Luanch Date Set..................

[Paul Gwiz]

Booked our tickets for Oct. 17th . ONE WAY . It will be a good day when going to the boat dose not require 2 air planes & 5 hours . It was well worth the extra expense to leave the boat in Rhode Island over the summer. We got all the major stuff done & now have a Hatteras worthy of the sea.

This has been one of the best endeavors I have been involved with, I have had many boats (less than 32' ) Going to a 43dc is as big of step up I am willing to make or afford. Being an upholsterer this has not been done. My Businessmen qualities have been tested and improved. having this Hatteras makes other people I do business with look at me in a different light. It seems to add a bit of clout when I make deals with my media people ( wouldbees or hasbeens ) , It has also sharpened my management skills. Most upholsterers don't possess money management skills , I do not either, but I hire the ones with talent & bad money managemet skills, they are the one who provide me with the time & money to make dream this possible .

I have to give all the cudo's to my Father who bought that old Richardson motor Yacht & loved it , my Family enjoyed it for years till a bad Business decision lost it all. ( Lesson learned ) He recovered in life & went on to make millions in this Business. ( I didn't get his business ) His business went bankrupt after his death & my 3rd oldest Brother got the loins share of it all.
( made off with what I call a short stack ) My Father never bought another Yacht .

I have often looked back & miss " The Good Ship " . it was my first experience with a yacht, 37' . All my brothers would be too drunk to get it back in the slip & one day after watching many of these drunken debacules I pushed one of my drunken brothers out of the way & put her in her hole. From then on , they drank & I was the captain. She had twin 383 hemi motors & I got the hang of them before I ever ran the boat. ( My dad never ever ran that boat, he was too scared )

So with all that I still have an unease feeling running this boat from Rhode Island to Ft. Myers . I know the boat is ready to go & I just wonder if I'm up to such a great endeavor. ( Fear sucks )
I have the boat the time & money the experience boating & just wonder where this fear is coming from.

I know I have the skills to get her home, But ? The same erie feeling I had buying this boat. What IF ? Unfounded fear sucks. ( same as business )
too bad I think things ten times thru & I'm always surprised at the result.

Old Salty is pulling the boat wed. to install a new transducer & clean the bottom. He is going to see if the port starter is still being a question. ( It's been hanging up ) Thru this site , I cleaned it up & it seems t be fixed, but if it hangs tommarow We will be changing that too......

I only hope when he moves to boat he uses the Detroit's not the skiff. He has me in the worst slip in the entire marina, first dock at the shore & it's a real bitch to get it in or out. Let's just say I learned to use the DD's . He said it would make me learn the boat better , Salty was right again.

I believe he knows what a bitch that slip is . I move 1 of his poles off my front bow , it was a soft tap & as always he was watching & laughing. I moved it to the right place cause it was never a problem again. I wonder if he knew I juiced the Detroit's on porpous ?

Dock , Pole , in my way , Power ....WTF....... Pole moved , Hatteras no harm done= problem solved.
Mrs. G's nerves a bit frazzeled , But what the hell she'll get over it. ( never told her the truth on that one) After that ,She did like the way we got out a lot easier. ( Hatteraes can move poles ) learned that here too...

I didn't get the fly bridge up till our last trip , what a breeze to get her in & out with that up & running. Been a very slow process getting this boat ready , Heaven & Hell at the same time. But as I know , that's boating. ( or as you'al call Yachting. ) See I'm a bit Hillbilly too.........learned a lot here too...

#1 - Get something that floats.
#2 - Do whatever is required to make it float.
#3 - Join this web site . ( Hatteras or not )
#4 - Get information.
#5 - Float It.
#6 - Buy Hatteras decals
#7 - Put decals ON the Float.
#8 - Be prepared to spend some money ( no return )
#9 - Enjoy spending money with no return
#10- When you don't like it no more- SELL IT

A free boat is a win-win deal, when the price is free how bad can it be ? ( just got a customer with a almost free boat, what an eye opener I was on his "great deal " 32' trawler , redo the upholstery , 4000.00 - 7000.00 & I was being nice.) The guy that won is the guy who came to his sences & gave it away. ( He saved a lot )

As most of you know, I got what I concider A free boat. ( 32,000.00 ) Beer can Repo with lots of minor issue, mostly owner , that should have never owned a boat ( new money ) band - aid repairs-most were "What were you thinking stuff" , In fairness to the Po he was a guy with a checkbook & just didn't know. I know he loved the boat or wouldn't have struggled to keep her.

I only know this because he had the props redone & didn't ever return.

