Follow the 650FLY on Her Journey Back to Florida

We need to pitch in for a new camera for Frank next trip!
 
fwebster said:
Not even close............ I'm not even sure I would try running a Meridian in those conditions, but if you did it would rattle like a can full of marbles
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That's how we get the sea ray snob reputation. we should be more respectful and tolerant of those who are less fortunate and far less wise than we are.
 
Do you really think I travelled to NY with an umbrella? I borrowed what I could borrow.................the guy in the Scout didn't seem to mind; at least he didn't come back for it while I was eating supper.
 
I think he's implying it was a boat. BUT, we have it all documented on video. someone emailed me video of Frank getting off the plane waving the umbrella around yelling "don't come near me you Yankee weird talkers". Then he walked over to the pilot and told him he was throttling up too fast and it was leaving soot on the side of the plane.
 
Than you Frank. That was a good essay of your travels. We keep our boat at the marina you photographed with the Yorktown. Just could not make the schedule work to see ya'll. Next time maybe?
 
Frank,

Thank you and Rusty for sharing such inspiring journey with us. It's great you see you guys back home safe and sound.
 
Rick, of all people, should know that you cannot believe everything you see on the internet............The Scout was the very nice center console docked across from us, not a '60's era International truck. The umbrella was Rusty's; I was just carrying it. It was huge; big enough to keep 2 full grown adults dry. We'd been in thunderstorms all day and the restaurant was about a 1/2 mile walk down the road.

And, no, after this week, I was in no frame of mind to discuss anything with the Southwest pilot. I slept all the way from push-back in Orlando to the gate in Nashville. The crowds in Orlando, the late flight, the delays, all brought back the reasons I burned out on commercial travel and retired early. I much prefer trips that terminate as you nudge the hull into place against fenders on a dock than those ending with a partially controlled crash as an airplane comes hurtling back to earth.
 
I'm not part of the "Big Boat" family, but I have truly enjoyed watching the progress of the 650FLY as she made her way up the East coast, and then back down to her home at Sea Ray headquarters at Merrit Island. I would love to someday make the trip down the ICW, or even part of it. Many thanks to Rusty H and Frank W for taking the time to document the trip. I'm sure it was as fun as it looked, challenges and all.
 
I think Mike has some video of Frank sleeping on the plane.
 
fwebster said:
Rick, of all people, should know that you cannot believe everything you see on the internet............The Scout was the very nice center console docked across from us, not a '60's era International truck. The umbrella was Rusty's; I was just carrying it. It was huge; big enough to keep 2 full grown adults dry. We'd been in thunderstorms all day and the restaurant was about a 1/2 mile walk down the road.

And, no, after this week, I was in no frame of mind to discuss anything with the Southwest pilot. I slept all the way from push-back in Orlando to the gate in Nashville. The crowds in Orlando, the late flight, the delays, all brought back the reasons I burned out on commercial travel and retired early. I much prefer trips that terminate as you nudge the hull into place against fenders on a dock than those ending with a partially controlled crash as an airplane comes hurtling back to earth.
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Mike, thanks for sending me this picture you took of Frank & Rusty.
 

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My previous posts on this thread were in chronological order as we travelled south. I've realized that there were some questions asked by others that I didn't take time to answer. So, this is kind of a catch-all to answer those questions and to cover some things that just didn't fit in the photo-oriented posts along the way:


THE 650FLY

The purpose of this thread was to document the trip, not review the boat.....I'll leave that to the magazine folks. However, when you spend more than a week with a boat, you will develop an opinion about it. For those of you who know me, know that I am critical when it comes to boat design and function. A boat might have a lot of glitz and glamour, but above all it should be a good boat first. That includes handling, sea keeping, convenience/access, and a host other things. I didn't much like the overall design until I saw the 650 in person. Well, Sea Ray got it absolutely right with this one. With one or 2 minor exceptions, there is not a single thing I would change. The 650 is a wonderful performer in every situation we put her in coming back to Florida. The Caterpillar C-18's were smooth and just as "torquey" as you would expect Cats to be.....put the 650 in gear, the response is immediate; she is going somewhere right now. The bow and stern thrusters allow you to walk the boat sideways without a joystick. Rusty can park the 65'-1" boat in 65'-7" and getting off a dock in a stiff beam wind is a snap.

Here are a few views that won't make it to the magazine articles:



The Cat C-18's are inline 6 cylinder engines. Engine placement gives you ample room to walk between the engines. All fluid check points and filters are accessible from here. The walkway is a molded non-skid fiberglass false floor that is removeable. When in position, it's elevation is about at the top of the oil pan.


650engine1.jpg


650engine2.jpg


View from the bulkhead looking aft at the generator - note the DC panel in the bilge:


650engine3.jpg



This is the STBD Seakeeper gyro stabilizer. Note the battery box on top of the stabilizer. This 650 has a NiCad Battery System. She is powered by just four large NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) batteries. I have no idea about the cost, but suspect they are expensive. Also, note the black hydraulic pump mounted on the transmission's power take-off.....right above the blue silicone hose on the tides shaft seal. This is the hydraulic pump for the bow and stern thrusters. As long as you have engine rpm's, you have thruster power with no fear of low or dead batteries.


