Another Day, Another Adventure

Course:  Schenectady Yacht Club to Canajoharie to Utica to St. Johnsbury, NY
Cruising Day: about 40, I think
Miles (N) since departing Maine: 641

We have been moving west for the past 5 days and making an average of 25 miles a day.  The locks slow us down but not that much.  PM and I have made 6 hours a day our cruising max and plan a rest day every three or four days as this gives us time to explore the small villages we encounter, restock supplies and do maintenance and repairs.  This trip is for fun not miles.

After almost two months of cruising, we have begun to loose track of the date and day of the week.  This really doesn't matter much as any day on the water is as good as any other.  So our trip since Schenectady has been slow and bucolic.  The Mohawk river in this area of New York was heavily damaged by the constant rain in June and early July.  Many of the boats that had planned a trip west on the Erie Canal turned north to Lake Champlain or returned south to NYC and home.  The closure of the canal delayed many loopers by as much as a month, some on the Hudson but others in between locks that were closed due to high water.  One 40 foot President in Little Falls was swept over the marina wall and ended in the parking lot.  Some boats were totaled and some were lucky enough to be refloated with out any serious hull damage. We have seen many boats on stands in the marinas awaiting gel coat and topside repair.  This has not been a friendly year for boats along the Mohawk.

So we made a decision in Utica, a place forever recalled on our log as the place of the best Italian Restaurant in New York.  Also the place where PM's dear college friend and resident Italian gourmet cook, Deloris Chainey, nee Mancuso, lives with her recently retired husband, Rick.  Deloris also recently retired and is currently going through the idea book on her next phase of pursuit.

Anyway, in Utica we took a 40 mile bike ride over to Rome, happened on a very home town parade, Rome Days, and had lunch at the Oriskany Diner.  While enjoying Blueberry pancakes for me and a hamburger, four been salad and onion rings for PM, two large lemonades all for $10, we had the discussion both of us had been having privately in our heads.  Due to delays from mechanical issues and delays due to the canal closure and our firm commitment to having a relaxing and slow paced cruise, we would east again and explore Lake Champlain for the rest of the summer, forgoing the plan to loop through Canada along the Rideau and St. Laurence Seaway.  This decision filled us with some regret initially but as we talked about it, it made more sense.  Our summer itinerary is about a month behind as we had intended to arrive in Kingston, Ontario by July 1, cruise the loop to Ottawa and back south to Montreal, down the St. Laurence and then south into Lake Champlain by August.  Our revision allows us the time on Lake Champlain we would not have had if we continued west. And we will see much of the area we miss this trip next year as we do our Great Loop cruise.

So we are headed east now, back to Waterford, NY where we will turn north via the Champlain Canal to Whitehall, at the southern end of Lake Champlain and the place where the American Navy was born and into the clear waters of the largest freshwater lake in the US after the great lakes.

We are this evening tied to a pier in St. Johnsbury, NY. This is one of the many towns along the Erie Canal that time has passed by.  Walking around this evening we saw old turn of the century and post Civil War architecture.  Fortunately, there appears to be a lot of retired people in the area who have restored many of the old homes, and this is really a very attractive town in its own way.  There is not much to do here, but a walk around the main street allowed us many good evenings and hellos from residents sitting on their porches to watch the world go by.  One lady explained she was 88 and doing her daily "word search" game to keep her mind alive as her body seemed to take care of itself.  She was one of many we have met and a very sweet and somewhat chatty lady on her porch overlooking River Street (most all of the towns along the canal have a River Street and Main Street if no others) who welcome us to their town, fill us in on local history and ask about our travels.  We have met some genuine people.  I feel sometimes like the CBS reporter who would pick a city, select a name at random and go find out about their lives, Dave's World, I think the show was called.

Oh, the cutlass bearings have worked as intended and our fuel economy has dramatically improved.  I also adjusted the idle so we are safe from stalling at embarrassing moments. Other than the maintenance routines of filling the water tanks, emptying the holding tank, changing oil and filters every 100 hours and being absorbed by the never ending little tasks that are part and parcel of living on a boat, our days are filled most often with the slow passage of hours at 7 miles an hour watching the world pass and the daily joy of a cruising lifestyle, and we are loving this life more every day.

We have had no interesting lock issues since we were turned sideways by a stiff wind gust at Lock 9, which we will revisit in a day or two.

On Our Way Again!

PM's Perspective -- Goodbye Kingston, Hello Erie Canal!

