Repositioning-The First Voyage

Here we are at Atlantic Yacht Basin in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Under roof in an very old "boat barn" in the fresh water of the ICW. This is where Virginia Yacht Brokers store their "inventory" and where I first saw Grand Day Out.

After completing the Condition Survey and the Purchase, I scheduled the "repositioning" trip to Port Deposit, MD for Friday, May 22, 2020.  A bit of a concern was the first tropical storm of the season, but the forecast was that it would veer off to the northeast before our trip. Turned out that the major weather effects was from a powerful low pressure system just southwest of Norfolk, producing strong gusty winds from the Southeast--pushing waves in from the ocean thru the mouth of the Bay and producing fetch all the way to Baltimore.

I arrived, the day before to provision and ready the boat for the trip. Two concerns from the survey were that the flares were out of date and the fire extinguishers were old and dry chemical type.  So that night I installed a new 5BC FireBoy Halatron extinguisher by the entrance.  In order to be sure I was solidly mounted and that no screws would penetrate wiring, I removed the panel cover. Installation into the thick sides of the channel turned out solid and satisfactory.

I also installed a 5BC Halon (from H3R) unit under the sink.  Because Halon is more effective than Halatron, this unit becomes the "First Line of Defense". (I also carry a mini disposable Halon unit for kitchen fires.) In addition, I placed new Orion flare kit along with HD SOLAS parachute flares and smoke aboard. Boat is now equipped far above USCG requirements. (I will add a third "clean agent" 5BC fire extinguisher (Halatron) soon, bringing the total count of extinquishers to five including the two dry chem units.) 

The next morning, on schedule, we filled up with diesel adding about 250 gallons at $1.45 per gallon. Captain Dustin Daniels was the official delivery captain. I was going along as "crew" and as a "student". In no hurry because of high winds in the Bay, we departed around 9 AM. First encounter was the Great Bridge Bridge and Lock. We then proceeded up the Elizabeth River (ICW) past the Gilmerton Railroad Bridge and others on our way to Norfolk.

Once in the Norfolk/Hampton Harbor, we passed some impressive US Navy ships.

Now, decision time. Wind forecast is 15 knot winds and 3 foot waves. (We were using all available forcasting tools: SailFlow; Windfinder Pro, Windy and Predict Wind as well as NOAA/NWS.  But it looked more tame, so we entered the Chesapeake Bay! The Great Adventure Begins! Turned out that wind did not increase as we traveled north past the York River, but the waves got worse--not taller, but with less duration--more choppy and they were coming at us at an angle--quartering on our stern.  Really awful ride---boat rocking and rolling and twisting with each wave. Five hours of this was a long time. (The water was very blue and quite beautiful.)

None too soon, we turned toward Deltaville, our destination for the first night and stayed at the very nice Dozier Marina. Order a Pizza delivered and hit the sack early.

Next morning we pulled out at dawn (5:30AM).  The seas had calmed. Like sailing on a lake! Beautiful morning. We saw a large school of more than 200 dolphins. Passing the Smith Point lighthouse, we began the crossing of the mouth of the Potomac River. Very happy that seas were calm as this stretch can be the most hazardous and uncomfortable with high winds, heavy seas and strong tides--about 10-15 miles of "open" water.

A very long 14+ hour day. Finally reaching Annapolis where we stayed overnight. (Very happy that the Raymarine Auto Pilot system worked well--just set the heading and keep an eye on it. The Garmin ChartPlotters are also excellent. My INAVX on an IPad4 Mini using Bad Elf GPS was also excellent. Always know where you are and what the depths and hazards are!) Memorial Day Weekend and recent ending of Maryland's "stay at home" brought out big crowds. The water became quite rough and choppy on our approach caused by many speedboats running at top speed making big wakes!  Bordering on chaos considering the mix of stationary fishing boats, commerical traffic, sailboats, trawlers and 30 mph 900 HP express cruisers all seeming to be going in different directions.

Grand Day Out still running very well. Captain Daniels plotted a course that was the most direct, so we missed a bit of scenery.  I tend want to "hug the coast" a bit more.  

