Mahalo's first Voyage to the New World (longy)

[zinbaad]

First & formost I'd like to say Thank You to every one on the board for all your help & input helping me choose a great vessel. The 31 has now been tried & tested, lol. Ok here it is..
After tossing & turning and a lot of patience waiting for engine & hull survey reports, not to mention the bundles it cost & then waiting for available day off & decent weather the day finally came.
Took the long ride out to Jamesport on Sunday (20-30mph gusts to 35) so I grabbed a hotel for the night planning to take off Monday morning 630am ( winds 10-15) Gas tank read 3/4 (300 gal tank) so doing the math & listening to burn rates figured I should be OK. Got going at 7am light wind in the Peconic, zipped past Shelter Island at 16 knt, beautiful out there, then cutting through Plum Gut, Oh my God, I have to say that was the roughest water I have ever driven through, alone no less ( still trying to cough down left testicle) the 31 plowed under & over 7 footers that looked like Hawaii surf waves, twisted & turned but got through & turned into a constant west wind & 5-7 footers all the way to Port Jeff. Kept her moving at 8-10 knots max but never got a drop of water on me. Bucking tide & wind seemed to suck up fuel & I admitit is now 1230 & fuel gage is at 1/3 tank.. Monday,1230,Nov17, & I am getting a bit panicky. About 60 mile left to get into Laguadia Airport slip. Port Jeff Gas, Closed, 130.. Called Rob who was very supportive, recalled Sea Tow, they made a call to assure 3 miles back gas was open,, whew. 20 min to pump in 169 gallons @3.69($10gal woulda been fine). By now seas droppped to 2 footers but sun is dropping, its 2pm , I think another 50 miles to port. So now I get out at 18-19 knots & make some time, just get me past Huntingtom, familier turf, seems like forever, hey there it is, yeah. Next the NYC skyline way in the distance, then finally the Throggs Neck Bridge. Oh what a comfortable feeling after running first 9 hours ever, about 100 miles in completely new territory for me.
Thanks to the forum I had a feeling of comfort in the 31's handling abilities in rough water, good charts & gps, Robs & Sea Tow for their knowlede & phone support , all got me through.
I have owned several smaller boats since 16 but never took a journey of this magnitude. 10 hours, 100 miles +- Jamesport around the Orient to Laguadia Airport NYC... HAPPY OWNER OF A 31 T.E.
(with "Mahalo" pole holders, LOL)
Gee if only it was summer already

[RobS]

No problem at all, glad to have helped in any capacity.

Thanks for calling before to say you were home, it was relieving to hear.

Congrats on getting it done and more power to you for having the "you-know-whats" to go at it alone (even though you left one of them in Plum Gut )

Enjoy the remnants of the 2008 season

I'll add you to the list for Essex, CT in July.

BTW, You may want to winterize the domestic water even though she's staying in the water a couple more weeks. I did mine tonite, just to be safe.

[zinbaad]

will do after I recooperate tonight. I'll have to do a search on "how to" but I have an idea.
I got home with gage reading little over 3/4 full, that tide & wind must have eatin up that fuel
Hope to get out & catch a striper before they all go up the Hudson. Need to Christen her.

""Ahh what a feeling""

[mhanna]

Glad you made it home and safe. I imagine you are relieved as doing that alone in a new boat and with new waters is challenging.

Get some sleep you deserve it !

Matt

[jleonard]

"The Gut" sure can be nasty when you catch the tide and wind opposing. So you got thru that so next rip will seem pretty tame for sure. LOL
It can be a long run down the sound when you're against the current...seems like I always catch it that way myself.
Have fun.

[Mariner]

I'd just like to share a story I read this morning on another website written by someone who spent Sunday on the water on the other side of Long Island aboard his 17' Boston Whaler. Compared to him, you got off easy:

Set off to take the boat out Sunday for it's final run in the inlet and head to the ramp. Headed to Jones Inlet in Long Island and it was ROUGH. Not even in the inlet and they were 4-5" not bad and usually fun but it was cold just over 40* F and getting wet would not be fun. Took a few good spray and I was wet on one side.
Headed in for the season and was running in the channel between some small islands with marsh. I ran aground about ten feet off the buoy / channel. No excuse but the tides were said to be 2-3 feet below normal. I trimmed the engine up and the boat was still rocking so I figured I could get it off. Tried throwing the anchor out and pulling it free. No dice on that move.

Some idiot drives by and yells get out and push it. No offer for help or even saying do you have a phone or do you need help. So now I know I need to get out fast as the water is leaving fast. Jump over with my boots on figuring if there is one thing on the bottom my feet will find it like a magnet and I be cut.

No dice on pushing so I hop back in fast. Call home and she Tell's me low tide in at 4:30 PM or one hour. Now I know I'll be there a while waiting for tide to return. I threw out the anchors front and rear to keep it from blowing to shore when water returns.

I could have called Sea-tow but I am pretty thick headed and figured I am in no danger I'll get myself out. She's panicking and calls Coast Guard. I blew a gasket when she said wanted to call. Then the phone rings and it is the CG. I told him I am find and have a cell and handheld VHF and fairly comfortable.