Ten days in Kingston was just long enough for us to get attached to the wonderful staff at Rondout Yacht Basin.  When we left on Saturday, it was like saying goodbye to family!  We departed about 10:30 AM with me at the helm.  I had forgotten how slowly Velomer responds to steering changes, but I quickly adjusted once we got out of Rondout Creek and back to the Hudson River.  My first challenge was a huge barge in the river that I needed to accommodate and then a sizable tugboat that came out of the creek right after us. Again, I felt like a chipmunk crossing a four lane highway!  While underway Bob kept checking the stuffing box and other mechanicals in the engine room.  Of concern was a whining sound the occurred at low rpms in both forward and reverse.  We both had a strange feeling in the pit of our stomachs fearing the worst.  Bob was able to figure out that the whine was a result of the safety cage over the alternator belt rubbing against the belt.  Apparently, one of the tabs holding the cage in place gave way and caused the cage to sag onto the belt intermittently.  Bob wanted to remove the cage altogether, a move I vetoed for obvious safety reasons. In his remarkable ingenuity, Bob was able to fashion a temporary fix to hold the cage in place until we can get the cage welded.

As this was our first travel day in quite awhile, we decided to make it a short hop of 15 miles to the Riverview Marina in Catskill for one night's stay.  The next morning we got up and going fairly early to make the 40 mile journey to Waterford across the river from Troy and just north of Albany.  To get to Waterford, a boat must pass through the Troy Federal Lock, our first lock aboard Velomer.  Shortly before arriving at the lock, I read Skipper Bob's book on the Erie Canal and learned that the locks typically have one one of three methods for securing a boat to the side of the lock during the raising and lowering of the water level -- ropes, cables, or pipes.  This resource also provided very good instructions for how to tie up to all three. Negotiating the locks also involves having bumpers on the boat to protect the boat from the concrete lock walls.  We made it through the lock with a port side tie up with Velomer just kissing the side of the lock once, no big deal.  Our confidence level was climbing!

In Waterford, you can tie up to the town dock for free and hook into electric service for a minimal charge. The town, which is the gateway to both the Erie Canal and the Champlain Canal, also provides restrooms and showers for boaters at the harbor master's offices.  The town's main drag with many restaurants and services is within two blocks.  I must say that Waterford is the most boater friendly town we have yet to visit. Even the local grocery stores encourage boaters to use their shopping carts to transport groceries to the boat!  From the town dock one can see Lock 2 of the Erie Canal (there is no Lock 1).  At this lock boaters can purchase a pass for the New York State canals including a 2-day, 10-day or season's pass.  After limited debate, we concluded that a season's pass is the best purchase for Velomer as the other two would not provide us sufficient time to get through the locks without stressing us out!

On Monday, we awoke early, had breakfast at Don & Paul's (highly recommended greasy spoon!), and restocked the larder at the nearby supermarket.  We left the town dock by 11:15 AM and headed toward Lock 2.  Our experience at the Troy Lock served us well.  We decided that because we have sufficient fenders (both ball and cylinder) aboard that we would affix these to both port and starboard so we (meaning me because Bob is at the helm) would not have to run about moving fenders from one side of the boat to the other as we approached a lock. On Lock 2 we had a starboard tie up, so a slightly different orientation. Again, the bow just kissed the side of the lock but I was able to push the boat away from the wall and Bob used the bow thruster.  Our confidence was a bit shaken, but no big deal.

Locks 2, 3, 4 and 5 are very close together such that as soon as you exit one, you can see the next lock. Lock 3 was another starboard tie up but we decided to try something a bit different.  Once I got the line around the cable and secured to the mid cleat on the boat, Bob would put the boat in neutral and come down to the deck and help me fend off the lock wall with a boat pole.  That didn't work so well either and again the bow kissed the concrete wall and I could see the railing move under the strain.  Our confidence level declined a bit more.

Lock 4 was our moment of truth.  It was a port side tie up and a water level increase of 35 feet.  Bob steered over to the left, I got the line around the steel cable and cleated.  So far so good.  When the water level started to rise, the bow swung hard into the wall making a most horrific sound.  Sparks flew, fenders compressed, railing groaned.  "Thruster, thruster, thruster," I cried as I ran to the bow and pushed off with all my might.  I could hear the sound of the bow thruster straining.  Beads of perspiration dripped into my eyes as I swore like a sailor.  My arms and legs shook with overexertion.  Our confidence level plummeted like a stone in a bottomless well.  Somehow, and I'm not sure how, we were still afloat and made it out of Lock 4 with the gates of Lock 5 yawning open like a giant maul ready to swallow us up just ahead.

At Lock 5, I wasn't able to get the line around the steel cable properly.  First the line went over the railing.  I fixed that problem but the line became twisted.  I had to ask Bob to reverse the boat so I could get the line right.  I felt like I was all thumbs.  The good news was that through use of the bow thruster and my pushing the bow, Velomer never met with the wall.  Finally a modicum of success!  Lock 6 went even better, and by Lock 7 we performed flawlessly, which was a good thing, as we had an audience of Chinese tourists watching the process.  After such a stressful day, we pulled into Schenectady Yacht Club for a two day respite!


