Spring in DC

[Aero Nautical]

Looking forward to possibly venturing to DC later this year. I know about National Harbor, been there by car and it seems very accessible to boaters. What else is there in DC that welcomes boaters. Ol Town perhaps or anything near Georgetown?

 

[ZZ13]

Looking forward to possibly venturing to DC later this year. I know about National Harbor, been there by car and it seems very accessible to boaters. What else is there in DC that welcomes boaters. Ol Town perhaps or anything near Georgetown?

We like to stay at the Alexandria City Marina for a night and walk around Old Town Alexandra and eat there. You have to pre-register for overnight stay so just go online and you can fill out an application and make a reservation if you know the exact day(s) you will be there. They also do 4-hour transient as available slips.

 

[WDCboater]

Looking forward to possibly venturing to DC later this year. I know about National Harbor, been there by car and it seems very accessible to boaters. What else is there in DC that welcomes boaters. Ol Town perhaps or anything near Georgetown?

I agree with Alexandria City dock. There is a lot to walk to. National harbor is ok as well.
There is no marina near Georgetown. You can also get a transient slip at James Creek or Columbia Island, but neither are really close to anything. James Creek is close to Nats park, so not bad if you're going to a game, but that's about it.

Alexandria is fixed docks. National Harbor is floating. Just an FYI.

 

[Mikemapva]

We've overnighted several times at the Alexandria City Dock. It's a great location with the access to all that Old Town offers. However, it's not perfect. As Ryan noted, it has fixed docks, and the tide swing can be pretty a few feet, so I always end up getting up in the middle of the night to adjust lines. It's also a pretty public dock, and it's possible for people just to wander the docks around the docked boats. We haven't had any problems, but just wanted to make you aware. We've only been to National Harbor for a few hours during the day. They are very large floating docks (easy to get into), and are more private than Old Town with a gate access to the slips.

Mike

 

[ZZ13]

We've overnighted several times at the Alexandria City Dock. It's a great location with the access to all that Old Town offers. However, it's not perfect. As Ryan noted, it has fixed docks, and the tide swing can be pretty a few feet, so I always end up getting up in the middle of the night to adjust lines. It's also a pretty public dock, and it's possible for people just to wander the docks around the docked boats. We haven't had any problems, but just wanted to make you aware. We've only been to National Harbor for a few hours during the day. They are very large floating docks (easy to get into), and are more private than Old Town with a gate access to the slips.

Mike

You mean the little thigh high gate the close to the Alexandria dock entry at night isn't secure enough for you?

So, did you get out for a ride in the new ship yet?

 

[Mikemapva]

You mean the little thigh high gate the close to the Alexandria dock entry at night isn't secure enough for you?

So, did you get out for a ride in the new ship yet?

Yeah, that gate is pretty high security.

Splashed yesterday and headed straight for the gas dock at Belmont Bay as I was on fumes. Did a quick run out through the channel to run it on plane, and then headed back into practice docking. After I sort of got it down, I used my incredible new skills to tow a derelict boat out of my new slip at FYC to my old slip at FYC to help out the slip owner. Will probably bring my son down today and take a short ride.

Did you make it out this weekend?

Mike

 

[ZZ13]

Yeah, that gate is pretty high security.

Splashed yesterday and headed straight for the gas dock at Belmont Bay as I was on fumes. Did a quick run out through the channel to run it on plane, and then headed back into practice docking. After I sort of got it down, I used my incredible new skills to tow a derelict boat out of my new slip at FYC to my old slip at FYC to help out the slip owner. Will probably bring my son down today and take a short ride.

Did you make it out this weekend?

Mike

I was at the marina (Belmont Bay) Friday all day and Sat morning. I saw someone taking out Chaparral on the channel about your size about your year at around 9:00 in the morning. Had two bimini supports wrapped up. Was that you? I then helped my dockmate move their 2006 300DA (the Blue Haven) to their new slip at FYC. They unexpectedly switched marinas on us at the 11th hour. So if you see them say hi for me.

