A Few More MPH

Merlin and I took to Lake Murray while wife Suzy was partying in LA at a wedding. We were anxious to see how our latest additions to Big Duck worked out...bigger (cupped) prop and hydrofoil.

I've learned how to get The Duck off and back on the trailer solo. The key is just take it slow.

Once we got settled in the water, Merlin and I puttered down the lake for about 10 miles. It was about 50° with full sun...quite enjoyable. Merlin makes a good lookout.

I kind of snuck up on going full throttle, noticing that she was much smoother and quieter at the slower speeds than before. Very, very nice at about 6 mph, sometime hitting 3+ mpg. As I took her up, there was much more bow rise than I expected even remembering that I had moved her manual trim adjustment to full bow up. I finally gave her all she'd take and she approached 24 mph maxing at 3600 rpm. Her fuel burn was about 15 gallons/hr. This is quite satisfactory but I'm pretty sure we can do better with the trim in the middle position. I really need to have someone else aboard so I can eyeball the engine while going fast just to see how things are doing down there - also need to check to see if the linkage is providing max throttle.

We anchored at 'Pebble Beach' for a spell and even tried becahing her, but the slope was too shallow to allow jumping onto the beach from the bow so we just had dinner and a few brews.

Got the urge to do some more exploring so Merlin and I took a sundown cruise - it was a most pleasant evening and we continued on past sunset...Merlin still keeping a sharp lookout.

We found a nice cove and dropped the hook for the night. By now the temp was dropping so I closed her up and started the generator to get the heat going. Merlin took this as a sign that his day of being lookout was over.

At this point I relaized I hadn't returned the sleeping bag to the boat after having used it elsewhere. I gave the thermostat a little nudge warmer and left it on the 750 watt setting. It was so comfortable below that I didn't even use the quilt that Suzy has stashed aboard. The generator quietly ran all night without needing a fill.

I'd been up and down during the night, remembering to feed Merlin, and myself, hook the charger to the cell phone, check the re-wiring I'd done to the fridge, turn on anchor light, start the motor to keep the engine room from freezing in the 20° temps, have another beer...might be the reason I didn't get up until almost 10am.

We cruised again until after 12, then headed back to the dock.

In my smaller boat(s), I could bring the bring the bow between the side guide poles on the trailer easily and let her coast up onto the bunks. Big Duck's guides are only as wide as the boat and the bow is flat and full width. To get her between the guides she needs to be precisely positioned. On previous approaches to the trailer I'd been going too fast and she'd hit the guides and bounce or grind. This time, even with a tailwind, I bumped her in and out of gear, even giving her some reverse at the last minute to bring her to a stop, then stepped out on the bow, grabbed a trailer guide and manually moved her in position.

In the past, I was only able to get the boat to within 6 or 8 inches of the bow stop because as the boat is pulled up the ramp the stern settles and the bow comes up away from the stop.

This time after attaching the winch strap I jumped off the bow into the back door of the van and backed the trailer down a little farther to aid winching. I had also replaced the "V" bow stop with a roller and added a pulley to double the mechanical advantage and with this procedure she was within 1/2" of the stop at the top of the ramp.

And to get her that last 1/2", I turned around in the parking lot and pulled forward DOWN the boat ramp, then downhill, I could winch her up to the stop.

I never thought I'd be able to manage this 28' boat alone but it gets easier with each outing; but now it's time to winterize and see about getting new fuel tanks in her.