- Apr 26, 2009
- 5,816
- Boat Info
- '97 330 Sundancer, Raymarine C80 suite with radar, Mercury 310 Hypalon w/8hp Yammie 2stk
- Engines
- 2X 454 carbs w/ vDrives
At least Franks wife still likes to jerk his chain!
Last edited:
Doing the Happy Dance
- Thread starter 45Gunner
- Start date
At least Franks wife still likes to jerk his chain!
El Capitan
Well-Known Member
- Jul 9, 2014
- 3,828
- Boat Info
- 1970 SRV 180 w 2.5L Mercruiser.
2000 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer
- Engines
- 120HP Mercruiser
The two happiest days of a boater....
45Gunner
Active Member
- Sep 22, 2019
- 191
- Boat Info
- 2000 460 Sundancer. Garmin 8612 XSV, GHC 20 Autopilot, GMI 20, 215 VHF, GC 12, Fantom Radar.
- Engines
- Twin 450 Diamond Series 6CTA 8.3M Cummins.
Slight delay in closing due to schedule conflicts. The closing is now scheduled for Dec. 17th. Will be at the dock that afternoon/evening and shoving off the following morning.
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,522
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
I ended up being here yesterday and today - I travel out on the 17th and return the afternoon of the 18th! I'll have Susan say hello.
45Gunner
Active Member
- Sep 22, 2019
- 191
- Boat Info
- 2000 460 Sundancer. Garmin 8612 XSV, GHC 20 Autopilot, GMI 20, 215 VHF, GC 12, Fantom Radar.
- Engines
- Twin 450 Diamond Series 6CTA 8.3M Cummins.
We had some unexpected delays closing on the 460 Sundancer but, finally did so on the 17th of December. After weeks of beautiful weather, it turned very nasty...obviously because I was anxious to get the boat home to the east coast of Florida. We hung out on the boat for two more days. My wife had to be home and a friend volunteered to come help me with the boat. His wife took him, dropped him off and then drove home with my wife.
I have known this guy for years. I have looked at many pictures of his previous boats and listened to the stories of his boating adventures with his brother in law's boats. He always sounded highly knowledgeable and I trusted he knew what he was doing. Day one started out is rain showers. The forecast for the next day was not great either but the day afterward was forecasting some awful weather. I made the decision to forget about the fuel burn as go as fast as I could to get the boat back to my dock.
We arrived at the Franklin Lock and had a very short wait. Made good time to the second lock but had a wait. I decided to take advantage of the time by giving my buddy the helm while I made a quick head call. I wasn't down there 3 minutes and when I came up I quickly discovered he had run us aground. Egad. All he had to do was run the boat in circles if he didn't want to hold it steady in the brisk wind. I think I bent a prop blade backing off the soft grounding. I discovered that after the locking thru and was opening up the throttles. Above 1800 RPM the boat began to vibrate and I had to operate below that, which kept our speed restricted. So much for getting home fast to beat the weather.
We made Clewiston the first night. Refueled and docked right outside the Tiki Bar on a Friday night. Live music. Younger crowd. The boat vibrated from the drums and bass guitars.
Up early the next morning despite the obvious lack of sleep and set out across Lake Okeechobee. I had a day to learn my new to me boat and I have 40 years of solid boating experience behind my belt. The lake had 3 to 5 ft. seas. The boat was rock solid. The wind was about 35 knots and the crossing was uneventful with the exception of the lower than hoped for speed. Nothing remarkable about the remainder of the trip until we hit the Southern Blvd. bridge in Palm Beach County. It was getting dark. It was beginning to rain and the bridge was locked down by the secret service for a presidential motorcade. The bridge tender had no idea of how long it would be locked down. We held outside the bridge area with another boat waiting for the opening for about an hour. I was getting ready to find a marina and call it a night when the bridge tender announced the bridge would be opening in 5 minutes.
It was very dark and cloudy. It rained on and off the rest of the way home. I called my dock master by phone to tell him I would arrive after he left for the day and to inquire if I could leave my boat at the fuel dock that night with the promise to move it first thing in the morning. He said, "No problem." My dock slip is in a private marina in a small cove. Its very tight and can be challenging on a perfectly bright day.
I was back at the dock this morning before the sun came up, sans friend and with my bride. We cleaned up some of the trash from the trip and as soon as the dock master arrived, I topped off both tanks and relocated back to my slip. The dock master volunteered to help set the dock lines as the winds were whipping around in front of an approaching storm. After only two passes, I managed to get the boat backed into the slip without so much as kissing a piling. The dock master complimented me. That felt good. But, most importantly, I impressed myself with how quickly I had learned this boat. My wife later told me, "you did a great job." I do not need accolades but all this felt really good after a miserable day before.
The previously owner did a great job with designing the canvas for the boat. It was done thoughtfully to keep the boat as dry as possible when not being used. Unfortunately I did not have a chance before the closing to take it down and put it back on so I could used to it. After the closing, the previous owner told me he would spend a day with me to show me "the ropes" but due to problems at his business, he did not have the time. I was on by own to figure out the puzzle. Took well over an hour to put the canvas up but that is the last time it will take that long, as I now have the big picture.
