Inagural Splash Part II

We're ready to go now. We check the nav lights, Nicky undoes the lines and jumps aboard. From the flybridge I back her away from the dock. She's purring, the breeze is blowing and Nicky confidently directs us to the lake proper in the dark. We quickly find that Big Duck has the traditional I/O wander as we run 2 mph or so in the No Wake zone out of the harbor.

On my way from the survey to the new ramp I had stopped for gas and a 12 pack of Heinekin to celebrate w/ Nicky if we were successful, or if not, to comiserate. When we got to open water, we did pop one in celebration as we cruised at 6 - 8 mph up the lake. It was very pleasant - we agreed that Big Duck was in fact going to be a great water companion. She even lost most of her wander at that speed, although she does have a tendency to go left.

I turned the helm over to Nicky, climbed down the ladder and opened the hatch to the engine room. Everything looked, sounded and smelled good. I went below to see how Merlin was doing and to plug in my dead phone, but alas, there was no power to the cigarette lighter outlet. I could rig power to it later, at anchor. Both GPS/depth sounders were operational - I unplugged and pocketed the Garmin to take topsides. Merlin was quite at home below and as I exited aft, he vaulted up the step onto the aft deck. I hollard NO! and grabbed him by the skin, not wanting to have to pull a wet, injured dog out of the drink in the darkness. He got the idea, and didn't venture out again unless invited. He's such a good boy.

We ran about 10 miles out and turned around to take Nicky back.  During the run, the illumination on the flybridge gauges wasn't bright enough, but with the help of Nicky's lighter, we were comfortable with their readings. I got us next to the dock in decent fashion. Nicky jumped ashore. When I put her into reverse, she died...she'd spin but wouldn't start. I messed with the throttle and tried again, this time she lit up because I left her a little high of idle. I did bring her to idle to shift to reverse. She died again. I gave her a little more throttle and she lit right up - while in reverse. So many things to learn. I'd run in that idle screw a little when we got anchored.

When Merlin and I cleared the harbor on our way back out, I realized that I couldn't recognize the anchorage that Nicky had pointed out...well, it was dark and I was going in a different direction. I picked an arbitrary spot and lowered the hook. I've anchored in this lake with my smaller boat and know in places it has a very hard clay bottom. I've had Danforths and plows just slide along the bottom. But this time I had a 22# Claw, and it dug right in.

I looked up to make sure my all around white (anchor) light was burning - and it wasn't. I crawled under the dash and found a fuse out. I replaced the fuse but it didn't help. My nav lights weren't working either. I remembered feeling wires with my knee while steering from the flybridge - probably knocked one loose. Then the wind picked up and it started raining and the fishermen swarmed back to the ramp, rocking us in their wake.

I fired up the Honda generator and brought a table lamp up to the flybridge for an anchor light. Man was it hot and sticky out there now. I went below and cranked up the air conditioner - now this was comfort. I was ringing wet and hot from all the antics and rain. A beer was calling me (LOUDLY) but I knew it wasn't time.

I turned on the fan to get the cold air forward where I needed it to scope out the wiring under the dash, but it overloaded the generator and I had to go topsides to get it running again. About this time a boat blasted by too close for comfort, so I decided to relocate to shallower water.

There's a price to pay for dropping a 22# anchor...getting it back in the boat. With the front door open, I can handle the rode and work the steering, throttle and shifter, so getting up on the anchor isn't a problem. It's raising it to the boat from the bottom even in 15 feet of water - in the dark - in 85° humid, and now breezeless, light rain with no anchor or running lights while sweating like a stuck pig. Can you tell this old man was getting a little weary?

'Got the hook down again (against one of my serious rules that says, Never anchor in the dark in a strange place). I did twist the idle screw in 1/2 turn after the engine died several time while getting re-anchored. Then I realized I'd left my hand held VHF in the van, and the one on Big Duck hadn't been verified to have a proper antenna/connection, and my cell phone was dead and of course no anchor or nav lights. Oh, what was that thunderous noise? It was a Heineken calling me, but it wasn't time.

As I sat in the dinette in air conditioning, I pondered my situation. This certainly wasn't going to be a delightful night on the hook and there was really nothing to be gained by waiting until morning, so I decided to head back to the ramp. I could tie her up and either wait 'till daylight or put her back on the trailer in the dark. So I grunted the anchor up - well it's really not all that bad. I made an anchor sprit which sports a sailboat winch that only turns one way, so it holds the line you've pulled in while you grab another handfull.

No drama getting tied up...except I tied Merlin to the dock and the whole time I was backing the trailer in and going to get the boat, he was whining, "Daddy, don't forget me." Did I mention that when I went to secure the van after Nicky relocated if for me, I closed all the doors and locked her up tight, but I left the windows down?

There was little to no wind. Getting her on the trailer was a piece of cake. You open the front door and work the throttle/shifter while steering. When you get close, step out on the foredeck and grab the closest trailer guide and tug your way between them...give her a little throttle and up she goes.

I can then climb over the bow onto the trailer post and hook the winch strap, crank her up and walk thru the back door of the van to pull her out. And I did. I didn't crank her tight to the post, knowing she'd settle when I got her out of the water, so I pulled her up level and tried to winch her the remaining 18". No go! Oh no! What was that noise? Aw, it's just that Heineken calling again - but it wasn't time.

So I decided to back her in to get her up to the stop, and guess what? Two tries. Walked thru the van, opened the back door, stepped onto the trailer tongue (in the dark) - oops the water was over the top of my shoe. Note to self, Not so far next time.

I leaned on the bow to get leverage to crank her up and Big Duck slid back away from me. Woah girl! Wrong way. Maybe she was trying to tell me something? Easily got her up to the stop.

Back up on the level again I found that the bow had slid back 6". It was the angle I pulled her up from. I had been in too deep. No, not again, I can't do this backing thing again. I squished the water out of my shoe as I made my way around to her stern to drop the ladder. I got some lines out and tied her bow off to the winch post... That noise again. Man, that's the last time I'm bringing Heineken aboard.

It was a couple hours home. Those I26 hills are murder on the MPG - got 9 for the 200 mile run down and back. She's in her new parking spot now; she'll get a metal boatport over her soon.

And guess what? It's finally time.

All in all a very successful adventure. We knew we weren't completely ready, but Big Duck came through with flying feathers.