650engine4.jpg



SEAKEEPER Gyro Stabilizers

This was my first experience with a stabilized boat. The principle behind gyro stabilization is the same as that of a child's spinning top. Once in motion, the flywheel tends to stay in position and resists any force that attempts to reorient it. In this application, you have to build the inertia by spooling up the flywheel to very high speeds. During this process the Seakeeper is locked down and not operable. After roughly 20 minutes, the flywheel is spinning fast enough to allow the gyro to be unlocked at which time it is operating. The difference in ride in beam or quartering seas is very dramatic. In a sea running 90 degrees to the axis of the boat or course followed, the rolling motion is reduced by about 80%. It becomes less effective the closer to head or following seas your course of travel is, but its effect is still noticeable. This isn't an option...it is standard on the 650L class and just goes to show the lengths Sea ray has gone to to make this boat a standout performer.


SPEEDS

Top speed is about 31 kts (35 mph) at WOT. We were fully loaded with fuel, water, gear etc, so we never opened the Cats up. We ran the boat at the recommended E (pleasurecraft) output for the C-18's which is 85% load down to 70%, depending upon sea conditions and visibility.

65085%.jpg


As the above photo shows, 85% load gave us 25.5kts (29.3mph). Depending upon sea conditions, that is 42 to 47 GPH per engine.


The 650FLY is a big boat at 80,000 lbs, but she is a real performer.....and really pretty efficient for her size.


WAKE MANAGEMENT

This boat draws more then 5ft and weighs 80,000+ lbs when loaded. That means she cuts a big deep hole in the water as she passes by. Against the idle stops, the 650 is moving at 7.4 kts. Anything faster than that gives you a wake you have to pay attention to. both of these photos were taken at reduces power settings of about 75%:


650wake1.jpg



650wake2.jpg


You absolutely have to pay attention to what is ahead, beside and behind you......unless you want to give all the snakes, turtles and an occasional fisherman a bath in brackish, tannin filled water.



"DRIVE-BY-WIRE"

I don't know if 'drive-by-wire" is a correct terminology for the 650FLY's design, but it is as close to accurate on this boat as any I have ever seen. Every interface with humans is electronically controlled.....except unlocking and opening the door. Steering, throttles, shifters, thrusters, joystick, engine controls, engine instruments, navigation, radar, depth reading, .....you name it and it has an electronic interface. While I am not a fan of trusting electronics for tasks that control your ability to get home, it all works flawlessly on this boat. In fact, with 3 stations for controls......bridge, cabin and cockpit (has an optional joystick controller for docking) electronic controls are about the only reasonable way to handle it. The control input effort would be impossible to manage if mechanical controls were used. The steering worked perfectly, but one must wonder how you would steer the boat in the event of an electronic glitch in the steering system.

I grew to really like the Glendinning controls:

650controls1.jpg


650controls2.jpg




NAViGATION

Someone asked how we did the navigation on this trip. Uuhhh................pull out of NY/NJ and turn right?

With 2 of us on the boat who could navigate made it simple and safe. Rusty has been here before, so he chose the route and stops. From there, we had 2 15" Raymarine MFD's (multifunction displays) at each control station. The left screen was set with a full screen chart display; the right one was custom windows with the top half of the screen for analog engine displays the bottom half divided into a large view chart and radar. The left screen was set on from 1/2 mile to 10 mile ranges and was primary so we could see charted obstacles. The chart on the right was set on a larger scale out to 50 miles to give us big picture perspective. The radar was adjusted in or out depending upon targets we needed to identify. We also kept a cruising guide and a paper chart open for the area were were in. The guy not driving followed the progress down the ICW to confirm approaching bouy numbers and obstructions. The paper chart was very valuable on the ICW and harbor entrances, but not so much in open water since our charting data from Navionics was the latest version.



CAPT. RUSTY HIGGINS


Most of us know Rusty primarily thru his work in customer service and as the over-all good will ambassador for Sea Ray boats, Inc. He is always positive, always ready to help, even with the most insignificant of requests from a customer. A true sales tool for Sea Ray, I saw Rusty happliy accommodate idiotic and over-reaching requests from dealer's sales people on the one event I was present for. Sea Ray is a better and stronger company because of Capt. Higgins. You should also know that Rusty is indeed a Master Mariner. There are but a handfull of people with whom I will climb on a boat and untie the lines when I am not in control. I will go anywhere (almost!) with Rusty. He is as conservative as I, never takes a risk and always puts the safety of the crew and boat above scheduling and requests to hurry up. I am very fortunate that I get to call Rusty Higgins my friend.


This was an opportunity of a lifetime for me and, I hope you have enjoyed reading along with our adventure.
 
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