Open hatches. I remember as a kid, maybe 7 or 8? years old dad had a wooden trawler which he kept at our dock on the Bayou Teche in Louisiana. One day I was playing around and ran through the pilothouse. Wham! didn't see that open hatch. Still have a scar on my head where I hit the engine.
Slow Hand – End of the line
- Thread starter O C Diver
- Start date
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wfleenor
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Happy to hear you will stick around on the forum. I have benefitted from many of your posts over the years. I don't post a lot myself. Being on the west coast and not getting to TF until at least 9pm, I have never found a purpose to saying 'I agree with post number#', but I do find a need to add occasionally.
I didn't know I had a kindred spirit whose wife hated boats so you go out alone or invites friends. I always say my wife is a destination girl rather than a journey girl. She will join me sometimes after I have made the journey to the destination. Maybe there's a new group in that genre.
I have still been doing a lot of consulting, so I haven't put on the miles you have, but I am pulling the lines in and heading to the Gulf of California this fall and will leave the boat down there for a few years.
Best of luck to you
I didn't know I had a kindred spirit whose wife hated boats so you go out alone or invites friends. I always say my wife is a destination girl rather than a journey girl. She will join me sometimes after I have made the journey to the destination. Maybe there's a new group in that genre.
I have still been doing a lot of consulting, so I haven't put on the miles you have, but I am pulling the lines in and heading to the Gulf of California this fall and will leave the boat down there for a few years.
Best of luck to you
Daddy died aboard our 40'er... it is doable. Now he had intended to build a houseboat for when he got old, however age caught up with him and that never happened. He stayed aboard the sedan cruiser he built in the 1950's.
Daddy's boat:
Here she is in the 1990s. We sold her in the early 2000s... like Ted, it was a fast sale. Mother put a sign in the starboard window on a Saturday. A broker contacted her on Sunday. Listed on Monday. First appointment that afternoon. We had a second interested individual scheduled for Tuesday. The Tuesday guy offered all cash/no inspection Monday night. We had already signed a contract on Monday. Cash in the bank account on Wednesday, so five days. It was a hot market and the boat was fabulous!
Because of that I experience -- Daddy having been aboard until the end, I have been adapting Seaweed to take me until forever aboard her. Excluding the tuna door I have accomplished all I set out for originally some 16-plus years ago. My Seaweed is not the boat she once was. She is however 41 years old.
I can safely live aboard her at anchor without issue. Sufficient power is provided by 460 watts of solar, a wind generator and a small Yamaha 1000 generator. Due to lacking the upper body strength you fellows have, I opted for a 1k genny. (I am unable to pull start a Honda2k UNLESS it is warmed up -- the compression is simply too much for me)
In the meantime this past year I have spent doing the normal things you do aboard a vessel built 41 years ago: replaced everything except me! Well, actually that includes wiring. All my AC is new and upgraded/more appropriately sized for today's needs. Four decades ago we did not have the power hungry devices of 2024.
A bad fall into a bilge took me out of commission for a couple years. I lost my confidence. Just about the time I was back to my old self, Covid happened. The enforced isolation did nothing good for me personally and I HATED it.
Last year a neighbor took a fall too. Both of us made the EXACT SAME ERROR. Both of us were injured badly too. Here's what went wrong: we both walked inside a boat from outside where it was bright and sunny. We both stepped into an open hatch and fell into the bilge.
Lesson learned: ALWAYS close the hatches even if only for five minutes. We would both like to think we are smarter than to step into a hole, but alas, we are not! Seriously, I believe we were blinded by stepping out of the sunlight and neither of us stopped a moment to allow our eyes to adjust.
I did write an article which might amuse and warn you of the stupid stuff that can happen when we are just a smidge too confident in our capabilities:
Rules for Life article on janice142
There are a lot of things we can do to make our life safer aboard our homes...
Glad you could recover from you injuries. I've had similar and not fun. Are you still in Mad Beach? Where are you anchored/docked?
janice142
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Nearby... was just speaking tonight and IF the wind drops the plan is to take Seaweed over to the American Legion or the Elks club for a cup of sangria over ice. I will be back at the dock long before dark as the idiots come out in droves on holiday weekends.
I'm sure you know that the first 24-36 hours after winds such as we have had lately the water is still choppy. No matter what the VHF says, day one after windy conditions is only fit for masochists. I like smooth or light chop.