Now it is dark and wind is howling at 25-30 knots and some good gust thrown in. Feet were a bit cold being in wet Red Wings. Now she tells me high tide in 10PM so I wait. I had a jacket and sweat shirt on. Now it is not really very comfortable so I get the center console cover out for shelter. Being about 6-1 it was a tight fit. I was sitting on the seat behind the console with my head down to keep my feet out of the wind under the canvas cover. My head was only covered to about 5" from my forehead. I got a towel to wear like a Nun below the console cover. It kept my head and ears warm. The sides of the canvas were flapping like a flag on each side of my head but I tried to hold it to a minimum.

When I thought it was dark it only got darker. I tried to get my bearing on the land lights around me. I huddled down but it was getting a bit more miserable as temps dropped and wind howled. I then decide to put the console over myself like it sits on the console for more protection. Previously I was wrapped in it with my face sticking out.

Few friends called to ask what I was doing and I told them to their disbelief. I tried not to watch the watch as it would never end. Then it was 10PM and high tide so I tried to see where I was going. Looking away from the moon West I could see near nothing. I tried to head home but it was futile as I couldn't see 20'. I then decide to heave anchor again but it only lasted 10 minutes as I had another 7-8 hours to light, I went East to the ramp slowly by the moonlight. Still couldn't see much but was headed up the Freeport Creek to the ramp.

When I got there she wanted to tie it up and leave it for the night. I wanted it out and home. We loaded it up in the dark. The parking lot was well lit but the ramp was not good.

Got home to clean the boat off and in the house about 12:30 AM. Never thought I would see the sheets at home that night and they looked good.

Lesson learn are I should have cleaned my glasses from the inlet spray. I might then have seen the buoy and skipped the whole deal I had just experienced. I had no flashlight or spotlight big mistake. Next time I'll keep old spare sneakers and socks in the boat. I may keep and complete change like I do in my work truck. I always keep a few bottles of water on the boat. Having a open boat I realized I have no protection so a few rain-suits and plastic tarps are in order for sun or rain protection. Few durable snacks would have been nice also. Tonight I bought the spotlight even though I am out for the season. It runs from batteries and power outlet on the boat. I will also keep and regular flashlight on board also.

Any tips for my stupidity are welcome, it was an experience even as it seems breif now that I am home. If you got this far thanks for listening.

[jcollins]

Brrrrrr....that's all I can say. It was in the 20s here last night. High 20s but still....

[RicM]

Sounds a little hairy for my taste (I am the forum wuss) but congratulations. I won't head into anything more than 2-3 footers (as they have a way of becoming 3-5) and obsessively watch the marine weather reports, tide and buoy data before heading anywhere. Not that I think these boats won't take it, I just hate chugging along at 8 knots in a headsea chop for hours at a time. We did it this year returning from the Boston rendezvous the whole length of Buzzards' Bay(notorius water), and I vowed "Never Again". Karen doesn't understand my passion for leaving at first light when the wind and seas are usually calmer and often wakes up in a new port, because I got up at 5AM and shoved off for the next destination.

You have also discovered the joy and the comfort of calling Rob S a friend. You are never alone on the water if Rob is within driving or cell range!

[RobS]

You have also discovered the joy and the comfort of calling Rob S a friend. You are never alone on the water if Rob is within driving or cell range!

[jcollins]

Eddy,
Just reread this post.
My first trip with Afterglow was in December, 2005. The Bay was 2-3 for the 1.5 hr trip. Then into Middle River just cruising along. We turned into the creek and the previous owner, who was with me, FREAKED when I started using "his" Albin to break the ice to get into the slip! It was just a very thin glaze, but he had never done anything like that. It sounds like it's tearing your hull apart. I guess the point is, the first ride is great, no matter what the conditions are. (within reason)

[zinbaad]

I have been sweating it out most of the winter because of my choice to leave the Albin in the water for the winter. I don't think I will do it again. Ice has come and gone several times & I have considered what it would be like to push through some thin ice & try for a dry storage but so far we're making it through. Whew. The wind last week with up to 50mph sure had me on edge keeping a close eye on her. I must admit though going down & laying around with a cup of coffee smoking a cigar & watching a few NorthEast fishing video's was real nice over the winter. Spring is just around the corner..... I hope

[jcollins]

Did you put an ice eater in or does the marina do that for you?

[RicM]

I have to admit that although it's a sad day when I haul out (late Nov) and a glad day when Time after Time splashes (Late April) there is a peace that descends over our household when she's safe, secure, and shrink wrapped in the yard. Like so many of the good things in life, if you have it all, all the time, it's no longer fun and special, it can become a responsibility and a burden. The holidays come and go. The depth of New England winter is bleak, dark, and demoralizing and I dream of tropical seas. Then March starts creeping towards me and I get to work on the project list (I'm ordering parts, batteries, the new bolsters got picked up last week). In two weeks I'm taking a long weekend to fish in the Keys. The first warm weekend after that I start the m@*%@#*&^%ing blue hull compound fest (WEE!) Then in a rush that still reminds me of running down a big hill when I was a little boy, I start to ignore work, follow the reports of fish in NJ, NY, then CT. A day or two of whining at the shipyard then the best phone call of the year, 'you're going in tomorrow, have lines and fenders on board'......

[jcollins]

Yeah! What he said.

[Legacy]

Hi Ric. Where in the Keys you heading? If you need any guides or destinations, let me know. We're heading down March 5-15.

Good fishing!

Rick