 

[Mikemapva]

I was at the marina (Belmont Bay) Friday all day and Sat morning. I saw someone taking out Chaparral on the channel about your size about your year at around 9:00 in the morning. Had two bimini supports wrapped up. Was that you? I then helped my dockmate move their 2006 300DA (the Blue Haven) to their new slip at FYC. They unexpectedly switched marinas on us at the 11th hour. So if you see them say hi for me.

Hey Bill,

We didn't launch until about noon, so that wasn't me. We had the full camper canvas up yesterday, and it's green in color. No name yet, still working on both the name and where to place it with 4 fenders mounted on the transom.

Small world. I actually met Larry and Erica(?) yesterday afternoon. (I met a bunch of new people yesterday so not sure I'm remembering her name correctly). Their new slip is about 4 or 5 further out the same dock from mine.

The previous owner of my Chap was also in Belmont Bay. His name was Marty something or other.

Mike

 

[ZZ13]

Hey Bill,

We didn't launch until about noon, so that wasn't me. We had the full camper canvas up yesterday, and it's green in color. No name yet, still working on both the name and where to place it with 4 fenders mounted on the transom.

Small world. I actually met Larry and Erica(?) yesterday afternoon. (I met a bunch of new people yesterday so not sure I'm remembering her name correctly). Their new slip is about 4 or 5 further out the same dock from mine.

The previous owner of my Chap was also in Belmont Bay. His name was Marty something or other.

Mike

Yup, she is Erica. Wonderful people.

 

[Mikemapva]

It was another great weekend on the water in the Northern Virginia area. On Saturday, we helped with our marina clean up, then went for a ride and ended up at Madigan's in Occoquan. Captain Dave was playing and it was a good time while tied up at the town dock. Sunday brought a trip to Tim's for the crawdad festival and a good time was had by all.

Can't wait for summer to get here!

Mike

 

[ZZ13]

It was another great weekend on the water in the Northern Virginia area. On Saturday, we helped with our marina clean up, then went for a ride and ended up at Madigan's in Occoquan. Captain Dave was playing and it was a good time while tied up at the town dock. Sunday brought a trip to Tim's for the crawdad festival and a good time was had by all.

Can't wait for summer to get here!

Mike

Sounds great. Getting in and out of Madigan's dock scares me. You are a braver soul than I. How the heck would I have known Tim's had a crawdad festival? I gotta read more I guess.

I spent today at the marina cleaning and waxing the starboard side. It was beautiful out (still is). Now my shoulder needs some rehab before I do the port side.

 

[Mikemapva]

Sounds great. Getting in and out of Madigan's dock scares me. You are a braver soul than I. How the heck would I have known Tim's had a crawdad festival? I gotta read more I guess.

I spent today at the marina cleaning and waxing the starboard side. It was beautiful out (still is). Now my shoulder needs some rehab before I do the port side.

I probably mispoke on where I docked. I was at the town dock that comes out from the gazebo next to Madigan's. I tried to go to Madigan's one time on the old boat and hit the rockpile. The only issue I had on the town dock was blocking the Miss Rivershore from loading and unloading. Had to slide the boat down the dock.

I'm still sore from the marina cleanup. We moved a bunch of azaleas, and somehow I hauled most of them up the hill from the clubhouse to the front gate. I need to get a good coat of wax topside, but haven't done it yet.

With regards to Tim's, I had picked up one of his schedule of events at the Dulles Expo boat show a few weeks ago, and that was the first thing I noticed. They do a good job with it: crawfish, etouffe, gumbo, and jambalaya.

Mike

 

[Aero Nautical]

Hoping the bottom gets painted this week and she gets splashed! Also mangled the oil filters during a fluid change this weekend. I didn't have anything to cut them off. I didn't even attempt the fuel filters after that fiasco. So paying a mech to get in there to change the oil & fuel filters this week for me.