Bob's Story:


I could not have described our first locking day better.  I missed some of the drama from the helm as I have a limited view of the action on deck, but I definitely heard everything.  The lock walls act like a natural echo chamber, a most entertaining show for those watching from above.  Locking is best described as moments of calm interspersed with moments of crisis.  At least that was our experience on the first couple of locks until we got the routine down.  We have many days of locking up and down ahead of us so we will have more stories of these trials.  As PM did not mention it, she is too nice sometimes and does not find fault when it is blatantly obvious to a 5 year old, the lock master on Lock 4 was an idiot.  He flooded the lock too fast. He did not warn us of the huge and sudden flow of water that would violently shove us into the wall, and he basically, acted like someone who just could care less, so much for the New York State employee work ethic. To be fair though, the vast majority of people we have met who work the marinas and locks could not be more professional and competent.  But we will recall the stupid idiot at lock 4 as we will also recall the two stupid boaters who passed us on the Hudson River on either side at 20 knots.  We lost some CDs and fortunately were able to repair the other damages.Well, VELOMER is built tough and other than a slightly roughly polished rub-rail, we had suffered no apparent damage at lock 4.  Nonetheless, our future locking adventures will be approached with caution and foreknowledge that anything can happen and PM will be ready with a fender and a sailor's choice vocabulary.

The Erie Canal, known more accurately as the Erie Barge Canal as it is the third iteration of the system, is bucolic between the locks.  In this eastern section between Waterford and Oneida Lake, we are on the Mohawk River most of the time, with land cuts at the locks to bypass dams. We pass frequent abandoned industrial sites, former brick yards and ice cutting warehouses, evidence of the by-gone vitality of this area of the state.  Most of the time, the land appears undeveloped as summer foliage hides any buildings and towns. Other than one sailboat and two local water-skiers, we have seen no eastbound boats as yet.  I think many of these east bound travelers had given up and returned to western waters or just tied their boats to a pier and flew home, after waiting more than a month for the Canal to open following the June rains which flooded about ten locks with up to 30 feet of water.  The towns and marinas along the way have been seriously impacted by the lack of economic activity associated with summer boat traffic.

Our challenges have evolved as we motor slowly west and north into Canada.  What had our focus as we traveled down the New England coast and into Long Island Sound was open ocean boating things, like weather, seas, wind and tide.  Travel up the Hudson River was different but required us to be diligent to commercial traffic and, to some extent, course watchfulness as the river is shallow in places. The Erie Canal has no tides, just floods, and other than debris like trees, household garbage and sunken logs to watch for, this time is really not a boating challenge, except for the locks which more than make up for the lack of other issues.

We are off again tomorrow after a day of cleaning, organizing and against PM's wishes, dropping the radar mast.  PM seems to enjoy the experience of passing under bridges with less than a foot to spare, much as I enjoy getting to the airport with just enough time to get on the plane.  But as I am the Captain, I overruled the Admiral this time and we dropped from 19 feet to 15 1/2 feet air draft.  I will be much less anxious even if PM is less stimulated.  Perhaps we will find other means of entertainment, of course we will.

I love this life.

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE

AND NOT A DROP UNDER OUR KEEL.....

The Erie Canal is OPEN as of two days ago, or so they say on the official Canal Website, www.canals.ny.gov; of course, this is the same site that has been forecasting the opening " in a few days" since mid June, so we will see.

VELOMER has been on the hard for four days now awaiting new cutlass bearings and then the right sized new cutlass bearings, which, as of last evening, ARE IN. We are so ready to back to a cruising life on the water.  We see Rondout Creek water about 10 yards behind the stern and are itching to be on our way again.  One more day here in Kingston will insure there are no shaft alignment issues, I can also adjust the stuffing box and top up the transmission oil, and we are going north for Waterford before we turn west for Oneida Lake.

The stopover here has really been pleasant.  The people here are extremely genuine and the most hospitable one can imagine.  We will plan to return to Rondout Marina in the Fall after we complete our "little loop" this year.  PM wants to be here in Kungston for the Irish Festival over Labor Day weekend. Phil and Bettina's plans include a trip to NYC for another wedding this September. We may be able to connect with them while they are in the east and Irish beer may be a perfect incentive (right Phil?).

This trip is about the journey, as I keep reminding myself.  We never would have rented a car and explored the local restaurants and diners,Wallmart, Hannafords and Hertzog's Department Store, which, if you are even in the area, has everything you would expect of a home decorating center married to a hardware store and automotive supply house.   It was really a rare find.