Again, we departed at dawn. Cloudy and rainy day as we approached the Bay Bridge. North winds on our bow and a strong tide on our stern made for rough seas, but since they hit us on our nose, there was little rolling and the ride was comfortable--sort of like riding (posting) a horse. Quite a bit of commerical traffic, but not may pleasure boats. The Chart Plotter showed about 9 mph, a gain of about 1 mph from the favorable tide. (Hull speed is about 8 mph at 1800 RPM) Gauges on the flybridge reading a little different from the Pilothouse--RPM about 100-200 RPM lower on the flybridge--water temp about 5 degrees F higher. Water temp ran 180 to 185 F.

We ran in most of the trip in the 1700 to 2000 RPM range on the Pilothouse Tachometer.

Concluded that the boat handles heavy seas pretty well. Choppy seas in the Chesapeake come from opposing wind and tides--not a problem unless waves are coming at an angle toward your stern--particularly as you pass perpendicular to the mouth of a large river. (e.g. York or Potomac)  Even then, the boat does not mind, but the the ride is not the best for the crew over an extended time.

One important fact: Tides in the Chesapeake are complicated and important. They affect boat speed and wave action. And, in the Chesapeake, it is not just the height of the waves--the "duration" or "period" and direction is even more important. Short choppy three second duration, two foot waves at an angle on the stern are worse than three foot, long 10 second duration waves on the bow. Winds in the present are less an issue than their direction in relation to tide currents and residual wave action (direction) from past winds. 

Here is a quote from an article about tides and currents in the Bay:

"The primary force causing tides in the Chesapeake Bay is the progression of the tide through the southern entrance from the Atlantic Ocean. A secondary source in the upper Bay is through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal from ocean tides which have progressed through Delaware Bay. The modification of the characteristics of the ocean tide that take place in the Bay are dependent on the width, depth, and configuration of the estuarine basins and tributaries. 

The Chesapeake Bay is fairly unique because it is long enough to contain one complete wave length of the dominant semidiurnal tide: i.e., when one high tide is reaching the head of the Bay near Havre de Grace, the next high tide is just entering the Bay near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The mean range of tide (the elevation difference between high water and low water) in the Bay varies from 2.8 feet at the Atlantic Ocean entrance, slowly decreasing to 1.0 foot near Annapolis, and then increasing to nearly 2.0 feet near Town Point, Maryland. 

An interesting feature of the tide in mid-Bay is that the range of the tide is generally higher on the Eastern Shore than the Western Shore. For example, the range of the tide at Smith Point (mother of the Potomac River) is around 1.0 foot while the range across the Bay in Tangier Sound is around 1.2 feet. The ranges of tide in the tributaries on the western and eastern sides of the Bay show significant increases proceeding up the rivers. For instance, in the Potomac River, the range of tide near the entrance is just about 1.0 foot, while the range of tide at Washington, D.C. is just over 2.6 feet. 

The average speeds of maximum flood and maximum ebb currents show similar distribution with the highest average speeds of less than 0.5 knots in the mid-Bay from Windmill Point up to Bloody Point Light. The average speeds are then between 0.5 and 1.0 knots up to the head of the Bay. 

There are two kinds of tidal cycles in the Bay. In the southern Bay and in Tangier Sound, the tides and tidal currents are semidiurnal, while in the central and northern Bay, they are classified as mixed. Semidiurnal tides generally have two high and two low waters each day. Diurnal tides generally have one high and one low per day. 

Mixed tides are a combination of semidiurnal and diurnal tide types. A characteristic of mixed tides is that on days when two high waters and two low waters occur, the two high tides and the two low tides will be of unequal height. The tides and tidal currents in the Bay described above can be significantly modified by the effects of local and large  scale meteorological patterns. These effects include strength and duration of wind speed and direction, barometric pressure changes, and river runoff. 

The tides in the Bay are highly susceptible to modification because the Bay is generally shallow and the tides and the tidal current are very weak. The effect on the tides is highly dependent on the direction of the winds relative to the orientation of the basin, and the scale of the meteorological event. For instance, a local squall line might have dramatic local effects on the tide for a short duration, while a large scale East coast storm affects the entire Bay for several days, especially with added effects of river runoff from the tributaries. However, the characteristics of the Bay are such that even relatively frequent meteorological patterns and associated changes can significantly affect the tides. "

Here is some video from the trip.