Will spend some time this week cleaning the boat after the weather improves in a couple of days. My wife and I are away for a Cruise next week. When we get back home, the boat will come out of the water for fresh bottom paint and to get the prop(s) repaired. After that...let the good times roll.
I have known this guy for years. I have looked at many pictures of his previous boats and listened to the stories of his boating adventures with his brother in law's boats. He always sounded highly knowledgeable and I trusted he knew what he was doing. Day one started out is rain showers. The forecast for the next day was not great either but the day afterward was forecasting some awful weather. I made the decision to forget about the fuel burn as go as fast as I could to get the boat back to my dock.
We arrived at the Franklin Lock and had a very short wait. Made good time to the second lock but had a wait. I decided to take advantage of the time by giving my buddy the helm while I made a quick head call. I wasn't down there 3 minutes and when I came up I quickly discovered he had run us aground. Egad. All he had to do was run the boat in circles if he didn't want to hold it steady in the brisk wind. I think I bent a prop blade backing off the soft grounding. I discovered that after the locking thru and was opening up the throttles. Above 1800 RPM the boat began to vibrate and I had to operate below that, which kept our speed restricted. So much for getting home fast to beat the weather.
We made Clewiston the first night. Refueled and docked right outside the Tiki Bar on a Friday night. Live music. Younger crowd. The boat vibrated from the drums and bass guitars.
Up early the next morning despite the obvious lack of sleep and set out across Lake Okeechobee. I had a day to learn my new to me boat and I have 40 years of solid boating experience behind my belt. The lake had 3 to 5 ft. seas. The boat was rock solid. The wind was about 35 knots and the crossing was uneventful with the exception of the lower than hoped for speed. Nothing remarkable about the remainder of the trip until we hit the Southern Blvd. bridge in Palm Beach County. It was getting dark. It was beginning to rain and the bridge was locked down by the secret service for a presidential motorcade. The bridge tender had no idea of how long it would be locked down. We held outside the bridge area with another boat waiting for the opening for about an hour. I was getting ready to find a marina and call it a night when the bridge tender announced the bridge would be opening in 5 minutes.
It was very dark and cloudy. It rained on and off the rest of the way home. I called my dock master by phone to tell him I would arrive after he left for the day and to inquire if I could leave my boat at the fuel dock that night with the promise to move it first thing in the morning. He said, "No problem." My dock slip is in a private marina in a small cove. Its very tight and can be challenging on a perfectly bright day.
I was back at the dock this morning before the sun came up, sans friend and with my bride. We cleaned up some of the trash from the trip and as soon as the dock master arrived, I topped off both tanks and relocated back to my slip. The dock master volunteered to help set the dock lines as the winds were whipping around in front of an approaching storm. After only two passes, I managed to get the boat backed into the slip without so much as kissing a piling. The dock master complimented me. That felt good. But, most importantly, I impressed myself with how quickly I had learned this boat. My wife later told me, "you did a great job." I do not need accolades but all this felt really good after a miserable day before.
The previously owner did a great job with designing the canvas for the boat. It was done thoughtfully to keep the boat as dry as possible when not being used. Unfortunately I did not have a chance before the closing to take it down and put it back on so I could used to it. After the closing, the previous owner told me he would spend a day with me to show me "the ropes" but due to problems at his business, he did not have the time. I was on by own to figure out the puzzle. Took well over an hour to put the canvas up but that is the last time it will take that long, as I now have the big picture.
Will spend some time this week cleaning the boat after the weather improves in a couple of days. My wife and I are away for a Cruise next week. When we get back home, the boat will come out of the water for fresh bottom paint and to get the prop(s) repaired. After that...let the good times roll.
Last edited:
FootballFan
Well-Known Member
love hearing about the trip home, boating is always an adventure.
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,522
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
Sorry we missed you. We got up Friday morning and you were already gone. Susan saw activity and lights on Tuesday evening, but we didn't notice you there on Wednesday or Thursday evening...
45Gunner
Active Member
- Sep 22, 2019
- 191
- Boat Info
- 2000 460 Sundancer. Garmin 8612 XSV, GHC 20 Autopilot, GMI 20, 215 VHF, GC 12, Fantom Radar.
- Engines
- Twin 450 Diamond Series 6CTA 8.3M Cummins.
Recognized your boat at the dock from the forum picture. Seemed like we were always busy doing something but would have enjoyed a face to face meeting. Previous owner left me three briefcases of manuals and paperwork. I'm a guy that "needs" to read manuals of the equipment I operate so I understand everything, or at least as much as possible, about the equipment I operate.
Maybe one day our paths will meet. I have renamed the boat "Sea-Nile" because we must be to do this again at our age.
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,522
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
Reward is not there - she is at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral when she is in FL. She is "enjoying" a winter off in our fresh water, covered slip in Chattanooga this year...
