Friday, March 19, 2010

The Delivery-Destin to Panama City

We woke up and had coffee and did a little shopping before dropping the lines and heading out Destin Pass into the Gulf. The weather is going to be nice today so we are going to make the trip on the outside using the autopilot most of the way. More relaxing then steering the whole way. As we entered St Andrews Bay firends of ours form "Happy Thought" met us in there dinghy and took some great pictures

 It was a little cold, but we wouldn't have traded this experience for anything. The warm weather will come soon enough
Mer Soleil is home in Panama City Beach. The adventure is just beginning. We stayed on the boat for the evening and slept like babies. Tomorrow we start adding our own touches.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Delivery-St Patricks Day Destin Harbor

We enjoyed our first St Patricks Day on the boat. I can see we are going to really like this. We went to AJ's Restaurant and had a great time. Walked around the various shoppes and restaurants. We are leaving Friday for Panama City. It is nice to be able to go to the restaurants and bars and just walk back to the boat.

Sunset over Noriega Point in the harbour.

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Delivery-Orange Beach to Destin

Woke up about 9 am, helped the previous owner gather his gear. Here is where we say goodbye and thanks. After a systems check dropped the lines and headed over to the fuel dock to take on some diesel. Cheaper here then in Florida. Left the Wharf at 10 am and headed toward Destin, FL. Passed several tows on the way. wind will not let up today either. As i approached Perdido Key, Fl the water changed from brown to blue. A small dolphin picked up my wake and stayed with me for about 20 minutes playing in the wake. Entered Pensacola Bay and I am able to use the autopilot.

Heading to Fort Walton Beach the GICW is very wide here and it allows me to use the autopilot. Have to take advantage since as I get closer will pass through an area know as the narrows and will be all manual steering.

Spoke with Vickie and she is going to meet be in Destin. we will be leaving the boat here for a few days until we make the final leg to Panama City, FL. She found a slip in Destin Harbor where she has always wanted to stay so tonight we will be there.

Entered Choctawhatchee Bay about 4 pm and headed for the harbor. Engines off about 6 pm.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Delivery-New Orleans to Orange Beach

Left Seabrook Marina in New Orleans at 3 am. Arriving at the M&R Railroad Bridge and hailing them on the VHF and blowing our horn no response. So much for 24 hour operation, I shined the spotlight at the bridge tenders window and after a few moments magically it opened.

Using the spotlight to watch for debris in the GICW headed south toward the Gulf. It was nice leaving the bayous for open water. Set the autopilot east and enjoyed a wonderful morning. The seas were building and by noon they had reached 3 to 4 ft on the stern quarter. Shortly after noon received a distress call from a sailboat that we passed about an hour before. They had capsized south of Cat Island. At 8 knots it would take us an hour to get there the Coast Guard dispatched a rescue helicopter. Last I heard the sailboat crew was in  the water and the Coast Guard was picking them up. I never heard what happened, it was a 40 ft + sailboat.

You have to respect the sea.  Seas continuing to build up to about 5 ft now. Thought of heading into Ocean Springs, MS but I figured as I got closer to Dauphin Island, AL the barrier islands would block some of the waves.

About 2 pm autopilot can no longer keep up with the waves, turned it off and here is where the fun begins. Keeping the waves on the stern and riding the waves down. Being careful not to broach. Surfing down the waves I would pick up almost 3 knots. This was a tiring two hours. As we approached Dauphin Island the seas subsided.

The plan was to spend the night in Dauphin Island and make the last 40 miles to The Wharf at Orange Beach. As we got close the tide was approaching low tide and the wind direction meant the wind would be blowing the water out of the marina. That meant I would have to turn beam to the waves and ride it in and hope the water would not be to skinny.

To many if's. Hailed a tow coming out of mobile bay and asked about the condition on Mobile Bay. He told us it was not to bad, a moderate chop. I figured the wind would lay down after the sun went down.

Cruised under the bridge and entered mobile bay wind picking up even more. So much for a break, been up for 13 hours. Clouds closed in so no moon, no starlight, running on GPS only and using the spotlight to illuminate the occasional marker.

Finally crossed Mobile Bay and found the markers into the GICW. Most not lit so spotlight was the only way to see them. Wind still blowing hard.  About 9 pm entered the GICW, no wind, water like glass. Passed by Lulu's a restaurant owned by Jimmy Buffets Sister (Lulu). I could see people having dinner watching me go by. At 10 pm I could see the Wharf, by 10:30 backed into the slip and engines off. 16+ hours. I think I bonded with the boat that day. She is a cruiser.  Found the only restaurant open had a hamburger and several rum and cokes. it will not be an early day tomorrow.

Friday, March 12, 2010

The Delivery-Houma to New Orleans

I arrived at the boat yesterday afternoon and had dinner with the previous owner and planned our trip to New Orleans. We would leave at daybreak from the Houma City Marina and planned to make Slidell, LA before dark.

The first part of the trip was fairly calm not to much commercial traffic until we got closer to Harvey, LA.The Harvey Lock was getting ready to open when we reached there. A quick call on the VHF and we were the last ones into the lock. Not much room left with a big tow taking the rest of it.



Through the lock and into the Mississippi River. With the current our usual 8 knot speed was up to almost 13 knots. Cruised under the Mississippi Bridge and Past the French Quarter. Entered the Industrial Canal Lock(we were the only vessel in the lock). Underneath the M&R Railroad Bridge and headed toward Lake Ponchatrain and then on to Slidell. By this time the wind was howling about 25 knots. The lake was rough, brown water coming over the bow. It would have been a beam sea the hole trip to Slidell. This would have been very uncomfortable. I made the decision to abort the crossing and we returned to Seabrook Marina in New Orleans and spend the night.