Finally arrived on the third day at "home port" Port Deposit on the Susquehanna River, just north of Havre de Grace Harbor. Best estimate is that we burned around 60 gallons of diesel in about 32 hours of running. Grand Day Out fit into the 40ft by 14ft slip perfectly. 

A great "3 days at sea" adventure and very good learning experience. Very happy with the boat. She is old and requires a lot of regular maintenance but is in excellent condition. She is not particularly fast at 8 mph, but fast enough and very economical. Perfect boat for an retired old man!

One interesting note.  Almost exactly 75 years ago, my Father, Donald Kenneth Strout, then 17 years old, entered the US Navy at Port Deposit with his basic training at the Bainbridge Naval Training Center in the summer of 1945. His only experience on a naval vessel was his training in large rowboats, probably not far from where Grand Day Out is now located.  He later was assigned to a B24 flying out of Newfoundland, searching the Atlantic for German submarines--flying low altitude missions from Newfoundland to the Azores and back.

Video about B24 Sub Hunters

The Survey

Buying a boat is a multi-step process.  First, you inspect the boat and make an offer if it suits. Once the offer is accepted, the sale is contingent on a Pre-Purchase and Condition Survey conducted by a certified marine surveyor.  (You could theoretically skip the survey, except, most insurance companies will require a survey to provide even liability coverage.)

For Grand Day Out, I hired a respected surveyor, Frank Lanier to perform the survey.

The boat was hauled out and the bottom pressure washed by Atlantic Yacht Basin.  The seller's Broker, Parker Griffo was present. The survey took all day--a full 8 hours.

Full Report

The was only one "A" or urgent recommendation. Replace the expired flares. There were 32 "B" or "when you get around to it" recommendations. Surveyors and insurance companies look at these "B" recommendations differently. The insurance company typically demands that the buyer indicate his intent to address these. Their biggest concern was that the fire extinguishers, while technically in compliance with regulations, were old and not "professionally" inspected. 

So, before repositioning, I replaced the flares and fire extinguishers with new first class more advanced versions. 

I provided the insurance company with a detailed "preventive maintenance" program that included a plan for addressing all of the "B" recommendations in a timely manner.

Grand Day Out Preventive Maintenance Program 2020-2021

Below are some pics from the survey. 

Once the survey is complete, the buyer and seller typically "negotiate" price adjustments or repairs to be made.  Since the agreed price had been reduced from the original asking price in anticipation of issues to be found in the survey, no further price changes were demanded and the purchase went forward.

The Search

Approaching my 70th birthday and my official retirement in the Financial Services business, I looked forward to a bit more time and freedom to pursue adventures and activities that were not possible or at least convenient in the past.

Two years earlier I had returned to flying as a private pilot. I updated my skills and requalified with a Flight Review and Basic Med physical. And I bought a fine plane--what is known as a "taildragger". I enjoyed the challenge--flying a "taildragger" or conventional gear plane like my Cubcrafters Cub required special training and an official "endorsement" by an instructor. I enjoyed the flying too---as Charles Lindbergh once said--"Flying is wonderful, taking off is easy, but landing can be hell".  Flying a taildragger in "crosswind" requires precision, fast reflexes, and lots of practice. Much of my flying was simply to maintain high proficiency for landings in crosswinds.  

A word about crosswinds---in the early days of flight, airports were just large rectangular areas--you landed the plane into the wind. Later, airports created runways--restricting your direction. The early airports used at least two runways--use depending on the wind. Later, most airports only provide one runway. At such airports, you almost always land with the wind coming from the side to some degree--i.e. with a crosswind. No problem for tricycle gear planes---tricky for a conventional gear taildragger. And, over a certain crosswind speed, dangerous as gusty crosswinds can cause the pilot to lose control.