Marinas talk ,

All I have is the best guess as to my boat, most of what I know seems correct. Now having knowledge of this boat & all the repairs , I will have another survey done, I do expect it to come out at around 1 , 50,000.00.don't know yet. I see them selling at half that,

The value dose not really matter to me, I just hope my Estate gets it gone as soon as possiabe. The next guy will get a great boat.....

Back to topic. I'm going to get my boat & bring it to Ft. MYERS I scared shitless of what may happen, my wife is as you know ,is not real dependable in a stressful situation.

It may justGOod. come back to Faith........... God Givith & God taketh away, As you Bible thumpers know that was Jobs response when his Family was killed...... FYI .....

It's such a pain in the ass owning a boat. You have to be half way nuts just to buy the dam think, So I just choose to embrace my insanity..................oh, add money.
Not to mention time & what value can you put on that ? Waste mine & I am automatically pissed..... I or we just don't have enough of it... mabe that's what made me so successful, we as a company won't waste your time. Up front & pow . It really is a no brainer in my business....Junk is Junk & Good is Good , That's why I'm glad I have a Hatteras..............

Good is Good.............Hatteras............

The best WORD I learned in Alabama was WORSER . It ranks up there with MORE BETTER.......Just sayin'

 

[Avenger]

Interesting read. Sounds like you're climbing all over the learning curve. And a little fear, born of respect, is not a bad thing.

Good luck and I hope you have a safe, uneventful trip.

 

[Diesel]

My biggest challenge on my inaugural trip home was the struggle to remember that Hatteras controls are backwards ! I'm sure you will do fine and by the time you make it home you will have a much better knowledge of your boat. Best of luck and most importantly...enjoy the trip.

 

[Freeebird]

My biggest challenge on my inaugural trip home was the struggle to remember that Hatteras controls are backwards ! I'm sure you will do fine and by the time you make it home you will have a much better knowledge of your boat. Best of luck and most importantly...enjoy the trip.

Some are backwards, some aren't. Not sure why that is unless owners change them to their preference.

 

[rwappleton]

My impression is that you are ready! Listen to Jack coming down the Jersey coast. when you turn the corner there are several members very knowledgeable for the bay and do not forget lunch with jim! Take your time and enjoy the lower bay. wait for good weather for the sound crossing. If you need help in the charleston,beaufort or Hilton head areas I can hook you up. Savannah to st marys charlie will be there and a nce ride the rest of the way. She will have shown her personality by then. They all have them. Slow an Easy like to go and she is very happy that we own her and she shows it! Hope your will too! Have a safe and fun trip!!!!!

Becky and Russ

 

[Kim Beatley]

IF you need an overnight or two or three, I have an extra slip at my house, power and water. For waste water, you are on your own.... we are on the lower Cheaspeake, west side of Mobjack Bay.... Great Spot.... Several good marinas around if you need to make adjustments. Have a great mechanic that will make house calls. But sounds like you will not need any of the services.

Do stop by... Oysters are great, all you can eat nestled under my pier. Beer is cold.... We can talk aoubt the "Boat Dollars" we all spend.

Travel Safe

 

[capttonyf]

My biggest challenge on my inaugural trip home was the struggle to remember that Hatteras controls are backwards ! I'm sure you will do fine and by the time you make it home you will have a much better knowledge of your boat. Best of luck and most importantly...enjoy the trip.

Interesting. Who ever said they were backwards? I never noticed, I always just assumed a boat was set up the way it was by the buyer, dealer, or factory worker that decided how they wanted them. From my previous full time profession I never noticed a pattern between brands. Maybe Types of boats, but never Brands. Example: a Conv./Fish Boat, may have split controls, Single or Double, so you can more easily backdown on a fish or into a slip but not always, and I don't even think that makes a difference. Like I said out of all the different boats I've run, "Lost Count but well over a thousand, maybe more" I've never noticed or given it much thought. I would do a Pre Trip Inspection, move levers around in slip until I was 100% sure what was what, and moved on. For me I really don't have a preference but it seems alot of Newer Fish Boats use Single lever Split controls which I agree look nice but I actually prefer to have both throttle's in the same hand so if your ever need to make adjustments to hlep make a sharp turn or ride the back of a wave through a nasty inlet you can do it safely without taking your other hand off the wheel. Ultimately,,,,who cares what's on what side so long as they work properly.... Funny thing is it's been only two months since I've seen our boat and I can't remember what side the the Throttles are on, the Starboard I think? WOW, and I'm not Old at all, they all start to run together I guess,,, I'm starting to feel like my father. Anyway I guess that makes my point of, it doesn't matter. I'll show up, look, figure it out in about 2 seconds and off we'll go.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

I changed my controls from the Hatteras setup to 'normal' setup..... A. it's easer on me as my 43' controls are not centered.. B. Much easier now to dock.. C. ALL the other boats I deliver/train the owners on are on this setup...
As I understand it... The Hatt's setup was based on the owner being lefthanded.......

