two boats that were already stern tied to the dock. HOLY CRAPOLA BATMAN! I'd never backed a boat this size except to back out of the slip. As I got to the yacht club I could see the docks lined with people looking over the collection of boats that were stern tied to the dock. Knowing that they would all be watching me and judging how I did, "nervous" did not even come close to how I was feeling, but I backed it in without touching either of the boats and didn't even hit the dock when I backed into the space.
 
Like JVM225, I closed on my 410 in November and will also be taking delivery in April, but am only stepping up from a 360. It's not the size so much as the torque on the diesels that I can't wait to experience the responsiveness on. Luckily I have a good buddy who has a 48DB and had me dock it this summer. I have driven his as well as my other buddies 51 Sundancer, but have never docked either vessel. Talking about intimidation, that is a bus with very responsive Cummins. We got into the dock channel and I did my usual spin around so my back was to the dash and I was facing the stern of the boat and after a couple of in and outs of gearl, got a feeling for the boat. Put the boat into the dock, and after I did, he asked if I even bothered to touch the thrusters or look at the rearview camera to which I responded "no, when you aren't used to having them, you don't rely on them." I wonder if I will still want to install a thruster once I get used to the responsiveness of the Cats?
 
"no, when you aren't used to having them, you don't rely on them." I wonder if I will still want to install a thruster once I get used to the responsiveness of the Cats?

The 410DA w/ Cats is very responsive, predictable and is probably the easiest boat I every docked. I didn't have a bow thruster on mine and only wished I had it once, early on when docking in a wide / short slip an basically got stuck in the middle. After that, i learned how to walk it sideways with the props. Heck, I had my 550DA for two weeks and had taken it out several times then remembered I had a bow thruster. It's all what are accustomed to and what you practice with.
 
These are great stories. I went from 340 to 480DB. First docking was interesting but as others said... diesel Cats just did what I asked of them when I asked.


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