Switching between a lifelong aviation experience to boating

[Lolenzo]

Hello everyone,
My name is Eric and my wife’s name is Jessica. We live with our two standard poodles Enzo and Lola (Lolenzo user name) in bucks county Pennsylvania about an hour North of Philadelphia and 30 minutes from the Delaware River.
I have been a private pilot and airplanes owner for the last 25 years. I always have been fascinated with navigation, weather, flight planning, the pure excitement of planing trips, figuring out the best airports to refuel and so on.
Jess and I have very little experience in boating but I have been telling people for years who are afraid of flying that air to an airplane is like water to a boat and will effected the same way, sometimes you have smooth water, other times you have choppy water and sometimes you have oh crap water ..
Jessica and I have just signed up to take a week long class in the BVI in April renting a power cat from the mooring with an instructor.
Jess have been telling me about the great loop and how fun it would be to do that eventually. Well, now I am completely obsessed with the lifestyle and what could be the next chapter in my journey. I found this forum by accident and couldn’t wait to join it. I have so much to learn, but I believe that some of my aviation experience will cross over.
Any guidance, advices or simply telling me the brutal facts of boating would be appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[danderer]

Seems a lot of trawler owners we know have an aviation background, either private, professional, or military. You'll find that many of the skills you have developed and enjoy will serve you well in the cruising world.

 

[AnsleyS]

Eric,
Welcome to the world of trawlerforum.com. A few things come to mind about coming from flight to float. The weather, navigation and course planning will be easy to you. Some things will be different, our way points are big Steel bouys not electronic points in the sky, we move mostly without traffic control direction, we carry our beds, food, and liquor cabinet with us and we travel in two dimensions so WE DO NOT FALL.
Try out a bunch of boats and ask a lot of questions before buying. A lot of folks on the forum have a lot of experience, do not hesitate to ask.
Cheers

 

[DavidM]

Welcome.

There are a lot of similarities between flying and boating, but one big set of differences- the pilot of an airplane can’t pull over, tie up to what a cloud, then fix dinner, sleep overnight, get up the next morning and continue his journey.

Much of the extra stuff on a cruising boat- anchor, galley, head, sleeping cabin, etc. relates to those differences.

Like you, I became a private pilot long before I became a cruising boater. Dealing with weather and navigation on a cruising boat was a piece of cake using the airplane pilot experience.

David

 

[slowgoesit]

You've got a lot of the "hard stuff" already nailed. One of the most difficult things to get used to though, is that compared to flying, Boat Stuff can happen so SO slowly! Best of luck in your future watery endeavors.

 

[snowskierandpilot]

Commercial pilot here turned trawler captain. You are exactly correct about aviation experiences assisting with situations on the water. I learned early on that tumultuous waves, a little more than frisky waves are akin to turbulence. In order to keep things from breaking or flying around in the cabin or salon power adjustments are required until reaching calm air or water. Much prefer sliding down backside of wave than losing hundreds of feet in altitude.

 

[Lolenzo]

Seems a lot of trawler owners we know have an aviation background, either private, professional, or military. You'll find that many of the skills you have developed and enjoy will serve you well in the cruising world.

I am really looking forward to exploring this world.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Lolenzo]

Eric,
Welcome to the world of trawlerforum.com. A few things come to mind about coming from flight to float. The weather, navigation and course planning will be easy to you. Some things will be different, our way points are big Steel bouys not electronic points in the sky, we move mostly without traffic control direction, we carry our beds, food, and liquor cabinet with us and we travel in two dimensions so WE DO NOT FALL.
Try out a bunch of boats and ask a lot of questions before buying. A lot of folks on the forum have a lot of experience, do not hesitate to ask.
Cheers

So, you’re saying don’t go over your waypoints thank you for the great insight, I will definitely take my time.

 

[Lolenzo]

Commercial pilot here turned trawler captain. You are exactly correct about aviation experiences assisting with situations on the water. I learned early on that tumultuous waves, a little more than frisky waves are akin to turbulence. In order to keep things from breaking or flying around in the cabin or salon power adjustments are required until reaching calm air or water. Much prefer sliding down backside of wave than losing hundreds of feet in altitude.

Maneuvering speed brother, keep everything from coming apart. Snow skier, I am actually replying you from our mountain home in Vermont looking at the slopes as we speak. The leaves are looking amazing right now.

 

[Lolenzo]

You've got a lot of the "hard stuff" already nailed. One of the most difficult things to get used to though, is that compared to flying, Boat Stuff can happen so SO slowly! Best of luck in your future watery endeavors.

Thank you very much. Slow is good

 

[Lolenzo]

Welcome.

There are a lot of similarities between flying and boating, but one big set of differences- the pilot of an airplane can’t pull over, tie up to what a cloud, then fix dinner, sleep overnight, get up the next morning and continue his journey.

Much of the extra stuff on a cruising boat- anchor, galley, head, sleeping cabin, etc. relates to those differences.

Like you, I became a private pilot long before I became a cruising boater. Dealing with weather and navigation on a cruising boat was a piece of cake using the airplane pilot experience.

David

Thanks David,
I am really looking forward to this next chapter in my life.

 

[dhays]

Welcome! I have always thought doing the Loop would be a great experience.

I grew up a sailor, then spent a some times as a private pilot, then went back to boating as my wife doesn't like flying. You will find that your experience flying will help you tremendously. Docking a boat dealing with wind and current uses the same fundamental principles as a cross-wind landing. Everything will just seem a lot slower.

Trawler Forum can be a great resource. There are lots of very experienced and helpful folks here. Many are not only very good mariners but some are very good aviators as well. I am neither so I pay attention to them.

 

[PierreR]

Maneuvering speed brother, keep everything from coming apart. Snow skier, I am actually replying you from our mountain home in Vermont looking at the slopes as we speak. The leaves are looking amazing right now.

Sounds like we have a lot in common. Your pilot experience will make navigation an armchair exercise. I am writing this from my home in a fly-in subdivision called Sky Park (15G) 40 miles SW of Cleveland OH. Plane was C337P. I am a top level alpine/telemark skier and have the required prissy poodle with a full poodle cut but she is less than 5 pounds.

 

[snowskierandpilot]

Maneuvering speed brother, keep everything from coming apart. Snow skier, I am actually replying you from our mountain home in Vermont looking at the slopes as we speak. The leaves are looking amazing right now.

Our winter travels will take us to New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine this year. Looking forward to the trip. I enjoy sliding down the backside of any mountain. Mind sharing what VT. Mountain?

 

[Lolenzo]

Our winter travels will take us to New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine this year. Looking forward to the trip. I enjoy sliding down the backside of any mountain. Mind sharing what VT. Mountain?

Okemo in Ludlow VT

 

[Lolenzo]

Sounds like we have a lot in common. Your pilot experience will make navigation an armchair exercise. I am writing this from my home in a fly-in subdivision called Sky Park (15G) 40 miles SW of Cleveland OH. Plane was C337P. I am a top level alpine/telemark skier and have the required prissy poodle with a full poodle cut but she is less than 5 pounds.

That’s so funny and on top of that you have a French name. Everyone calls me Frenchy btw.

 

[Lolenzo]

Look at the tail

 

[PierreR]

The Frenchy is sweet
Pierre Rideau

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[HopCar]

Welcome Aboard! Your idea to charter with a Captain for instructions is exactly the right thing to do. It will be a lot of fun. One tip to dealing with all the nut jobs here on Trawler Forum, never ask which anchor is best! The rule here is you have the wrong anchor, it’s too small and you don’t have enough chain.