Boston Boating Blog

It is time and I am very excited. Dad is coming down from Maine on the early train and we are driving to Salem and launching the Donna Julie II. We will be brining the boat from Danvers to Boston into Constitution Marina.

Some times they say, an uneventful trip is a good trip and in this case it certainly was. We left the Danvers river at approximately 12:20 and made it to the slip at Constitution Marina by 2:30 – then it took me another 20 minutes to park – ha ha – I still need to get my parking act together. It was a good day on the water.

We did see one dive boat but other than that. Just a simple good day.

Looking forward to blogging all summer long about our adventures.

That is right. This winter I took classes every Monday this winter for 16 weeks (4 more classes to go) I worked on achieving my captain’s license. Believe it or not, this would actually allow me to drive a boat of 100GT (gross tons). Can you imagine that?

I have to say I really took the class to be a smarter boater. (I really wish other Boston based boaters would do this – it gets crazy out there off the north east coast in the summer time.) We had an OUTSTANDING instructor. His name is Capt. Dyson. Capt. Dyson has a diving business and is one of the smartest guys I have met. The class was taught with the highest level of professionalism as well as knowledge that was practical to knowing how to proper operate a motor vessel. I have been very very impressed with this course.

So, I can’t wait to get on the water and use my new practical experience. See you all out there this summer.

Ah, you know know what that means? It means that in a VERY few short months, the boat will go back in the water and we will be having some fun in the summer sun!

Donna and I (and my Dad one day) went to the Boston boat show. It was great again! It was fun to “shop” knowing that no matter what, you were going to have your boat in the water in a few months. Donna was pretty funny. She decided to “board” the Environmental Police boat. She told them, they boarded us this summer so she felt it was only fair. Check this out…

Next we checked out this new boat we saw on the show floor. It was painted battle ship gray and was like no other boat I had ever seen. It was from a German company and they had already sold a half dozen of them. This was a pretty interesting boat.

We also spent some time on the new Cobalt 46 Yacht. Danny from East Coast Flightcraft had one of the new Yachts and it is beautiful. It was defiantly the princess of the party, the prettiest boat at the show.

Well, this winter I am going for my captain’s license. It is called a 6-PAK and I am pretty excited. I will be blogging about that until we hit the water again. Stay tuned.

Today I went out on the open seas with my friend Steve. I did not know this until today, however Steve is very famous. Steve has just been awarded a very prestigious award, from the Boston judges of news papers on his outstanding skills as a “witty dude”. Now, I have always known Steve to be witty, however, in this recent scare around identity theft, Steve came up with a very crafty title, in stead of “What’s in your wallet” (clever slogan from Capital One) Steve came up with “Who’s in your wallet!” I like that… but I digress…

Steve and I took a nice tour of the harbor of Boston and today I did something I had never done before. I went into Marina Bay, asked for a slip for lunch, parked and went to the restaurant and had a nice meal. I know, doesn’t sound like much but since my increase in driving confidence after my classes with Jim, I have a lot less fear about parking and going into places.

After our lunch, we toured around George’s Island and then back to the dock. Pretty easy trip today.

Tomorrow the weather looks fantastic! Updates to follow.

Okay, so it has been a while since I updated this crazy thing. It is one of those things, you start and you have the greatest intentions, but then you get busy, and well, you know…

So this summer we have done a TON of boating. We have spent over 200 hours on the water, 150 on the Donna Julie II alone and this week we are headed out on vacation. I am not sure what we are going to do during the week but for Labor Day weekend, we are headed to the Vinyard. I am excited about this.

This summer we have seen some pretty cool stuff. We were out in the harbor when the turned the Constitution around. We saw the 4th of July fireworks from the dock. We have also made some good friends at the marina.

We have seen some pretty amazing boats in the harbor as well. This is a photo of the “Turmoil” owned by the Founder of Lands End. This is a beautiful boat used for exploring. After one of our new marina friends did some research we found that this boat had circumnavigated the North pole starting in the Pacific Ocean. The only boat to do this since the early 1900′s. Additionally this boat carried a Hinkley Picnic boat as it’s run about. (Very Nice)

Also, as you can see, my dad made a couple of trips down and this time he did some “skippering” of the boat. It has been nice to have him down for a visit. He takes the train, I pick him up, we do some boating, catch a burger and then he catches the evening train home.

A few weeks ago this summer, I went to Knoxville, TN to see the launch of the new Cobalt 47. This is one BEAUTIFUL yacht. It has a ton of cool features such as the Zuse drive system, a “skyhook” connected to the GPS system and an in-board modular control system by E-Plex. And for just $950K this boat could be yours. No, I didn’t go to buy one, but I do hope at some point during this winter I can help the guys at East Coast Flightcraft sell one and perhaps make some commission $$$.

Also, it is getting close to the time when I can start my captain’s license classes. Who knows, maybe if I sell a company or two more, I can retire and drive the Ferry back and forth to P-town…

Aside from just more of the same – heading out of the harbor on some new adventure, it has been status quo. I promise to keep up the blog – especially during this vacation and as we venture off to Martha’s Vinyard this coming weekend.

Keeping it between the buoy’s this is Captain Steve signing off.

Great conditions as you can see.

Air Temperature: 78 Degrees
Water Temperature: 51 Degrees – wish I had my suit.

Donna and I took the day off and did some power lounging on our power boat. We had a great day – again!

We took a ride up to Gloucester and saw some more of the sites in the harbor. We also say some big fishing trawlers heading out to drag the ocean.

We also saw various other sites while in Gloucester – a nice old wooden boat being restored, the lobsterman coming in with a flock of sea gulls and a good samaritan towing someone in.