I feel so much better about the challenges of our Loop Trip now that the bearings are new.  We expect a significant improvement in fuel consumption and hopefully will not be stimulated by exciting landings as I reverse at low RPMs approaching the dock.  The bearings were so deteriorated, the shaft could not be turned by hand.  Bill Barrett, the mechanic who replaced the bearings, and I were thinking about the reason this occurred and the working hypothesis is that the bearings dried out when the boat was kept out of the water for a year or two due to health issues of the first owner before Winn Pillsbury, the second owner, bought her.  When we looked at the ones that were removed, they were cracked, dry and almost solid in texture, not the desired characteristics of functioning bearings.  As things get fixed, we learn more about systems that were just a mystery prior to this adventure.

PM is showing some really good instincts about the mechanics of this engine.  She apparently has strong engineering genes as well as excellent spouse and laundry and boat cooking genes. Living together has been really good, most of the time, and at times we need space.  We both have learned to take it; VELOMER is roomy enough for that.  In fact the more time we spend aboard, the more we come to believe, this is the perfect size and craft for us to explore the waterways and canals of eastern America.

I am loving this life in new ways every day.

PM's Perspective -- Never in My Wildest Dreams!

Before this trip, I thought a stuffing box was made by Pepperidge Farm and a cutlass bearing was a description of a female pirate about to board an unsuspecting ship!  I can now name all the parts that compose a boat's drive shaft from the cotter pin at the stern end to the keys that lock the shaft into the transmission.  I can change the transmission oil and the oil in the diesel engine.  I know when the fan belt is about to go, when the fresh water system needs topping, how to check the intake screens on the raw water systems for the diesel engine and the generator, as well as make a mean peach salsa!  I am tapping into talents I never dared imagine I had.  The learning curve is never ending and a great deal of fun (other than the non-cooling refrig).

The last ten days have been an unplanned opportunity to get to know some fabulous people, learn about a new area and cope with unrelenting summer heat.  Because the boat has been on the hard (boat talk for out of the water on stands) without creek water to operate the air conditioning system, we spent the last four nights at the local Super 8 Motel enjoying their air conditioning.  We are both looking forward to continuing our journey seasoned with sweet goodbyes to all the friends we have made!

Cutlass Bearing?

PM's Perspective -- It's Not Just the Cutlass Bearing!

I can deal with leaking hydraulic systems, stalling in reverse, smelly heads, discombobulated cutlass bearings but not a refrigerator that doesn't work!  A few days ago I noticed that some leftovers were a bit fuzzy, so out they went.  Then Bob discovered the cherries we bought just a few days ago were rotten.  I cursed the grocery store for selling old produce.  Then I noticed the water in the fridge wasn't quite as cold as it usually is.  Bob checked the thermometer -- 70 degrees!  Our refrigerator turned oven!  Ack!  This is a deal breaker!  I was thinking of bailing.  I figured I could call my friend Mel, she would pick me up and I would fly back to Colorado.  The good news was that the freezer still worked very well.

I found more food that had gone south.  Salad greens were wilted and yucky.  The cauliflower had black spots, parsnips were mushy and disgusting (Bob didn't mind throwing these out).  When we started out in mid June, we noticed that some things in the frig on the upper shelves froze and we turned down the thermostat to the 3 position.  Maybe we turned it down too much.  Bob cranked it up to 6, the highest position, and we hoped for the best.

That night I roasted most of the surviving vegetables.  Not too bad considering the circumstances.  I went to bed with visions of dollars flying out the window with the purchase of a new refrigerator.  We got up and checked the temperature in the frig -- 56 degrees.  Not cold enough.  A refrigerator should be about 40 degrees to keep food from rotting.  We pulled the refrigerator out from the wall being very careful not to scratch the wood of the floor.  Behind the frig was fairly clean so dust on the coils was not the issue.  We cleaned out the space anyway.  By midday, the temp was down to 46 degrees.  We are making progress.  By evening the temp was down to 42 -- a level that is very acceptable.  I stopped looking for flight information!

BOB'S UPDATE ON THE CUTLESS BEARING ISSUE

So I logged onto the Monk website and threw out the question about a tight bearing.  Several responses showed up within hours.  Yes, this was a known and fixable issue, whew!!!

As it turns out (cutlass bearing pun intended) these are prone to failure after a certain number of years, and VELOMER is of a certain age, with the same symptoms we had experienced: the bearings are rubber and dry out , crack, and stop functioning as needed over time.  The bearings are 1 3/4 ID, 2 3/8 OD SAE standard and sold by Kellogg.  So two (@$177.88 each- ouch!) are on their way to arrive Tuesday and installed , hopefully, by Wednesday.  We launch again Wednesday and can be on our way Thursday.

The Erie Canal is still in repair status but open to Lock 12 going west and from Lock 17 to Oneida Lake going west; many of the boats causing the traffic jam at Waterford, the junction of the Erie and Champlain Canals, have moved west or north so we should be good to continue on this grand tour the end of the week.