After 15k at the helm of our 40'er, I appreciate smooth water. Plus of course my girl is strictly a coastal cruiser. She did get a fresh paint job last autumn on the forward cabin.
I'm sure you know that the first 24-36 hours after winds such as we have had lately the water is still choppy. No matter what the VHF says, day one after windy conditions is only fit for masochists. I like smooth or light chop.
After 15k at the helm of our 40'er, I appreciate smooth water. Plus of course my girl is strictly a coastal cruiser. She did get a fresh paint job last autumn on the forward cabin.
Nearby... was just speaking tonight and IF the wind drops the plan is to take Seaweed over to the American Legion or the Elks club for a cup of sangria over ice. I will be back at the dock long before dark as the idiots come out in droves on holiday weekends.
I'm sure you know that the first 24-36 hours after winds such as we have had lately the water is still choppy. No matter what the VHF says, day one after windy conditions is only fit for masochists. I like smooth or light chop.
After 15k at the helm of our 40'er, I appreciate smooth water. Plus of course my girl is strictly a coastal cruiser. She did get a fresh paint job last autumn on the forward cabin.
Janice,
If you wander over to the Legion or Elks, let me know and I'll buy the sangria for you. Would love to say hi and see how you're doing.
I usually stop by the Legion 2 or 3 times a week to exercise the boat and docking practice around 4:30. The times to avoid it are Tues, Fri, Sat and Sun. The tourists are heading back north in a few weeks, so it will not be so crowded.
End of the Line?
This thread really struck a chord with me, since I have been thinking about another boat, and wondering whether, at 74, it could be too late.
I haven't noticed huge changes, but I have definitely gotten less reliable with certain tasks that used to be automatics.
So, I had the idea of taking a "trawler school" course, mostly so a professional would be watching me and noting whatever was not working, and give me an unbiased opinion at the end of the course. I wasn't sure if such a thing even existed, but I ran across a 4-day course offered by Trawlers Great Lakes, in Traverse City, which sounded pretty close to what I am looking for. Plus, I have never boated in that area, and thought that getting checked out in unfamiliar waters would be a better test than sticking to my backyard here in the Northeast.
Does anyone know anything about these courses? I know they are the Nordic Tug dealer up there, so there may be some salesmanship involved, but I don't mind that, and actually wouldn't mind learning more about this brand, which is one I would be interested in.
Pretty much everyone else on TF is way more experienced than I am, and the course is not cheap, so anything I could learn would be really appreciated!
Thanks! Peter
This thread really struck a chord with me, since I have been thinking about another boat, and wondering whether, at 74, it could be too late.
I haven't noticed huge changes, but I have definitely gotten less reliable with certain tasks that used to be automatics.
So, I had the idea of taking a "trawler school" course, mostly so a professional would be watching me and noting whatever was not working, and give me an unbiased opinion at the end of the course. I wasn't sure if such a thing even existed, but I ran across a 4-day course offered by Trawlers Great Lakes, in Traverse City, which sounded pretty close to what I am looking for. Plus, I have never boated in that area, and thought that getting checked out in unfamiliar waters would be a better test than sticking to my backyard here in the Northeast.
Does anyone know anything about these courses? I know they are the Nordic Tug dealer up there, so there may be some salesmanship involved, but I don't mind that, and actually wouldn't mind learning more about this brand, which is one I would be interested in.
Pretty much everyone else on TF is way more experienced than I am, and the course is not cheap, so anything I could learn would be really appreciated!
Thanks! Peter
janice142
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Great to know the best days. I do prefer weekdays so Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are perfect. With these winds and the holiday weekend, I will not venture onto the G-ICW as initially considered earlier this week.
These weather temperatures are perfection. I truly prefer overcast days such as these. Enjoy...
Ted:
You have my sincere sympathies. Letting go of your pride & joy is hard. Your beautiful, bristol boat, which I saw once in Tarpon Springs, is a work of art.
As others have mentioned, the new owner will be a very fortunate new owner.
Warmest Regards,
Mrs. Trombley
You have my sincere sympathies. Letting go of your pride & joy is hard. Your beautiful, bristol boat, which I saw once in Tarpon Springs, is a work of art.
As others have mentioned, the new owner will be a very fortunate new owner.
Warmest Regards,
Mrs. Trombley
Irish Rambler
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Hi Ted, we've never met but you've posted some very useful information here for the young and not so young to absorb.
I know exactly how you feel, be assured your not the only one.