 

[Freeebird]

Well, as someone else who has run a fair number of different boats, I can tell you it makes a BIG difference, especially when you have to react quickly. Spending a few minutes at a dock is not going to reprogram your brain. Most have throttles on the starboard side, but some don't.

 

[Freeebird]

I changed my controls from the Hatteras setup to 'normal' setup..... A. it's easer on me as my 43' controls are not centered.. B. Much easier now to dock.. C. ALL the other boats I deliver/train the owners on are on this setup...
As I understand it... The Hatt's setup was based on the owner being lefthanded.......

We were typing at the same time. Your throttles on the starboard?

 

[Avenger]

I agree that a lot of different manufacturers do it differently, but usually when I see throttles paired on a side it's the right side. I have to 100% agree that they should be together as capttonyf said, unless maybe you're using a synchronizer. Look at what happened to the captain of the Waterdog.

Mine are on the port side as I understand most of them were built that way. I've gotten used to it, but I worry that as Randy said, someone else who's not familiar may dump us into reverse in a panic situation. Unfortunately I'm so used to it now that I'm afraid to switch them around because then I'll be the one to dump us into reverse.

We now return you to your regular thread....

 

[Boatsb]

Throttles next to the steps seemed like a good idea.

Grabing the shifts when you lose balace could do major damage

 

[capttonyf]

Well, as someone else who has run a fair number of different boats, I can tell you it makes a BIG difference, especially when you have to react quickly. Spending a few minutes at a dock is not going to reprogram your brain. Most have throttles on the starboard side, but some don't.

I feel if you run ONE boat all or most of the time and then have to run another boat in a pinch then yes it could be a big deal because that's what, as you said "YOUR BRAIN IS PROGRAMMED TO DO". I know Great Captains that worked for one owner for the last ten years on the same boat and are GREAT Captains but you put them on another boat and they're lost because it's not what they're used to, BUT and this is the BIG BUT, If you run multiple boats a day and deliver multiple boats a month you brain never gets programmed to one way or the other. Also when moving boats your not fully comfortable with you should do your best to plan ahead and NOT get into situations where you have to REACT quickly. Boats are so different from one another that once you get truely good, your good at ALL. A BIG 74 MY with 1271's and hydraulic Controls Moves much slower and requires a little throttle to spin, where a Cat Powered 74 or 75MY with Micro Commanders reacts more quickly and your more bumping in and out of Gear Like a New High Powered Sportfish clicking in and out, in and out. Then you jump on an old 47 Davis with those Stiff worn out long click single lever controls is way weird, or an early set of DDEC's or Mathers with a 1 to 2 second delay. Point is every boat, Size, shape, visabilitly, sight angles, controls, power options all react differently, some fast, some slow, some need throttle, and some even need Idle Reduced. With all these factors at hand and when you do this professionally the controls being in a different order are the least of your worries. I worked as a Captain for a few of the largest yacht dealers/brokerages in the country and would in one day run/move numerous boats ranging from Center Cons, express cruisers, Sport Fish/Conv. of all sizes to Large Motoryachts. They're all different even to of the excact same model can and will react different depending on power and control options. The most important thing is go slow and PLAN YOUR MOVES AHEAD OF TIME. If you do that it always works out, or it should anyway.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Paul, PM me off line for my contact information. Lunch or dinner on me when you stop in Annapolis....

 

[Freeebird]

I feel if you run ONE boat all or most of the time and then have to run another boat in a pinch then yes it could be a big deal because that's what, as you said "YOUR BRAIN IS PROGRAMMED TO DO". I know Great Captains that worked for one owner for the last ten years on the same boat and are GREAT Captains but you put them on another boat and they're lost because it's not what they're used to, BUT and this is the BIG BUT, If you run multiple boats a day and deliver multiple boats a month you brain never gets programmed to one way or the other. Also when moving boats your not fully comfortable with you should do your best to plan ahead and NOT get into situations where you have to REACT quickly. Boats are so different from one another that once you get truely good, your good at ALL. A BIG 74 MY with 1271's and hydraulic Controls Moves much slower and requires a little throttle to spin, where a Cat Powered 74 or 75MY with Micro Commanders reacts more quickly and your more bumping in and out of Gear Like a New High Powered Sportfish clicking in and out, in and out. Then you jump on an old 47 Davis with those Stiff worn out long click single lever controls is way weird, or an early set of DDEC's or Mathers with a 1 to 2 second delay. Point is every boat, Size, shape, visabilitly, sight angles, controls, power options all react differently, some fast, some slow, some need throttle, and some even need Idle Reduced. With all these factors at hand and when you do this professionally the controls being in a different order are the least of your worries. I worked as a Captain for a few of the largest yacht dealers/brokerages in the country and would in one day run/move numerous boats ranging from Center Cons, express cruisers, Sport Fish/Conv. of all sizes to Large Motoryachts. They're all different even to of the excact same model can and will react different depending on power and control options. The most important thing is go slow and PLAN YOUR MOVES AHEAD OF TIME. If you do that it always works out, or it should anyway.

