Boating the Upper Chesapeake

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

SE winds at 5 knots tomorrow and S winds at 5 on Sunday.

We'll be out Sunday, I need a fix!

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Yeap 5 knots is not much wind. Looks like the power boat is comming out of the garage and getting fueled up. This is where we will be rafting up today if any of you want to stop by for a hello.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...71387,-76.32867&spn=0.09329,0.196552&t=h&z=13

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

We sometimes go right above there, right above Maxwell Point. I have many memories of waterskiing and boating as a kid up there too.

 

[Wingnutt]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

The third time?s the charm!

FINALLY!

After being the fail boat the first two times out, all that sweat and work payed off today. Launched much more smoothly thanks to the keel roller I installed (still need at least one more). The ?ol gal fired right up and quickly came up to temperature. Got her away from the dock and rolled the power on. She came right up on plane, well as quickly as a 24?er is going to, and everything was working right. Temperature, tilt and trim, trim tabs, steering, electronics?everything!

Brought her back and tried to put her in a slip. Well long story short, with the tide running at full speed backing in wasn?t going to happen this morning. Pulled her in and gave everything a good going over?all?s well and life is good. I did find one small problem though, when I was trying for a WOT run to see if she was propped correctly, she started a random sharp backfire through the carb. BUT this was only above 4200 rpms so me thinks that 22 year old distributor will be getting replaced this winter.

My sis-in-law arrived a few hours later and we all went down to the slip for the re-naming ceremony, then pilled on board and took off. We ran from Elkmore (Trident Marina) all the way to Turkey point, turned around and ran to the Chesapeake Inn for a quick bite of lunch and back. NO PROBLEMS. Did I mention that life is good today?

The guy in charge of the slips let me change slips and gave me one that was a little more out of the current. Backed that sucker right in the first time! It took a few minutes to get the dock lines adjusted so that she rode in the middle of her slip with enough slack to account for the current change and yet would have enough slack in the lines to pull her over for easy boarding. Thanks to some of my neighbors, this was quickly accomplished.

So now I?m getting ready to run down and put the side curtains on and put her up for the night. We are planning on another ride in the AM, so if you see an old blue and white Bayliner cruiser with a blue bimini that?s missing it?s windshield, give a call out for Sundae Float, we?ll be on 68.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Congrats Wingnutt! Glad it went well, maybe we will see you tomorrow.

BTW, you should listen to 16 and or scan 16/9 and whatever. If your radio is on, it's a requirement
It's best to hail on 9, then go to another channel such as 68 or other communication channel to talk.

 

[Damifudo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I had one of those days that started out rough and got better as the day went. First thing I did was fix the trailer wirring on the sail boat trailer. The end the plugs into the car was shot. It was too short and I always had to use an extension cord for it. It had been drug and the plastic was very worn. So I broke out the old sodern iron and spliced in a new plug. Complete with shrink wrapped wires that mached each wire. It looked really good and I made a new ground wire to the trailer so I had a good ground. Went to plug it in to test it. Does everyone know that you cant plug to female connectors into each other? . Ok will fix that another day.

Puts the sail boat trailer away and brings out the power boat. Cleans her up. Fuels her up, Loads her up, hauls her and launches her. I go to fire her up and it wont crank. What the heck I just took her off the charger. I tight the connectins and I get one turn. Dead. I hate looking like the fool at the end of the boat ramp with a dead boat. I take the battery out and lug it 1/2 mile back to the car and put it on jumper cables and let the car idle for 30 min. I carry it back and install it. My arms now feel like peanut butter. I get about 3 cranks before it goes dead. Load up the battery and head to Pep Boys. $127.00 and 1 hr later I have a new battery in hand and she fires right up.

Good news she is off and running strong. I meet up with the other redneck yacht clubers. We laugh away my troubles with a few drinks. Later I teach my youngest how to water ski. Now all 3 of my kids water ski. It turned out to be a great day on the water.

Hmmmmmm I wonder if I can get out again tommorow?

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

i had a pretty bad day. I left havre de grace firday at 5 pm, on the sailboat. motored for 5 hours, until i was at chesapeke city, in the basin on the canal.
Was out today by 9:30, motoring east thru the canal.
By the time I got to the end of the canal, my motor tore up the pinion gear in the lower unit. So now it will not go into gear.

I turn around, and try to sail back home.
I get maybe 5 miles into the canal, when I just lose the wind, and what little wind there is is blowing dead against me. Plus there is a 2 mph current against me.
So I reach a point where I keep going backwards, then forward, the backwards again, staying in the same spot.
I eventually give up and anchor in the canal, and wait for a tow from the fire rescue in delaware city.
They come up and tow me to a marina on the canal, summit north marina. So now the boat is at the marina, and I am home trying to get the motor fixed. I just want the get a whole new motor, this one is cursed. It breaks every time i use it.

 

[FFScott6]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Howdy all,
Been lurking more than posting lately on this board. Had L/U repairs to due and just getting out again.

Bowman, Hopefully it gets better for you! What I have been reading your enjoying most of your trips.