I'm 80 and live on a motor cruiser on the canals in France with usually a summertime trip on the Mediterranean to either down to Spain, or t'other way over towards Italy.
We've just come back from doing a 3 week sailing boat delivery trip from Corfu(Greece) in the Ionan islands to Orei in the Sporades. I'm getting too long in the tooth now for those flappy things
I think with advancing years our cruises will get smaller and shorter until like you, we'lll be quaybound as we don't have a house.
We wish you a long life and good health, its been a please to know you through the Trawler Forum and always enjoyed the wisdom you shared .
Take it easy oul hand.
With our highest regards.
Geoff
chanprr
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Ted, it's an encouragement to us all that pushing beyond fairly obvious physical and mental limits is a bit foolish. I don't want a serious and maybe fatal mistake happening to me on my boat. I take your advice here, and remind myself that the day will come when my boat will go up for sale. Until that time, I hope to travel safely on the water. Thanks for your honest self appraisal. All the best in the next chapter.
Irish Rambler
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Hi Scott,
Is your boat in the old Olympic marina ? We've just come back there and I thought I saw a Greenline but didn't pay it much attention as we were delivering a sail boat and we were pressed for time.
Hippocampus
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Ted just continue to post here. You have much wisdom to share
dhays
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I am late to this thread. I've been pretty much away from the boat for a few years. COVID was a rough time for the practice and then we became super busy and I was back to working 5 days/week with no chance for decent vacation time. Then my wife developed some serious mobility issues and has had two major surgeries (one being a total knee replacement) over the past 2 years. She will have another total knee replacement in the fall and she still is not steady enough on her feet to safely move about the boat let alone getting on and off. She is improving, so after she recovers from this next TKR, I am hopeful she will be able to get back on the boat.
She is well enough now that I can feel more comfortable leaving her alone for short periods. I'm only working 1 day/week this year (other than several weeks of covering for my colleagues on their vacation) so I plan to try and take some short little trips solo when I can get away. In 195 days I'll be completely retired and I keep hoping that will give me increased time to use the boat. However, it will largely depend on my wife's health.
I find that doing the normal repairs on the boat are a LOT harder than they were a few years ago. I'm only 66 years old, but crawling around the ER leaves me sore for a couple days.
AlaskaProf was a good role model of being able to take the time to cruise. He would have folks meet him for portions of his cruise. I may see if I can swing that.
Ted, I am sorry that you are needing to move on from Slow Hand. You have been incredibly helpful and patient through my own power boat journey. I think you are wise to make the decision now while it is your choice, instead of a choice being forced upon you.
She is well enough now that I can feel more comfortable leaving her alone for short periods. I'm only working 1 day/week this year (other than several weeks of covering for my colleagues on their vacation) so I plan to try and take some short little trips solo when I can get away. In 195 days I'll be completely retired and I keep hoping that will give me increased time to use the boat. However, it will largely depend on my wife's health.
I find that doing the normal repairs on the boat are a LOT harder than they were a few years ago. I'm only 66 years old, but crawling around the ER leaves me sore for a couple days.
AlaskaProf was a good role model of being able to take the time to cruise. He would have folks meet him for portions of his cruise. I may see if I can swing that.
Ted, I am sorry that you are needing to move on from Slow Hand. You have been incredibly helpful and patient through my own power boat journey. I think you are wise to make the decision now while it is your choice, instead of a choice being forced upon you.
Mambo42
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Scott,
Don't know how far North you have come already, but may want to give Santa Elena a call. The northern part of the Adriatic has been covered in algae over the last 10 days, it all comes from Italy (river Po), but the layer is tick in many places, creating a real problem for the cooling of the engines.
We were busy having work done on the boat in Vabriga, but had to cut it short and escape to Pula before the coast was completely covered in algae.
So do check with Venice and ask how the situation is there, you don't want to run through fields of algae only to find yourself in a marina with rotting algae in it. The smell is horrendous, not something you want to be in.
As far as I know now the algae cover the west coast of Istra completely, parts of Cres as well, am trying to find out how the situation is in the Kornati, Losinj, Pasman, Ugljan etc.
ScottC
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Thank you for the alert, Mambo42! It may be useful then for you to know that we have made it to Preko (Zadar) and haven't seen any signs of algae yet.
I have created a new thread to host future potential Adriatic algae discussion:
Algae - North Adriatic
I am creating this thread to host anyone interested in discussing the algae situation in the North Adriatic.
www.trawlerforum.com
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