For the record. The bulk of my CG career was search and resuce in a big ole C-130 aircraft. Many of the cases I was on in the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast were looking for coastal cruising pleasure craft. I would venture to say most lost not from bad weather but lack of maintenance and knowledge. My boating life has been more on the recreational side.

There are a lof those cats in the upper Chesapeake and some down around NC. It should be looked at as a fair weather boat.

BUT you guys are missing the point of that sliding glass door in the front. That is not just a door! In high seas you are supposed to open the door and close the screen. That is a fishing net.



Now as far as boating in the Albemarle sound area we have to make tradeoffs around here. While someone may want a boat that is very safe to venture out to the coast that boat just won't work around here. Most of this area is very shallow and anything that drafts more than 2 feet is going to be confined to the channels.

Gibsons and Holiday Mansions are fine, but it is hard to find a single engine that is worth buying. Twins engines in my eyes are gas guzzlers and it wouldn't be wise to go exploring at 20 knots. Eventually a stump is going to bite you.

I have spent the last 2 years pouring over designs, trying to find something to build. I found one designer who actually has designs meant to be shallow draft and handle coastal seas. They do exist and are mainly _base_d on the New England _style_ dories.

I just did stumble onto a Three Buoy houseboat that is perfect for here. Aluminum hull, shall draft, modified V hull similiar to a Gibson and a single engine.



If I were going to go with a Cat myself I would certainly choose my open water boating days carefully. The Albemarle sound area doesn't worry me as much as venturing into the open Chesapeake Bay area. I would hug the coastline there on a good day until I was well into the upper Chesapeake.

Like i said when the question was first posed on this forum, get the Mfg. to give the 3 foot seas guarantie in writing so the next of kin can use it in there lawsuit against the Mfg.

on a serious note I hope he makes it, but i have put 5 ft waves over the bow on my 52 monticello in a storm on the river, and those front doors on that toon would be my biggest worry.



A bad day on the river still beats a good day at work!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO BEARCATS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's just too bad that he's going to take the pretty little blond thing down with him!

I am about a mile behind a tug pulling a barge on the Chesapeake doing 3900 rpms and 7.4 knots.

I did Delaware bay at last night in near total darkness, 1 mile of visibility, and 1 to 4 foot of chop. After Delaware Bay - the Chesapeake is a joke.

The run from Atlantic city to the beginning of the Chesapeke burned up 66 gal of fuel. I'm sure that you'd have to double the miles due to all the zig zags I did trying to maintain course last night.

OK -

1. This boat glides over chop pretty darn good. Yeah I had water over the bow several times and all it di was slide back off. Less than 2 foot is not even a concern.

2. The boat is slow. 10 mph flat out. My NAVMAN fuel flow computer was not hooked up right and I don't know the burn.

3. This is a great boat an more than I need for what I'm going to use it for at home.

4. The most dangerous thing I've encountered is the river pirates who run Sea Village Marina - but that is another tail.

I am doing this leg with a buddy - I would never have done it this way with the wife.

Qk so you proved that you can do it a 7.4 knots. Now put the damn thing on a truck so we can quit worrying about you and your wife. At least when it gets there on the truck the motor won't be worn out and you will have something left to use.
OLD HOUSEBOATER38931.7959143519

I have a truck, we cound rent a flatbed since it is a toon.

The 7.4 knots sucks. That is by far the worse thing about this boat so far. Speed is time. And time is something I have a limited amount of. Bummer.

We were running at night too to make some miles but it is exhausting. We ran last night to about 20 miles past Annapolis and started getting sleepy. Finding a good place to throw the hook out to is tough in the dark. We decided it is too hard and no fun....no more night ops for awhile.

I want to get to Norfolk by tomorrow morning - we will see.

I put a lot of extra weight in the boat - but I don't think one of these would do 14 knots with a 115 on it no matter what. So ohb I might put a 175 on it when I get done wearing out this 115.

I will report back soon.

a little more food for thought, never run waters that are not familier at night unless you are on the outside. Anything can and will happen. OHB will be out to get you in a couple of days.