As we headed back to Boston Donna drove. She is really getting the hang of this whole captain thing and I am really getting used to relaxing.

We took some time and floated out in the open ocean and saw the sites. The Environmental Police came out and said “hi”. Two trips two boardings. We have some safe waters here in Boston.

I figured out how to use the GPS to tell me which course to follow. I knew I would figure it out.

During our ride, we confirmed the new arrival of the Donna Julie II. We are very excited for that.

We pulled into our slip at around 6:30, and again, we did a good job parking. Now that I am used to it, I am going to throw everything off with a bigger boat. Oh well. Practice, practice, practice.

Another great day on the water.

So, Saturday before Mother’s Day. We get up and go pick up Donna’s mom because we have an errand to do before the “ladies” go get their hair done. As we are riding to Middleton Donna’s mom asks, “Donna, may I ask you a question?” to which Donna replies, “Sure mom”. Gloria asks, “Where are we going?” – Donna and I look at each other and laugh out loud. Gloria loved the ride, but was very curious as to where we were going.

We are going to look at the Donna Julie II – a Cobalt 323 with a cuddy cabin. Our new home away from home, the new oasis. Donna and I took a trip to East Coast Flightcraft so I could get permission to upgrade our 282, which we have owned for whole month now… Yup, we are doing it. Here it is – out of the water…

There she is… We can’t wait. We take deliver in two weeks. Drive the Donna Julie to Beverly and take this one from Beverly back to Boston. Wow.

Now the ladies go and get their hair done and then Donna and I decide to take a ridge on the Donna Julie. Conditions are pretty good. I am now using a cool web site called Buoyweather.com. I can select the buoy in Boston Harbor and get the weather conditions. Here is the same details I use to type out (and the legend). Pretty good stuff. I am thinking of signing up for the service for even more detail.

We took a short ride by Spectacle Island and went to the entrance of Hull Harbor and turned around and came home. Donna did some more of here artsy photograpy as you can see…

Taking our picture together is always fun.

We were boarded by the Coast Guard who came on board for a “Safety Inspection” (quite frankly I think they were board and it was getting late and we were coming in so it was last piece of work before the end of a shift). You know what, that is a okay. That is what they are out there for and it was a good experience.

Next we took the boat into our slip and this time, I went very very slow and was very patient and I backed the boat into our slip very well. (I think I am getting the hand of this.

We cleaned up the boat, had a cocktail and headed home. Another GREAT day on the water.

Tonight our house is being shown so Donna and I decided to go for a boat ride tonight. I asked Sebastian (dock master at Constitution Marina) when the fuel docs close, as we need some fuel now. He said basically they all close at 4:30 and it’s now 5:00. We decided to stay on the dock and have some dinner.

I walked up to the hotel and on the ground floor they have a sandwich shop. I got Donna and I a couple of sandwiches, some chips and some beverages. Donna met some new friends – the ducks. She decided to name them David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez (from the Red Sox because the ducks seem to follow each other everywhere).

We hung out on the boat, did a little cleaning, had some dinner and then took a walk around the docks and checked out the other boats. We met some new friends (people this time) on A-Dock. They were just hanging out like we were, having some food and drink and just loved being on the water. Their boat is called the “Bad Puppy II” and they have two very nice looking Boxers.

Donna and I went back to the boat, shut it up and then headed for home.

Tomorrow Captain Mike is coming down to do the 30 hour service and Friday we are heading up to East Coast Flightcraft to look at the 323 – I am very excited about this. I am also looking forward to going for a boat ride soon.

Until next time.

Now, no one every said I was a rational dude. Today I called East Coast Flightcraft to schedule my 20 hour service (with 30 hours on the engines). I decided to speak to Danny, the owner, because he is a great dude and wanted to say “hi” and that I really appreciate all his help and that we really love the boat.

Danny asks how many hours I have on the boat and I tell him “30″ and he starts laughing, he knows we love it. Then he drops the bomb.

See, we bought the 282 – bow rider – as a day cruiser so Donna could get used to being out on the boat. Having the bow rider meant we may be able to bring more people. Well, so far, no one, has ridden in the bow while we have been underway (could be because it is still a bit chilly here in the north east).

Additionally, Donna and I have been talking that, if we had a cuddy cabin, we would sleep on it on the weekends and could even take it to the Vinyard now.

Also, during East Coast Flightcraft’s demo days I drove the 323. This boat had been purchased by a guy who buys a the new latest and greatest Cobalt each year and sells it at the end of the year. At the time I thought that perhaps Donna and I had bought the wrong boat. So, I mentioned to Danny that when this boat is traded back in, to please let me know and Donna and I would take a look at it.

So most of you now know where this is going. As I am speaking to Danny, he tells me that the guy had the boat in the water for a week and decieded to go bigger to the Cobalt 343 right away. This meant that this boat is now available. WOW. Also, Donna and I were chatting this weekend and thought we would definately upgrade next year. Now we have a delima.

We really love the ocean and being out on the water, so much so we want a cuddy.
The bigger boat would be even better for how we use the boat.
East Coast is giving me a great deal not only on the 323 but on traiding in my boat.

Last night Donna and I went down and sat on the boat and thought about the differences and what we would get with the other boat. It would be like a floating condo and we have always wanted property on the water. Now we would be in it. Also, you have probably seen in some of the blog entries that we have been looking a property to move to. The main reason is we have no outdoor space. With the boat, we have it, so it is possible that we don’t need to look for a new place, but who knows.

So, stay tuned – this should be an intesting saga. (Now I am really loosing sleep at night.)