My post was directed to the on-topic post from the OP about his concerns of his new to him Hatt being backward. It's a legitimate concern given this will be his first real trip with it.

Scott made a good point about placing the throttles to port where you would race the engine(s) vs putting one into gear if you take a tumble into the cabin. Other than that...

 

[capttonyf]

My post was directed to the on-topic post from the OP about his concerns of his new to him Hatt being backward. It's a legitimate concern given this will be his first real trip with it.

Scott made a good point about placing the throttles to port where you would race the engine(s) vs putting one into gear if you take a tumble into the cabin. Other than that...

I completly understand and don't want you think that was directed at you in any negative way. I was just trying to explain that so long as you feel where the levers are " Gears straight up and down, Throttles laid back a bit" and take your time you shouldn't really have major worries. He seems to have ALOT of time on the water, just on a little smaller boat, and that time along with the fact that he is on a larger boat tells me he has NOTHING to worry about and should be confident in his ability and do his thing. In my opinion larger boats are easiers than smaller boats to dock because they back straight, stay put better, and are much less effected by wind and current. Hell on a small boat someone simply walking from one side to the other could mess up your approach. On a trip of this distance in a new boat I would be much more concerned about being prepared from minor mechanical issues at sea, running unfamiliar inlets such as St. Augustine FL. or hitting a submerged log or branch in areas like the Dismal Swamp than the whole docking thing. In Reference to place clutches opposite of where they can't accidently be Grabbed without a doubt is critical and to me more importantant than personal preference on mechanical controls. With new electronic controls I don'd know if it's as important because I think SOME not all but SOME have a fail safe in them to protect gears from damage. Years ago I ran a Sea Trial for a DDEC Representative and his clients. He said they worked with USCG on this Fail safe before they would use the system on the USCG Vessels. He had me for demontration purposes ONLY run a NEW DDEC 12V92' powered boat to full speed and without backing off throttles THROW both GEARS into REVERSE, than as boat starts to spoll back up in reverse throw them back into forward again WITHOUT TOUCHING the Throttles. It took everything in me to do it, It just didn't feel right and was against everything I've ever known about what NOT to Do. He assured me it would be OK and I did it, and wouldn't you know RPM dropped to about 800 then once in reverse started to climb again so I throw it back in forward and RPM dropped again to 800 or so, completed the shift back to Forward and before you knew it we were back up to 25+Knots. It was off and somthing I would NEVER do on purpose but it did work. Hopefully all are like this but I'm not sure. OP if you read this, Like I said before I think you will do great and have the trip of a life time. Enjoy it. If you have any questions about trip legs or certain inlets, and places to stop I know there are alot of people on here that can and will give you a hand. As I'm sure you know just make sure you have Lots of extra fuel filters, a ditch bag, extra hand held GPS and VHF Radio, Plug Kit, Misc hose clamps and tools, One Large Monkey Wrench, some spare hose, impellers, your normal everyday misc parts. Good Luck, and most of all have fun. If you have ANY questions please feel free to contact me I would be happy to help.

 

[rsmith]

I've found in boats and aircraft it's usually the "big exspurts" that grab the wrong control.

 

[capttonyf]

I've found in boats and aircraft it's usually the "big exspurts" that grab the wrong control.

When did it happen to you? LOL! All kidding aside, that's why I said TAKE YOUR TIME, always look at your approach, plan ahead, read the wind, current, angle of attack, and have an escape plan if somthing happens you didn't expect. Anyway just trying to have a little fun and help.

 

[captddis]

The real fun is when the fly by wire controls don't work as they should. I always hold my breath.

 

[Freeebird]

I completly understand and don't want you think that was directed at you in any negative way. I was just trying to explain that so long as you feel where the levers are " Gears straight up and down, Throttles laid back a bit" and take your time you shouldn't really have major worries.

All those boats and you never ran one on plane where both were forward?

Just messing with you. Didn't take anything as being negative toward me.