Boat life is a constant entertainment and while some days it is hard to recall what consumed the hours, we never have down time; there is always something to do and always something more to do.  I have to admit, I sometimes get started then find something more immediate to repair or change or replace and so often I have 2 or 3 projects going simultaneously,  and I really love it.  It is always interesting to figure out the issue and so so so satisfying to fix it. 

I am tackling rebuilding the heads soon so look for a really great description by PM.

Days Going North To Canada

Course:  Half Moon Bay, Croton to Rondout Marina, Kingston, NY
Distance: 50 miles (N) by GPS
               47 miles (N) by water (had the tide with us from 1000 on)
Wind and seas: its a river
Miles traveled: 469

We made another soft landing at the dock with a failure of the engine three times as I set up for docking and shifted into reverse to maneuver.  After a few discussions, a dive on the shaft to check for fishing line or something wrapping the wheel, and disconnecting the shaft from the transmission to confirm its not a transmissin issue, I discover it's the cutlass bearing(s) that needs replacement.  This involves a haul of VELOMER, which this marina can do, and some parts from somewhere, here we go again. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy fix, will allow me to check the hull and zincs and our fuel consumption will improve dramatically perhaps.

So the plan changes daily as we venture north to Canada and cooler climates. The AC has been keeping us cool at night so we are in no hurry, and this is good as we may be here awhile.  Kingston is the small upstate town where Chelsey Clinton was married so we will see what else the area has to offer over the next few days at least.  Enterprise Rent a Car will come to the dock and we can restock groceries and play tourist while we wait for parts and the Erie Canal to reopen perhaps.  If it is still closed when we are back in the water, we will go to Lake Champlain and do the little loop in reverse.  It will give us a chance to see the Thousand Islands and avoid the July crazies on the Rideau Canal (Canadian holiday madness we are informed happens each July on the Rideau Canal). Oh and the refrigerator seems to be on the fritz but the freezer is working well.  After this summer and repairs as we discover things, we will have a well found craft ready for the big loop next year.

PM has crashed for the night so she will update you all on the interesting bits tomorrow.  We have met some phenomenal folks and some really clever crafts travelling this water route and will have lots more new friends by journey's end in September.  We need boat cards still and an address book to record all the contacts.

Tomorrow, the transmission is reattached and I am told by the mechanic the oil needs to be changed as well.  Its always something.

Brace Brace Brace

Day: 25
Cruising Day: lost track, think its about 15
Course: still on the Hudson River, it's either north or south
Sea Conditions: non existent, it's a river
Wind: also not an issue, it's a river
Distance Run:  back and forth to NYC 4 times at 43 miles each
Croton to Newburgh: 32 miles, we really dont pay much attention on the river as we get there when we do and no fog, wind, seas or much traffic to be concerned about.

 As I write this, it is six thirty in the morning ( that's 0630 for those with a nautical bent) and I am watching ducks feed on whatever they eat, quacking happily while the sun rises over Haverstraw Bay at Croton-On -Hudson, NY.  While the days continue to pass on this adventure to somewhere, it seems more apparent each day this time is about the journey, not the destination.

PM and I had the pleasure of Sam Merrell's company this past weekend. He arrived on the 11:30 AM train from "the City" and we met him at the station.  Isn't there a song with those lyrics? Having guests aboard always changes the pace and dynamic, an occasional welcome event.  We spent the day catching up with mutual news, having a great meal on board with PM's friend from High School, Melinda, consuming much too much wine and bourbon.  The next morning, as the sun baked our dew soaked deck dry, we cruised from Croton-On-Hudson to Newburgh, NY, found a lovely marina where the dock hands were "eye candy and competent", as PM describes them, and had phenomenal barbecue at Billy Joe's Ribworks or something similar, (and if anyone is interested in a slam dunk business idea, opening a store selling short shorts and tank tops would work in Newburgh). The only snag at Riverfront Marina was live (and loud) music that played from 11 to 3 Thursday through Sunday.  We arrived on July 4th., a Thursday.  This was unfortunately more an issue for our crew as the captain and his mate were safely ensconced in the master suite with the AC on.  Sam was treated to the full effect taking place about thirty feet from the V-berth. I think he gave in after awhile and went to the foredeck to be even closer to the stage and watch the 20 somethings cope with their social games.

Returning to Croton the next day, we stayed one night after an interesting landing at the dock.  As VELOMER was within 10 feet of making another perfect docking maneuver, the engine died. and we heard a loud, "BRACE BRACE BRACE" from the foredeck where Sam was preparing to handle bow lines.  Whoops, but all was remedied with a little fiberglass polish and an apology to our marina host at Half Moon Bay.  VELOMER is a tough boat and hardly noticed the collision, which to be fair was at about 1 knot.  The cause of this engine stop is still under investigation, but I suspect we encountered the mud bottom and this was sufficient to slow the engine RPMs, at idle at the time, just enough to stall.  I dove off the swim platform to check for anything wrapped around the shaft or wheel- no damage and nothing left of any line, but I di confirm the depth as VELOMER's bottom was about 1 foot above the river bottom.  .

