340 Sundancer Delivery from Washington DC to Annapolis - o/a April 18 2008

In June of 2005 I took delivery of my 380DA at the SS3 in Peekskill, NY and rode her home in just under 5 hours. Started up the Hudson, and then went through the NY Harbor into the Atlantic Ocean and then through the Manasquan Inlet and home the ICW.

In December of 2006, when I went to "see" my current 410DA it was at the MM in Lindenhurst, NY. I drove it 5 hours, through the channels in the South Bays of L.I., out the Jones Beach inlet and a three hour crossing in the open Atlantic to the Barnegat inlet.....this was a test drive to the MM dealer in Brant Beach, NJ.

I've helped other's deliver their boats on many occasions. I've always done as recommended in previous posts....check my safety gear, charts, backups, etc.....and I've enjoyed every trip and would do it again.

I wouldn't suggest you do the trip alone. Try, like you are here, to get a seasoned buddy to come with you. Or hire a captain for the day. The captain shouldn't cost you more than a few hundred plus some expenses.
 
Hopefully nothing is wrong mechanically with the boat, but I would rather find-out close to the dealer than in the middle of a 6-hour run. If it were me, I would take her out the day before for a nice 2-3 hours to make sure all is well... then make the run the next morning with safety and backup equipment as suggested by Frank/Skip/Gary and others. You're likely to gain confidence with a shake-down run as well.
Whatever you decide..Congrats.. that is a nice boat..
 
Run her down to Colonial Beach. If anything goes wrong, you'll be two hours from the dealer. by land or by sea. You'll also have a warm/fuzzy that she's running good (or not.) Then get up early, check the weather, and make the decision. You'll be at the mouth of the Potomac in another two hours. If the river's rough, you can pull in to Port Kinsale. If the bay starts to get rough, you can pull in to Solomons, or if it's nice, you're in your new home before lunch.

If it's really nice, you can head south to The Tides, play a round of par 3 golf, and be in your new home before dinner!

By all means, take the trip. Have your safety gear and charts, and give yourself time to exercise your options, but go by sea. It's a great little cruise and you'll have lots more confidence when you're done.
 
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I ran my new to me 420DA home with one friend aboard. 7 hour run. I'd never been on the Chesapeake before. I paid careful attention to the weather, had appropriate safety gear aboard (including battery powered VHF and GPS) and carried the spares I thought I'd need: belts, filters, hoses, impellers, plus the tools to do basic repairs. I'd never run the 420 for more than the sea trial. The 420 was a huge step up for me from the 320. The weather turned foul as we came around Point Lookout. I slowed down, tabbed the bow down, and kept on cruising. I had marinas designated if I had to find safe harbor. As we approached my home marina we heard a trouble call from the USCG Baltimore for a vessel in distress in the middle Potomac. We found the boat in trouble and stood off, prepared to render aid if TowBoat US did not show up. Once the vessel in distress was under tow we headed home.
It was a spectacular day. Two years later I remember it vividly. I learned a lot about the 420 that day, and about my ability to run her. I would not change a thing. Better for the boat to run on her own bottom than to be put on a truck, in my opinion.
Planning and executing this delivery will be a useful training exercise for the new 340 owner, in my view.
My .02.
regards
Skip
 
wkearney99-
What kind of boat do you run? I don't see it in your signature.
is this you?
From BoatUS:

--Bill Kearney, 2005 Four Winns 348 Vista
Bethesda, MD

If accurate, you are the lone Four Winns CSR member, I suspect. Would you put a 348 FW on a trailer to make what is a 5-6 hour run down the River? Part of the reason the moderators ask that boat info go in the signature is so that the consumers of information here can make their own determination as to the usefulness of the post.

Now I know where to go if I ever buy a FW. Do you run Mercs or Volvos, IBs or I/Os? I don't know much about FWs.

regards
Skip
 
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You guys are making me feel like a little old lady! I've been fretting over plans to bring my new-to-me 98 290 from Kent Narrows to Middle River on Sunday, a mere 22 mile run in the so called "sissy" part of the bay. I have a pile of "must have" onboard equipment to load after my orientation Friday. And I've been checking the weather forecasts two or three times a day. I have a friend lined up to go with me as well. But the biggest logistical challenge has been locating and retrieving cars without having to run back and forth between marinas.

I wonder if I should put out a "Student Driver" sign when I get to my marina as this will be my first experience docking alone a twin engine boat??? But if I could whip my old single screw 26 in this should be easier, at least that's what I keep telling myself!!!
 
Your messages are great. Yes, I am going via water, the weather is forecast for 78 degrees, I am skipping out on work on Friday to do it, and a fine fellow from ClubSeaRay.com is taking the day off as well to help me with it and keep me from doing anythin too dumb. This is the fastest way to get up to speed to enjoy the season. Backup VHF and backup GPS as per suggestions; c-80 chartplotter ready to go; and of course beer and food just in case! Thanks for the tips.
 
About the only reservation I would have is the condition of the boat. First trip is not the best time to find out about deferred maintenance. Otherwise, it sounds like an easy run.
 
Odayssea said:
Your messages are great. Yes, I am going via water, the weather is forecast for 78 degrees, I am skipping out on work on Friday to do it, and a fine fellow from ClubSeaRay.com is taking the day off as well to help me with it and keep me from doing anythin too dumb. This is the fastest way to get up to speed to enjoy the season. Backup VHF and backup GPS as per suggestions; c-80 chartplotter ready to go; and of course beer and food just in case! Thanks for the tips.
Click to expand...