It'll be the first time on the boat in the water since the sea trial back in October. Very exciting!

Planning to stop at Coles Point for gas; never been there but it looks easily accessible and hopefully not too crowded.

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[JimFromMD]

Also mangled the oil filters during a fluid change this weekend. I didn't have anything to cut them off.

Boy do I know that oh-crap feeling. I mangled one filter the first time I tried changing my oil myself. Ended up needing one of those rubber strap wrench gizmos to get it off after it was crushed to the point of not working with any other tool. After that I've found the metal band style oil wrench to be the best solution, grabbing hold up closer to the top end where the threads are, but not "wrenching down" on it to the point of crushing the can. Seems a two-handed approach (one for some force on clamping the band tight but not crush-tight, and one for actually turning the wrench) worked best. Same way for the spin on/off fuel filters.

... Oh and last tip... monkeying around in the bilge upside down and right side up for 15 minutes trying to remember which way the filter is supposed to turn based on the arrow you cant see on the filter in its current position... priceless.

 

[blaster]

Its kinda messy but I have has success punching a screwdriver through the filter to get leverage on a tight filter.

 

[ZZ13]

I spent a lovely spring day yesterday in the mini-Sea Ray on the ICW in South Carolina. Snapped a couple of pics. First is of the 175 after I just dunked it into the water at the Lady's Island Landing in Beaufort. Second is its monster 135HP power plant churning up the seas. Seriously, it gets on plane instantaneously (like less than 5 seconds) when you are used to the long drawn out planning process on the 300DA. The final pic is of a local guy's boat project in progress. He took a bridge off a power boat and slapped into the hull of a sailboat. Attached some plywood all the way around the bridge and painted it, and there you have it - a boat. I have no idea what he has under the hood. Its back to the muddy waters of the Potomac this weekend.

 

[Mikemapva]

I spent a lovely spring day yesterday in the mini-Sea Ray on the ICW in South Carolina. Snapped a couple of pics. First is of the 175 after I just dunked it into the water at the Lady's Island Landing in Beaufort. Second is its monster 135HP power plant churning up the seas. Seriously, it gets on plane instantaneously (like less than 5 seconds) when you are used to the long drawn out planning process on the 300DA. The final pic is of a local guy's boat project in progress. He took a bridge off a power boat and slapped into the hull of a sailboat. Attached some plywood all the way around the bridge and painted it, and there you have it - a boat. I have no idea what he has under the hood. Its back to the muddy waters of the Potomac this weekend.

Bill,

I'm jealous of your boating down there. I'm sure the water was much warmer than it is up here.

That's quite a project that guy put together down there!

Have a good trip back and maybe see you on the river.

Mike

 

[ZZ13]

Bill,

I'm jealous of your boating down there. I'm sure the water was much warmer than it is up here.

That's quite a project that guy put together down there!

Have a good trip back and maybe see you on the river.

Mike

I actually enjoy salt water boating quite a bit more than fresh water boating. The water is clear, there is aquatic life everywhere (dolphins, oysters, egrits, etc), the changing of the tides is fun and challenging, and the salt taste/feel actually has a satisfaction to it. It takes me about an hour to de-salinate the boat back at the house before its buttoned back up in the garage. As I was telling JimFromMD offline, even that hour cleanup is kinda fun.

 

[ZZ13]

Just got home from spending a few hours anchored at Mattawoman Creek with my daughter. She was in town and has never been on the boat. Anyway, are they intentionally dumping big dense fields of sticks and boards and stuff in the water because I'm there. Where does all this crap come from?

 

[Mikemapva]

Bill,

Was it bad the entire way from Belmont Bay to Mattawoman, or just in places? I'm hoping to get out some this weekend, but don't know when. I always wonder where all of that comes from too. It hasn't been raining enough to wash a significant amount of junk into the water.

Mike