The next morning was Sunday, and PM desperately wanted to see Sam's honey, Suzie Aronoff, her college friend from Kirkland many many years ago.  Susie was working in Manhattan all weekend, so we took Sam back to Liberty Landing in Jersey City and Suzie took a  ferry across the Hudson (another song about that?) from the Financial Center in Manhatten.  Another amazing dinner with less wine but still lots of bourbon was enjoyed as we chatted non stop till 10.  As we exited the restaurant, a somewhat notorious rock star was sitting just outside on the patio.  Sam noticed "Pink" in her characteristic short dress, form fitted bodice and killer platform heels.  I noticed too, but had no idea we were being treated to stardom sparkles.

We had VELOMER back to Croton the next morning after a very relaxing cruise up the Hudson with 2-3 knot tidal flow working in our favor.  After a soft landing this time, we tied to the 40 foot dock next to a 60 foot Searay Sundancer.  While VELOMER is certainly not the largest boat in the roaming fleet we are part of, she is definitely the most attractive, and I would add the most appreciated by her owner.  We are often reminded of her beauty by dock walkers at the marinas, and even occasionally by one of the superyachters.

So today is a catch up day, a quick trip to the dentist to reattach a crown for PM and file off a small tooth chip for me, some maintenance on VELOMER-- it is time(100 hours) to change engine oil and filter--, and a bike ride to restock fresh veggies and fruit, Polar Seltzer, Pinot Gris and chocolate.

This life is so entertaining.

PM's Perspective -- Boat v. Car Driving

Operating a boat is like driving a car, only a lot different.  Driving a car requires the operator to know the difference between right and left.  This is something that I haven't quite learned yet, despite my vast life's experience. I know this because when I am giving directions to Bob while he is driving I will say right and point left.  Bob has learned through experience to go where I point, not where I say.  I think that the reason I still get confused is the English language has so many different meanings for the words "right" and "left."  For example, "right" also has the connotation of correctness and politically conservative and "left" also means remnant  or politically liberal.  No wonder English is one of the more difficult languages to learn.  With boating, the proper terminology is port (left) and starboard (right).  Fortunately, I don't get these two confused, probably because port means port and starboard means starboard without the politics.

I've been driving car-like vehicles since my dad taught me on the 3-speed tractor at the age of eight, and I've had my license since I was 16.  I took driver's ed from Fred Brooks at Croton-Harmon High School.  I learned that when driving, you drive the car in a designated right hand lane within the speed limit (for the most part).  Traffic is controlled by traffic lights, stop signs and other signage.  Directions are by route numbers and signs with arrows.  A car has a gas pedal and brakes and if you drive a newer model car, your car may have cruise control that adjusts your speed to a particular number of miles per hour.  Not so with a boat.

Velomer is 36 feet long, 14 feet wide and weighs 11 tons not including fuel, water, supplies and people.  When fully loaded, the weight is at least 12 tons.  A little bigger and heavier than a car.  Her draft is 4 feet meaning that we need a minimum of 4 feet of water to stay afloat.  (Why a boat is referred to by "her" and "she" will be the subject of another post!) Once the boat starts going in any direction, there is a lot of momentum and there is no break pedal!  Unlike car driving where you keep to the right, a boat can be operated on a waterway anywhere there is sufficient depth to support the vessel.  Also, unlike car driving, you are not required to have a license to drive a boat.  You don't even need to take any safety classes.  Needless to say, this situation allows for some interesting dynamics on the water.

Not that there aren't any rules governing the waterway traffic.  There are a great many of them.  The problem is that a lot of recreational boaters just don't know them.  Fortunately, commercial boat operators do know them and are fairly tolerant of nut cases on the waterways.  The one important rule is that really large boats such as barges, tankers, ocean liners and the like have staggering momentum underway and very limited maneuverability so they always have the right-of-way.  So stay clear!  When we motored up from New York to Croton, I felt like a chipmunk trying to cross a four lane highway.  

Velomer has a top speed of 12 knots (13.6 miles) with a full throttle, not very fast.  One of the boat owners we talked with has a top speed of 60 knots.  We burn one to two gallons of diesel fuel per hour depending on speed and the other boater uses at least 30 gallons of gasoline per hour.  That means the other boater gets 2 knots per gallon tops and we average about 8 knots per gallon.  I like our fuel economy better and I'm cheap which you already know.