Larry, have a good run. That's a great way to learn about a new boat. You've just been through a survey and you'll have experienced help with you. Perfect.

Don't let Mr. Four Winns with all of 2 seasons and 100 hours fool you. He may have something valuable to offer in other areas, but it's not yet boating.
 
Good Call Larry.

You will never regret the experience. I didnt really get into boating untill 4 years ago. My dad had a couple bow riders growing up, but nothin that really prepared me 25 years later when I got my own.

I learned alot on my first trip up the river to DC from PWM. I was nervous as heck, but planned, put that plan into action and got it done.

Good advice on this board, and I only wish I found it sooner, but like most will agree here, you can talk about it all day, but you really dont get it till you are out on the water DOING it.

I would love to make this trip with you, but I have to work Friday and having never been "around the point" into the bay, I could only offer moral support.

BUT, I am making the journey from DC to BIH this summer, family and all, and with confidence in my 290 because of hands on experience and good advice from the board and most importantly real assistance from a couple good folks here to make the run with.

Have fun and let us know how the trip goes for ya!!!
 
Enjoy the new boat and don't take the banter to seriously. :grin: If it had gotten much further out of hand I can fix it. :smt021 :thumbsup:

Have a great trip! :smt038
 
Skip said:
I ran my new to me 420DA home with one friend aboard. 7 hour run. I'd never been on the Chesapeake before. I paid careful attention to the weather, had appropriate safety gear aboard (including battery powered VHF and GPS) and carried the spares I thought I'd need: belts, filters, hoses, impellers, plus the tools to do basic repairs. I'd never run the 420 for more than the sea trial. The 420 was a huge step up for me from the 320. The weather turned foul as we came around Point Lookout. I slowed down, tabbed the bow down, and kept on cruising. I had marinas designated if I had to find safe harbor. As we approached my home marina we heard a trouble call from the USCG Baltimore for a vessel in distress in the middle Potomac. We found the boat in trouble and stood off, prepared to render aid if TowBoat US did not show up. Once the vessel in distress was under tow we headed home.
It was a spectacular day. Two years later I remember it vividly. I learned a lot about the 420 that day, and about my ability to run her. I would not change a thing. Better for the boat to run on her own bottom than to be put on a truck, in my opinion.
Planning and executing this delivery will be a useful training exercise for the new 340 owner, in my view.
My .02.
regards
Skip
Click to expand...

Well said, reading this brought back lots of good memories from bringing Mrs Robinson home. So I retract my trailer suggestion, jump on and go!:smt038
 
Larry,
Good call. Plan this out. Spares, tools, safety gear. Think through contingencies, and sign up for on the water towing just in case.
The hardest part of your journey is going to be fatigue in the last hour or so. When you can see Annapolis and are almost to your slip, that is when you will make the mental error-approaching the slip too quickly, forgetting to get lines and fenders in place, etc. I find that 5-6 hours at the helm is a good day's run for me. Beyond that and I find I get sloppy.
I am also a big fan of wearing life jackets aboard. My wife and I were both swimmers-my wife was an All American in college-but all the swimming ability in the world is useless if you are injured. Err on the side of caution.
And just my .02-and I am not trying to preach here-but I'd crack the first cold one after the boat is secured in her slip-completing a safe journey in your new boat is a great feeling and will make the first one taste especially good.
PM me if you have any questions. Happy to help.

regards
Skip
 
Walz said:
You guys are making me feel like a little old lady! I've been fretting over plans to bring my new-to-me 98 290 from Kent Narrows to Middle River on Sunday, a mere 22 mile run in the so called "sissy" part of the bay. I have a pile of "must have" onboard equipment to load after my orientation Friday. And I've been checking the weather forecasts two or three times a day. I have a friend lined up to go with me as well. But the biggest logistical challenge has been locating and retrieving cars without having to run back and forth between marinas.
Click to expand...

Waltz, I would like to present a case to move the line between the sissy and manly part of the bay up from the bay bridges to perhaps just North of Rock Hall. If the wind is out of the NW the fetch is about 18 miles from the narrows to the west side of the bay. We came home from St Michaels last year in late October when the “gales of November” came early and were greeted with 25-30 mph NW winds when exiting the narrows into the Chester River. This was the only time last summer when we took water over the bow with about every other wave. If you have NW winds on Sunday over 20, you may want to wait a day for a more peaceful ride.

You will probably go right past me on Sunday, I’ll keep a lookout – have a blast!

Larry, have great ride and watch out for those fish stakes just outside of Herring Bay.
 
The "sissy" part of the bay is the Patuxent River north... You can't just move it like that.. it takes years of paperwork and meetings.
 
Ryan said:
Perhaps we could get a quorum together at BIH and get this motion passed?
Click to expand...

I doubt it. I think you'll run into the danger of a filibuster. I mean look at how this thread started.... someone asked to move the boat from DC to Annapolis (clearly in the "sissy" part) and some sissy from that area comes along and tells him to trailer it (a 340 no less)... I think that proves the point.
 
Don't you just head down the Potomac, make your first left at the major intersection, then your 2nd left on the big river :huh:

Get a Boat US towing membership then let her rip. I don't want to make the trip sound too easy but it kind of is. Lots of great advice in this thread to help you go about it safely, but don't overthink it.
 
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