Follow the 650FLY on Her Journey Back to Florida

SeaRide said:
Nice write ups, Frank. I really like the right of way discussion between the sailboat and car carrier. Nice pictures, too.
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Thanks, Charley.

We've all been in situations where we hear a typical exchange on the VHF, usually in "nautically correct language". Rusty and I both laughed as the car carrier driver or the port pilot, (not sure which) boiled his communication down to where even a sailboater could grasp its meaning.
 
I love this thread! Great pictures and write ups Frank.

I haven't seen ranges since I was boating in Ontario. They are used in Georgian Bay and on Lake Ontario when you enter the Bay of Presquile. From there you're down the Murray Canal and into Trenton at the beginning of the Trent Severn Waterway.

Thanks for sharing!

Mark
 
AMFM3 said:
I love this thread! Great pictures and write ups Frank.

I haven't seen ranges since I was boating in Ontario. They are used in Georgian Bay and on Lake Ontario when you enter the Bay of Presquile. From there you're down the Murray Canal and into Trenton at the beginning of the Trent Severn Waterway.

Thanks for sharing!

Mark
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Yes, tons of ranges around here. Took 3 ranges just to get back into the small craft route at Snug Harbour (Red Rock and Snug lights, if you recall)

Great write up and pics Frank!
 
Great job Frank!
We actually have these ranges all over the place on the upper Bay to help commercial ships heading up the C&D to Philadelphia. It can be very strange to see these huge towers in the middle of what otherwise looks like a lake (until a container ship goes by).
We also use them for all sorts of "other" purposes. For example, the range marking the Brewerton Channel coming out of Baltimore can be used to help us brave souls over the so-called Swan Point bar on the way into Rock Hall.
 
spikedaddy99 said:
I thought those things were sealed.
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This boat has a very short punch list but the 2 Clarion remotes on the bridge are on it as they both had water in them. I am sure Sea Ray thought they were adequately sealed, but apparently Clarion either needs to do more work or provide a different model.
 
So are you ready to trade your cave boat for a bridge yet? you'd be the cats meow at Shell Island in that thing. I can hear it now..."woohoo, party on Franks boat..."
 
Frank and Rusty,
I am curious to know the percentage of top spend on the bridge vs the lower helm while underway.
 
Depending upon whether we were docked with a port or stbd side tie usually controlled the helm choice while docking because the lower helm is on the stbd side while the upper helm is on the port. We both preferred the upper station for getting going in the morning. At 6:45-7:00AM the upper helm is cool and the breeze nice, plus the visability is unsurpassed. This is a fast boat for her size so once we cleared traffic and wake concerns, we usually moved to the lower helm because the wind on the bridge makes it a no hat zone where you almost had to tie sunglasses on with a string. Once underway, the lower helm is very comfortable because you are sitting in Stidd chairs in a temperature controlled environment. Neither Rusty nor I are stewardess material and we were only using the galley refrigerator so the lower helm put us near the creature comforts. Therefore, once underway, the lower helm was the position of choice, so on a 10 hour day, we probably spent 8-1/2 to 9 hours there. Excepetions were days on the ICW or where we ran at reduced speeds to manage the wake when the upper control station was the better choice.

I should also add while the 2 stations have a slightly different layout, they have identical functionality. You have everything including identical navigation electronics at both stations, unlike some other boats where one station is primary and you have bare bone control from secondary stations. On the 650 you have equal control at either position.
 
searay40dad said:
So are you ready to trade your cave boat for a bridge yet? you'd be the cats meow at Shell Island in that thing. I can hear it now..."woohoo, party on Franks boat..."
Click to expand...

While I love the 650FLY and nearly everything about it, it just isn't a fit for our boating location and the way we use our boat. Now, for a serious cruising boat, it would be very difficult to find a better choice than the 650........I've stayed in expensive hotel rooms that weren't as comfortable as the master suite on this boat.
 
Us cave boaters have feelings too you know.....!

Enjoying the blog Frank...makes the prospect of doing the Great Loop or parts of it even more inviting.
 
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fwebster said:
Depending upon whether we were docked with a port or stbd side tie usually controlled the helm choice while docking because the lower helm is on the stbd side while the upper helm is on the port. We both preferred the upper station for getting going in the morning. At 6:45-7:00AM the upper helm is cool and the breeze nice, plus the visability is unsurpassed. This is a fast boat for her size so once we cleared traffic and wake concerns, we usually moved to the lower helm because the wind on the bridge makes it a no hat zone where you almost had to tie sunglasses on with a string. Once underway, the lower helm is very comfortable because you are sitting in Stidd chairs in a temperature controlled environment. Neither Rusty nor I are stewardess material and we were only using the galley refrigerator so the lower helm put us near the creature comforts. Therefore, once underway, the lower helm was the position of choice, so on a 10 hour day, we probably spent 8-1/2 to 9 hours there. Excepetions were days on the ICW or where we ran at reduced speeds to manage the wake when the upper control station was the better choice.

I should also add while the 2 stations have a slightly different layout, they have identical functionality. You have everything including identical navigation electronics at both stations, unlike some other boats where one station is primary and you have bare bone control from secondary stations. On the 650 you have equal control at either position.
Click to expand...
Thanks Frank for the detailed response, it's nice to have that option.
 
We are back in Florida at last!

Thursday's run was a long one but in reasonably good conditions so we covered a lot of ocean. Our original plan was to make it to Daytona/Ponce Inlet, but fuel concerns caused by the day's sea conditions and a late arrival (like after dark) made us choose a more conservative stop for the day.......St. Augustine, here we come:

First, we see the beach at St. Augustine:

650staugbeach.jpg


The , the St. Augustine Light:

650st.jpg


One of the marinas at St. Augustine:

650stauglight2.jpg


When we chose to make St. Augustine our stop for the night and for fuel, we thought we were finally going to have a short day. But wait.......the St. Augustine bridge haas 24 ft of clearance and we need 28 ft......and the danged thing only opens on the hour except at 5pm........so we'll be waiting until 5:30. No early dinner for us. Here we are drifting in the current, enjoying the local scenery and rigging lines for tonite's stop.


650staugbridge.jpg


When we make it through the bridge, the city marina is immediately to our stbd. These sailing vessels are replicas of El Galeón & Nao Victoria, the types of ships that traveled up and down the Florida coast in the 16th-18th centuries.


650replica1.jpg


650replica2.jpg


And, the 650FLY all fueled and tucked in for the night.


650ataug650.jpg


650ataug6502.jpg
 
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