The really cool thing is the auto pilot feature on the boat.  This means that you can set a course and the boat automatically steers in that direction at whatever throttle you decide to go.  No constant steering like with the car.  I like this feature.  When I'm at the helm (boat talk for driving the vessel), I can lean back in the captain's chair with my feet up, hands behind my head, taking in the scenery.  Of course, I need to keep my eyes out for other boaters, water hazards, and the like, but it is not the intensity of attention required by car driving.

On the water, signage consists of things like green cans, red nuns (not the religious kind) and day markers.  These indicate the location of the navigation channel and hazards such as shoals, sand bars and the like.  I have an uncanny ability to locate these markers from a distance.  The cans and nuns are numbered so that you can relatively easily find where you are on a paper chart which brings me to my last point.  When operating the boat, unlike a car, you are constantly trying to figure out where you are when you travel through unfamiliar waters.  I use four sources -- my eyes, the GPS charts, paper charts and my I-Phone.  My eyes typically are the most reliable.  If there is an object in front of you that is not on the GPS or paper charts, I believe my eyes!  The electronic and paper charts are great for plotting courses and getting a sense of where you are.  Unfortunately, these charts don't always include the names of the towns you are in and this is when I consult my I-Phone's maps.  I don't leave dock without it!

Who's Pink?

New York to Croton-On-Hudson

Course:  Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey City N.J. to Half Moon Bay Marina, Croton-On-Hudson, NY
Distance run by GPS: 32.4 (N)
Distance through the water: 27.37 (N)--we caught the tide right
Weather:  pissy
Seas:  none to speak of
Wind:  < 5 knts S

Its been a few years since we travelled up a river. It was more calm and less foreboding than I recall but river travel, which we will do for the balance of the summer is different than the open waters of the Atlantic in one immediate way: its predictable.

The good thing about rain is that is washes off the salt and gives the flybridge a cozy feeling underway.  I put on some Paris café music to set the mood for our misty run today.  Passing under the George Washington and the Tappan Zee bridges, hearing the roar of rumbling civilization 150 feet overhead and thinking that many of the traffic bound commuters were perhaps gazing at us, an incredibly gorgeous sight to be sure, with thoughts to really get away someday added a different contrast to our day.  We were alone on the Hudson River for most of the day passing only a couple of barges being pushed up river and one other cruiser coming down river.

I keep wondering if this lifestyle will become less satisfying , but it feels just the opposite.  As the days meld into weeks and both of us loose track of the day of the week, the character of our being is reforming to focus on reading, shipping, boat maintenance, and the daily challenges of navigation and sea states.  These days become even sweeter as we continue this adventure on VELOMER. 

The news on the web is that the Erie Canal is closed to navigation from Waterford, on the Hudson, to Lock 22 in Herkimer.  The current, as of this morning, schedule may not open this section for 2-4 weeks so we will see what evolves.  Leaving the boat for a few days and return to Maine for a load of lobsters is a thought, or flying home to Colorado to hug the grand kids, and Phoebe and Erik is also being considered. If we delay here for a week, we will have time to do other stuff perhaps. Our original plan was to go west on the Erie to Lake Oneida and then north in Lake Ontario but with the canal closure, we can transit the Rideau Canal from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario counter clockwise going north into Lake Champlain from Albany and then up the St Laurence to Montreal, up the Ottawa River to Ottawa and back southwest to Lake Ontario at Kingston.  Plans often change depending on weather while travelling on the water.  When we get back to New York in September will the City be renamed New Venice?

So we continue, finding simple moments of geese flying north against a magenta sunrise, meeting happy people at the marinas, discovering we can figure out the train schedules into Brooklyn, and enjoying each days newness in ways we did as kids.

New York, New York

WE MADE IT

Course: Stanford to Port Washington
Travel Days: 7
Cruising days 15
Wind : SSW 10-15 knots
Weather: clear and sunny
Seas: < 2 feet
Time at sea 3.6 hours
Tidal lift: 1 mile

This was a n easy day withthe only event a call to the Coast Guard to report a dinghy adrift.  When PM spotted it my first though t was of Phoebe abd Erik and John and Bobbee finding a drifting life raft in the Bay of Biscay off Spain.  They were not sure if any bodies were in it.  Phoebe was the only one able to brave looking into the raft.  Fortunately, no one was aboard.  I never heard the outcome of this but a passing freighter did acquire an expensive life raft.  In our case, the Coast Guard acquired a slightly used 8 foot fiberglass dinghy


Course: Port Washington, Long Island, New York to Jersey City, New Jersey
Travel Days: 8
Cruising Days: 17
Wind: light, SSW
Weather: Sun and fair weather clouds
Seas: < 1 foot
Tidal current: up to 7 knots in the East River, assisting our passage.. We gained almost three miles of assistance from the tide today
Time at sea: 3.6 hours (we have logged 269 miles (N) and 75 hours of smooth running engine time since departure from our home port in South Portland, Maine)