We are going out today, 11ish. Launching from Rogues harbor at Elk Neck S.P. I only have 12gallons of fuel for my 1960 Gale (she's thirsty) so we're staying close by maybe run up the Bohemia or just look for a nice place to anchor for a "boat"nic lunch. Maybe over to the islands by the "Fishing Battery" island for swim.

We'll be in a 1963 Aristocraft Funliner 17, with blue bimini "Penny Lane"

Stay safe everyone and have fun. Scott & Dot

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

So why does the C and D canal get so much current? Is it because the delaware bay is higher than the Chesapeke bay, and there is some un-natural thing going on there due to the man made canal?

I guess there is so much current in the delaware bay because of how wide open it is to the ocean. it is like a funnel. i swear my gps said there was a 5 mph current friday night.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Beautiful day on the water today. Thanks to Caravelle Captain(Andrew and Ashley) for taking us tubing and skiing.

We anchored in Back Creek off the Sass, right near the top and Dowdel Creek. Nice place, first time back there.

Sweet, new favorite pic of us!

 

[spv22]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Just home from Turkey Point did a little fishing but only caught one. but still a great day!

 

[CaravelleCaptain]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Beautiful day on the water today. Thanks to Caravelle Captain(Andrew and Ashley) for taking us tubing and skiing.

We anchored in Back Creek off the Sass, right near the top and Dowdel Creek. Nice place, first time back there.

Sweet, new favorite pic of us!

We had a blast too !! Ashley took the pictures, I thought that was a really good one. Stacey took some really good pictures of us tubing and skiing.. I'll post a few here..

Here are my favorite pics:

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

hahaha we can guess who the wipeout pic was.

 

[CaravelleCaptain]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

looking at the pics i would have to say its Ashley who wiped out

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

So why does the C and D canal get so much current? Is it because the delaware bay is higher than the Chesapeke bay, and there is some un-natural thing going on there due to the man made canal?

I guess there is so much current in the delaware bay because of how wide open it is to the ocean. it is like a funnel. i swear my gps said there was a 5 mph current friday night.

That and in the Delaware Bay, the canal is closer to the ocean than it is in the Chesapeake Bay so tidal changes tend to hit on the Delaware end first with the canal sort of being a shortcut tidal link to the upper Ches. bay area. It can get interesting cruising the canal sometimes.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

looking at the pics i would have to say its Ashley who wiped out

Really, man, that looked like it hurt too.

Stacey is proud of this pic,

 

[maxum2400sc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

i had a pretty bad day. I left havre de grace firday at 5 pm, on the sailboat. motored for 5 hours, until i was at chesapeke city, in the basin on the canal.
Was out today by 9:30, motoring east thru the canal.
By the time I got to the end of the canal, my motor tore up the pinion gear in the lower unit. So now it will not go into gear.

I turn around, and try to sail back home.
I get maybe 5 miles into the canal, when I just lose the wind, and what little wind there is is blowing dead against me. Plus there is a 2 mph current against me.
So I reach a point where I keep going backwards, then forward, the backwards again, staying in the same spot.
I eventually give up and anchor in the canal, and wait for a tow from the fire rescue in delaware city.
They come up and tow me to a marina on the canal, summit north marina. So now the boat is at the marina, and I am home trying to get the motor fixed. I just want the get a whole new motor, this one is cursed. It breaks every time i use it.

Sorry about your luck, but you should learn a little about the water you boat in. It is against the law to be under sail in the C&D canal, it is also against the law to anchor in the canal. You should have done neither unless you were in EXTREME danger. If you couldn't catch a tow from a fellow boater you should have immediatly called a tow service. If you felt you needed to sail to saftey the you should have found the closest safe haven. They would have been continuing out to the DE River and anchored/sailed into DE City, you could of turned into DE City channel that is 3/4 of a mile before the river or you could have anchored in the small cove that is about 1.5 miles from the end of the canal and waited for a proper tow service. It is also shameful to tie up the fire service to tow you. Please don?t reduce the emergency response time for other boaters or myself because you are to cheap for a tow service!!!!!!!!

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Sorry about your luck, but you should learn a little about the water you boat in. It is against the law to be under sail in the C&D canal, it is also against the law to anchor in the canal. You should have done neither unless you were in EXTREME danger. If you couldn't catch a tow from a fellow boater you should have immediatly called a tow service. If you felt you needed to sail to saftey the you should have found the closest safe haven. They would have been continuing out to the DE River and anchored/sailed into DE City, you could of turned into DE City channel that is 3/4 of a mile before the river or you could have anchored in the small cove that is about 1.5 miles from the end of the canal and waited for a proper tow service. It is also shameful to tie up the fire service to tow you. Please don?t reduce the emergency response time for other boaters or myself because you are to cheap for a tow service!!!!!!!!

Yeah, he's pretty much right...but it could have been said nicer....

 

[maxum2400sc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Nova you?re probably right, but I hate nothing more than when the fire service is tied up for boaters that ran out of fuel or that need a tow because of their carelessness. The fire service is there for emergency situations.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

i tried calling for a tow on the radio, but no one answered. and i did not have the boat us number.
i didn't want to go east in the canal, because that would have just put me further from home.