Captain to drive cabin cruiser from Warwick to Boston Harbor

Boater71

Boater71

Member
Mar 5, 2018
321
Boston, MA
Boat Info
2008 Sea Ray 310 Sundancer
Engines
MX6.2 MPI Bravo III DTS with Axius and SeaCore
Kohler Genset
I'm evaluating the option for hiring a captain to drive the boat from Warwick RI to Boston harbor, I can drive them back. Cabin Cruiser 33'. Any recommendations? What is a reasonable cost?

I've been boating for a long time but smaller boats and never done a trip like this before. Nay thoughts? should i try it? Planning early May weather permitting!!
 
If you’ve been boating a while go for it! It’s not that far. The bay is easy and the only part to be a little more careful with would be the cape cod canal, where you need to pay attention to the current and stay in the channel. Or you can go around the cape and not worry about. I’d say save the money and enjoy the nice 4 hour cruise with a friend or loved one.
 
Different options to consider - any or a combination.
  • Bring along a more experienced boater as a passenger on the trip.
  • Hire a captain and have them ride with them so you gain the experience.
  • Pay an experienced captain to help you with trip planning, routing, establishing go/no-go parameters that you can evaluate the day of the trip. (for example, don't take this as an absolute, --- If you have an 15knot or greater wind from XYZ direction - don't go.)
Sometimes the most challenging part of a move is knowing when its ok to go, when you should stay in the Marina.

Excellent opportunity to solve the boat move problem and at the same time increase your knowledge and expertise.

Just my thoughts
 
I like the ideas as i have not thought of them. Especially, go/no-go, and what If situations.
 
In early may you are highly likely to have periods of fog and short weather windows. We usually plan on not seeing more than 1/2 mi on any trip until mid June. A couple of years ago we transited cape cod canal in early June and could barely see the shore even though we were well on our side of the center line.

The fact your questioning it should tell you to get some help, either from "a friend" who has done that sort of trip before or by hiring someone to help but either way you should be on the boat to use it as a learning trip not just a "delivery".

No part of the trip is hard, I would say you have 2-2.5 hour run to the cape cod canal, 45 minutes to 1 hour in the canal depending on haw hard you push the speed/wake limits and whether or not you are with or against the current, and then 2-3 hours to Boston.

Along the way the hardest navigational challenges are lobster traps and Boston harbor/Boston harbor traffic.
 
I forgot to mention that I am pretty sure the SeaTow South Shore MA does captain services. The owner is very active on THT forum.

https://www.seatow.com/southshore


When we bought our boat we hired Sea Tow to escort us out Fire Island Inlet, NY as for us that was our biggest challenge and I was extremely happy we did, made the day much more enjoyable - right up to the point where the visibility dropped to about a mile with 4 hours to go before we hit our stopping point for the night!
 
Is the boat equipped with up to date electronics and radar? If so have become familiar with how they function? Will you have up to date waterproof charts on board as well? If you don't own an epirb you can rent one from Boat US. As said knowing when to go and not to go is very important. Study and learn the tides at the canal and try to time arriving in Buzzards Bay in the morning and traveling with the incoming tide.
 
The boat does have 2018 Garmin 74CV chartplotter with GPS but no radar. Based on what I'm reading, I'm definitely getting someone to ride along, a friend or captain. The idea is leave on a nice clear day, weather permitting and leave early in the am. From what I read so far, I want to cross the canal with the current and incoming tide. I'm also considering breaking the trip up with a stop at Sandwish, just in case.
 
Finding a good weather window with good tides is hard.

You want to pick a light wind day anyway or it will be a very long uncomfortable trip, so don't worry about the current as much.

We used to try to plan carefully for the current in the canal, now we don't bother it only adds another 15-20 minutes to go against the current and not throw a huge wake.
 
That is very manageable trip, not to mention a great "boys run".

I purchased my current boat (40 sedan bridge) and ran it from Newburyport to LI in April. The first leg of the trip was from Newburyport to Newport (through the canal). A bit long, but we were able to do it in 1 day.

The canal was running pretty hard against me. I ran the boat with a bit of throttle to make ground, but keeping my wake clear of the rocks. I was fortunate not to see any boat traffic.

Dont skimp on safety. Anthing can go wrong, and this time of year, you dont have too many boaters in close proximity to help. We brought an 8' Inflatable (ready in cockpit), ditch bag, handheld vhf, along with a rented EPIRB for piece of mind.

Pick a solid crew, and make sure the boat is sea ready. Have fun!
 
Boater71 said:
The boat does have 2018 Garmin 74CV chartplotter with GPS but no radar. Based on what I'm reading, I'm definitely getting someone to ride along, a friend or captain. The idea is leave on a nice clear day, weather permitting and leave early in the am. From what I read so far, I want to cross the canal with the current and incoming tide. I'm also considering breaking the trip up with a stop at Sandwish, just in case.
Click to expand...


All good advice has been given to follow. It really is a nice trip. My boat is in Warwick for the winter and I have made the trip to Boston a few times. Most important is getting good weather, the rest of the variables can be dealt with once you know you will have decent weather.
Sandwich is a good place to stop and get fuel and food. Fisherman’s View has good food and it is right in the Harbor. They have low rates on transient dockage as well.
 
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thank you all for the great advice. Will report back after the trip!!!
 
Russ Calasant said:
What did you decide to do? Do you still need help?
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I decided to hire a captain for the trip. Launch the boat on the Friday - orientation with MM captain (3-4 hours), do a couple of runs Narraganset bay on Sat and head out Sunday or Monday depending on weather. Wanna come down Friday or Sat?
 
Ask questions of your Captain, get him to explain how to get off a dock and how to land on a dock ask if you can try and he should explain how to do things. Get him to teach you how to use your boat. There is no such thing as dumb question when it comes to running a boat. An extra hour with a good Captain will save you a lot of dock marks on your boat.
 
northern said:
Ask questions of your Captain, get him to explain how to get off a dock and how to land on a dock ask if you can try and he should explain how to do things. Get him to teach you how to use your boat. There is no such thing as dumb question when it comes to running a boat. An extra hour with a good Captain will save you a lot of dock marks on your boat.
Click to expand...
Planning on doing that for sure!!
 
Boater71 said:
I decided to hire a captain for the trip. Launch the boat on the Friday - orientation with MM captain (3-4 hours), do a couple of runs Narraganset bay on Sat and head out Sunday or Monday depending on weather. Wanna come down Friday or Sat?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan! Are you picking up the boat at MM at Greenwich Bay Marina? - Derek by chance?
 
northern said:
Ask questions of your Captain, get him to explain how to get off a dock and how to land on a dock ask if you can try and he should explain how to do things. Get him to teach you how to use your boat. There is no such thing as dumb question when it comes to running a boat. An extra hour with a good Captain will save you a lot of dock marks on your boat.
Click to expand...
This is excellent advice.
 
when are you leaving , i am looking at a 460 at the same marina may be down there sat or Sunday not sure it was put in water Thursday and hoping for sea run next weekend if all go's right it will be coming up to Boston my tel #781 864 5000 al
 
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