At times over the last month, I had imagined the angst would be greatly diminished if we were to turn the corner up the Hudson River at "The City".  And this happened this morning as we passed the Battery at the tip of Manhattan.  We had weathered the winds and seas of the New England coast, had transited the Cape Cod Canal. although the Annisquam was much more of an event, endured the frustration of almost a week's delay at Kingman Yacht Center in Pocasset Harbor awaiting parts for the upper steering station and found our way through pea soup fog (between 50 and 100 foot visibility) into Stamford Harbor.  Our passage down the East River through the dreaded "Hell Gate" turn at Roosevelt Island and the Harlem River was anticlimactic at least, while this was PM's worst prospective concern (she shared this after we had done the deed).  I noted only a half dozen boats coming in the river as we gained almost a 5 knot advantage with the tide assist along this narrow stretch of water.  Traffic in New York Harbor was a constant worry until we got here and found only three fast ferries to avoid and a flotilla of Sunday sailors.  At seven knots, VELOMER does not have much  jumping power to get out of everyone's way.  Two tows near Brooklyn Navy Yard were also a bit unnerving as they were turning across our course and I needed to judge their future positio at the time we were to be along side theiir positions, but worth PM's able assistance, no problems arose.  Now we are at Liberty Landing Marina, and the stories are true, they have the best bath rooms of any we have seen.  Ali, the dock boy, was as good as I've seen handle lines and fend off a crosswise craft as we had current and wind to maneuver with into a tight turn to the dock.  All ended well with only a small smudge along the starboard side from the corner fender on the pier to remedy with a quick polish.

Tomorrow we turn north, 27 miles to Croton-On-Hudson and a great meal at Mel Rinzivillo's mom's.  She has commited to cook us a spaghetti and meat ball feast.  We will provide the garlic bread and lots of Chianti.  This  promises to be a party to tell of in the next post.

The news about The Erie Canal is not good.  At latest report, the canal locks between Waterford (on the Hudson River just north of Albany) to Lock 22 near Utica will be closed for 3-4 weeks to allow water to recede and repairs to be made to the locks.  No worries, we can change our course, go north through Lake Champlain and west to Montreal then up the Ottawa River  and enter the Rideau Canal at Ottawa.  If the Erie Canal is not open by the end of July, we than can go back down the Saint Laurence to Sorel and return south through Lake Champlain again.  Cruising is sometimes a daily plan.


PM's Perspective -- Welcome to the Trailer Park on the Water

When traveling via water vessel, one has four options upon nightfall.  One is to continue underway which Bob and I decided we would not do.  Another option is to anchor meaning that one finds a relatively safe location to drop anchor and spend the night.  The few times we have anchored since owning Velomer, Bob never got a good night's sleep as he was always getting up to check that the anchor hasn't dragged.  In preparation for this trip, we decided anchoring wasn't something we wanted to do.  This leaves the third option of mooring and the fourth of docking at a slip in a marina.  Our preference is to moor for several reasons.  First, it is less expensive and I am cheap as you already know.  Second, it is more private in that moorings are placed at a boat's swinging distance from the next boat.  The host marina of the mooring usually has a launch service into the docks and marina services, so there is minimal inconvenience.  And lastly, moorings are fairly easy to pick up with minimal effort on the captain's or mate's part.

Docking at a slip is the most convenient in that the boat is tied to the dock at a slip with electric hook-up and occasionally cable TV.  We can walk along the dock to access marina services such as the restrooms, laundry, ship's store, restaurants and the like.  It is also very easy to get groceries to the boat.  I see two downsides to docking at a slip.  If there is any current or wind, approaching the dock can get very tricky.  Fortunately, most dock hands are accustomed to helping boaters dock their vessel.  The second is that your boat is literally just feet away from the next boat.  So marinas really are trailer parks on the water.  You can often hear conversations on the next boat as well as see into the boat adjacent to yours.  I guess that is why boats are equipped with so many curtains and shades on the windows.
 
The last two nights we spent at Port Washington at Brewer's Capri West Marina.  As the name belies, it was a high class joint.   The main docks were teak and at least 12-feet wide.  Our 36 foot trawler was one of the smaller and older boats at the facility.  There were some real big honking boats with fancy ass names to match that were two and three times our size.  This marina didn't have cable TV hook-ups because most of the boats had self-contained satellite TV.  If we were docked close to one of these mega-yachts, our flybridge would be well below the level of the first deck, so we wouldn't be able to see in.  In addition, the windows of these large boats are typically tinted so you can't see it.

Tonight we are docked at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City.  This marina has received glowing reviews on the Internet, all well deserved.  The facilities are spotless, the staff knowledgeable and friendly.  But the best part of the marina is the view of the New York skyline dominated by Freedom Tower now completing construction.