Woody
Well-Known Member
Two years ago I moved up in size to a 420DA. The first season was a lot of learning about the boat. Looking out over the bow it seemed so long, so big. Prior to actually taking it out the first time I admit to being intimidated. I crawled around the boat a couple weekends checking things, did some minor fixing, ordered cases of filters, gathered up a tool kit, did a couple short test runs, and then we headed it for home….north up Lake Michigan, under the Mac bridge into Lake Huron, north up the St Mary’s river, through the Soo locks, then west on Lake Superior to the Keweenaw Peninsula.
I had planned to split the trip up with 3 stops along the way finishing up on the 4th day. The boat was running good, I had two fuel stops already and had a feel for fuel usage so on day 3 we kept on going for home, 225 miles that day, 500 miles total trip. I never had radar or autopilot before so even though I read and re-read manuals things didn’t really fall into place until I started using them. The weather wasn’t the best, cool, some drizzle, some fog, but we had a great time.
It’s been said many times at CSR that the handling is much improved on these larger boats with v or straight drives and even more so combined with diesel torque. Thankfully I found this to be true the very first time out.
When I laid out the trip home I checked out the marinas I would be using on Google maps. I measured fairways, checked fuel docks and access, I pretty much knew ahead my options for approach that would be best for me and the new boat. The first time I went for fuel it was a breeze, just as I planned it,….then the attendant said a big boat is coming in, you gotta back around and I’ll fuel you on the other side. Whaaaat, I’m thinking dude this boat ain’t went backwards yet since I’ve owned it. I went from having a 100’ of dock all to myself to backing around along side the stub at the end….let’s see, straight rudders, check, don’t get nervous, fck you….phew, we made it.
My second fuel stop went as planned also. This place had two hoses fueling both tanks at the same time so it didn’t take long. After fueling up I asked which slip they wanted me in and they said ‘just back around the end of the fuel dock’ and take one of the first two, which ever one you like. Well heck, ‘just back around’, I did it yesterday, I’m a pro now. I asked them to be on the finger in case I needed help, new boat and all. So I backed into the double well with no pilings in the middle and tied on the portside. They said I did good, they wouldn’t have known I had little experience with the boat. I didn’t tell them my original intentions were a strbd tie.
The last day we pulled into ‘our’ marina at about 10:30pm, it was dark. First time coming into our new slip….nothing but net. I said to my wife ‘hey, how about that, dark too’, she said ‘what a man’.:lol:
That first summer, what luxury, two heads, and all that room….who could ask for anything more. Well,…. After two seasons we still love the boat but we have the same opinion of it as we had of the 280DA, it’s a good 2 person boat. Man o’ man, how big does it have to get for that to stop.
I had planned to split the trip up with 3 stops along the way finishing up on the 4th day. The boat was running good, I had two fuel stops already and had a feel for fuel usage so on day 3 we kept on going for home, 225 miles that day, 500 miles total trip. I never had radar or autopilot before so even though I read and re-read manuals things didn’t really fall into place until I started using them. The weather wasn’t the best, cool, some drizzle, some fog, but we had a great time.
It’s been said many times at CSR that the handling is much improved on these larger boats with v or straight drives and even more so combined with diesel torque. Thankfully I found this to be true the very first time out.
When I laid out the trip home I checked out the marinas I would be using on Google maps. I measured fairways, checked fuel docks and access, I pretty much knew ahead my options for approach that would be best for me and the new boat. The first time I went for fuel it was a breeze, just as I planned it,….then the attendant said a big boat is coming in, you gotta back around and I’ll fuel you on the other side. Whaaaat, I’m thinking dude this boat ain’t went backwards yet since I’ve owned it. I went from having a 100’ of dock all to myself to backing around along side the stub at the end….let’s see, straight rudders, check, don’t get nervous, fck you….phew, we made it.
My second fuel stop went as planned also. This place had two hoses fueling both tanks at the same time so it didn’t take long. After fueling up I asked which slip they wanted me in and they said ‘just back around the end of the fuel dock’ and take one of the first two, which ever one you like. Well heck, ‘just back around’, I did it yesterday, I’m a pro now. I asked them to be on the finger in case I needed help, new boat and all. So I backed into the double well with no pilings in the middle and tied on the portside. They said I did good, they wouldn’t have known I had little experience with the boat. I didn’t tell them my original intentions were a strbd tie.
The last day we pulled into ‘our’ marina at about 10:30pm, it was dark. First time coming into our new slip….nothing but net. I said to my wife ‘hey, how about that, dark too’, she said ‘what a man’.:lol:
That first summer, what luxury, two heads, and all that room….who could ask for anything more. Well,…. After two seasons we still love the boat but we have the same opinion of it as we had of the 280DA, it’s a good 2 person boat. Man o’ man, how big does it have to get for that to stop.