As soon as we went under the bridge leaving the lake we heard a Mayday call from a boat in trouble on the lake. They were taking on water, a few minutes later the Coast Guard boat went past us into the lake. Hope everyone was ok.

As soon as we tied up the wind laid down and it was a beautiful sunset. Called M&R Railroad bridge to ask what time they where opening. They told us 24 hours a day. Will leave early tomorrow and take the GICW out of Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico and onto Dauphin Island.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Delivery-Cypremot Point to Houma

The previous owner left Cypremot Point at 6 am for the day trip to Houma. After clearing the locks in Morgan City the 34 mile trip was uneventful and reached Houma City Marina at 6 pm.

The previous owner left the Houma Marina at 6 am for the 47 mile trip to the Harvey Lock into the Mississippi River. Heading to Slidell, LA.


This is where the plans changed. The starboard engine stainer clogged and an overheat alarm went off. The owner shut the engine down in a crowded area of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW). The starboard shaft was freewheeling due to the current and caused the friction plate in the transmission to let go on the starboard engine. Anybody want to debate one engine vs two.

With heavy commercial traffic the previous owner returned to Houma on the port engine only. A mechanic the next morning said indeed the pressure plate needed replacement. The previous owner paid to have the transmission rebuilt. I paid to have the rear main seal replaced which was seeping a little since with the transmission out it was a relatively simple task. The transmission was reinstalled and after a sea trial everything was working fine.

With the delay the previous owners helper couldn't make it for the rest of the trip. You need to people to get through the locks. So it was decided I would drive to Houma, LA and take delivery of the boat there. He would go with me to Orange Beach, AL.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Sea Trial & Survey

It was a cold and windy morning the morning of the sea trial and survey. we had hired a marine surveyor and had already pulled the oil analysis samples before we arrived. She was tied up behind a fish camp in Cypremot Point, LA.

After spending some time with the owner and getting a tour of the systems we waited for the arrival of the surveyor.

We were under way about  11 am for the yard where we would haul her out for an out of the water survey. She felt good as we headed out into the bayou with a stiff cold breeze. The surveyor was going through the systems while underway. 45 minutes later she was in the travel lift and out of the water.


We were starting to feel good about our choice. after about 3 hours she was back in the water for the trip back to the dock. There were more checks of systems along the way. We arrived back to the slip and had a private meeting with the surveyor he had not found anything major that was a show stopper. In fact he was impressed by the quality of the boat from the manufacturer and the way it was taken care of. He would have us a report by the evening.

We headed back to the hotel and waited for his report. We met the owner for drinks across from the hotel and told him we would give him an answer in the morning. I am not sure who slept less.

The report was fine and we called the owner at 9 am. We had prepared the papers the night before so all that was necessary was signatures. We met at a notary and by 10 am we were the new owners of a Gulfstar 38 Motor Cruiser (soon to be Mer Soleil).

Part of the deal was that the owner would deliver the boat to Orange Beach, AL.

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Search

The Start

People we talked to said to get on as many boats as you can to get an idea of what you want. So we spent many days walking the docks at various marinas in the area and looking at as many style of boats as we could.

The List

We made a list of what requirements were important to us. Our list changed a few times as we saw more boats. We realized that you cannot find everything on your list:

Engines: We wanted economy so smaller diesels were a must. We went back and forth on one or two engines. Some people will argue this all day but we chose two engines. We liked the redundancy and the maneuverability. Even though maintenance is doubled we are happy with our decision. This decision was proved right on the delivery. We also wanted easy to get around engines.

Staterooms: We almost went with a one stateroom model but decided that having more room would be of use since we plan to travel extensively. We chose two staterooms and two heads.

Size: We had actually been looking at 42 ft boats and even made an offer on a 42 ft and a 44 ft that the owners turned down. We then decided to look a little smaller and see what they were like. I guess that the old saying a boat that entertains six feeds four and sleeps two was what we wanted.

Style: We settled on the sundeck style trawler because we like the covered aft deck. Since we loved the outdoors we decided a large sundeck was what we wanted even though we would have to give up some interior salon space.

Manufacturer: We decided we wanted to stay with a US manufactured boat for numerous reasons. We knew we wouldn't get all the teak carvings like on a Taiwanese boat, but we wanted a consistent construction that the boats in our age range didn't offer.

Cruising Areas: We wanted a boat that could do the Great Loop, so draft and air height was a factor. we also wanted to cruise the Bahamas, Keys, Turks & Caicos, and who knows where else. Range was important for both water and fuel.

The Search

The search took us throughout the southeast both online and in person. There were quite a few boats we looked at that we would be afraid to cast off the lines. A few were only good for an artificial reef. We learned not to believe the brokers estimate of the condition of the vessel.

Stuart Florida and the west coast of Florida were the primary areas that we visited to look at various boats. We searched online every night looking for new models or new websites that might have something we missed.

We were about getting ready to take a break from the search and wait 6 months to see what else would come on the market then.

The Result

They say the boat picks you not the other way around.When we first saw "Knot at Work" (her previous name) she was in New Iberia, LA. Not the place we would have figured to find am island cruiser. She was for sale by owner which was such a relief after dealing with brokers.

After about a month of exchanging emails and pictures and talking to the previous owner we scheduled the sea trial and survey for March 4, 2010. We were off to Louisiana hopefully we wouldn't be disappointed. we were both trying not to get too excited.