Recreational flying has also changed. Many more restrictions. Whenever the President or Vice President travel--a Temporary Flight Restriction is declared. And flying a slow plane in heavily controlled Class B or even Class C space seems to annoy the Air Traffic Controllers and can be nerve wracking. 

I concluded that at age 70, maybe flying in a complex environment in a plane that was difficult to land in crosswinds was just not as much fun as I had hoped it would be. Something slower with a bit more freedom would better suit me. 

Twenty years earlier, I had been an avid sailor. I still love sailing, but the physical aspects of hoisting sails and yanking on sheets, and sailing heeled over seemed better suited for a younger man. (Plus sailing on the Chesapeake in the summer can be disappointing because of light winds--so essentially the sailboat becomes a trawler with a tall mast.)  I had owned a 38 foot Express Cruiser too.  My wife did not like the feeling of "going below" in an Express Cruiser or a sailbooat--she likened it to going into a cave. Going 25-30 mph and burning 20-30 gallons of fuel per hour no longer was attractice either.  Now, going 7-10 mph in a diesel trawler--hmmm.

I love the technical aspects of navigating. GPS is fantastic. I also love to tinker with machinery. So a 20-35 year old powerboat seemed to fit the bill. 

My search can down to two different vessels. A Bayliner 4588 Pilothouse Cruiser and a Grand Banks 36 Classic. The 4588 might be considered more a "motor-yacht" than a "trawler" but driven slow--it functions the same. A "trawler" is a class of yacht that is designed and functions a bit like old time fishing boats or tugs--lots of living space---slow and steady. Former sailors like them as they are travel a bit like a motoring sailboat, but without the "hassle" of a tall mast and deep keel. And not having to live in a "cave" like setting "below" deck--the Captain and Crew can be inside and still enjoy the scenery.

The 4588 Bayliner was BIG and beautiful. It had two Hino (Toyota) diesels.  Steering from inside the pilothouse or from the easy accessed flybridge. Cruise at hull speed (9-10 mph) or get up "on plane" and boogey at 23-25 mph.  A good one was over $110,000 and they have "cored" hulls. Meaning the hull foam or balsa wood, covered with fiberglass. Lots of controversy about cored hulls.  For an older boat (20-35 years!) I felt more comfortable with a solid "hand laid" fiberglass hull.

The Grand Banks 36 Classic has a solid fiberglass hull and a reputation of being strong and well built. Top of the line for a "coastal" cruiser.  They also have a reputation for a very high level of craftsmanship and "sea-worthiness".  Beautiful hand crafted/finished teak furniture--almost a work of art in that respect. The GB36 is probably capable of handling sea conditions better than the Captain and Crew can tolerate for any length of time. They come with two diesels or one. Twin screw or single. Like the controversy about cored hulls, there are those who prefer two engines--more HP and "a spare" if one engine fails; then there are those who prefer the simplicity of a single engine, with a bowthruster to low speed directional control.  Biggest attraction to me was the efficiency and ease of maintenance with one engine--and the added benefit of much better protection of the prop when operating in shallow waters.

I "shopped" on the internet for a time. Looked at lots of 4588's and GB36's based in the Mi-Atlantic area from Virginia to New York.  Buying a 30+ year old boat is all about the boat's condition and maintenance history. They can be in good shape if the owners keep them up, or they can have lots of deferred maintenance.

Well, you know my decision---a 1984 Grand Banks 36 Classic, single screw with a Lehman Ford 120 HP diesel named "Grand Day Out".  Purchased for $85,000 from a couple who were based in La Pointe, Wisconsin on Lake Superior but had sailed her to Virginia and traded her for a large boat.  The boat had been operated almost all of it's life in the fresh water of the Great Lakes. And, she was in very good condition.  

Grand Day Out was named after a famous British "animated movie" first aired on the BBC starring Wallace and Gromit, an old man and his dog who went on adventures together. Typical British slapstick comedy, a Grand Day Out for the pair was building a rocket and going to the moon and back. 

I don't have a dog anymore. (I miss our Border Collies and Standard Poodle--but condo living is not conducive to keeping a large dog.)  My wife Carol and I have two cats. So, my adventures and many a Grand Day Out will have to include them.