Waci 3

Sunday, November 4, 2012

November 4, 2012

Chaos! Where do we put it all?

I’m sorry for the long delay in postings and vow to sharply decrease the time between postings. For a trip that is supposed to be done at a relaxed pace, it seems like we have been running at breakneck speed since we left Acworth.

We came to Chattanooga and Island Cove Marina where Waci 3 had been since September 11. They had done extensive work including new bottom paint, new zincs, routine maintenance on the engines and generator, and the installation of a 2000 watt pure sine wave Inverter driven by 4 golf cart batteries. This device makes AC power from DC batteries allowing us to run most of the electrical load of the boat without running the generator. We also added an Autopilot and AIS transceiver.

The AIS transceiver allows me to see other boats that have one installed and turned on. It integrates with our chartplotter. All commercial boats are required to have this equipment. It basically works like a transponder on an aircraft giving air traffic control their position, speed, and heading. Many pleasure boats are now installing this important addition to their electronics package to help them see other boats position, heading, and speed long before seeing them visually or on radar. This is particularly important on the rivers with all the twists and turns with many narrow places to pass safely. I made the decision to add AIS after talking with several other Loopers.

David Gray bleeding steering system for Autopilot

The autopilot has been a wonderful addition as it makes cruising much less stressful with its ability to faithfully follow a course. I am still learning to use it to its full potential. Another last minute addition to the autopilot was a remote control (similar to your TV remote control) that allows me to make course corrections, and engage or disengage the pilot from anywhere on board Waci 3.

We attended the AGLCA (Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association) Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville AL in the Hummer instead of Waci 3 due to some delays in getting the electronics installed and fully functioning, plus my last minute decision to add the remote.We thoroughly enjoyed the AGLCA Rendezvous and returned to Chattanooga to start the Loop.

Looper Boats at Joe Wheeler State Park

Beautiful Fall Colors at Joe Wheeler

When we found we would be delayed for another day, we made a quick trip home to get a prescription filled for Nan Ellen’s mother – Ethel Sutton. We blew some leaves and cleaned up our e-mail boxes before we returned to Chattanooga the same day. Sometimes, delays are a blessing in disguise. The day before we started, our toaster oven quit working, so a quick trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond in Chattanooga was required to secure a replacement. This is an appliance you really don’t want to leave port without!

Leaving Island Cove for the start of a trip of a lifetime

We finally got started on Saturday, October 27 with our first stop at the Shellmound Recreation Area just upstream of the Nickajack Dam. There, we met up with our terrific friends and fellow Auxiliarists, Larry Cook and his wife Donna Saunders. Also accompanying Larry and Donna was brother- in-law Wayne. They were returning to Chattanooga from the Rendezvous on their 29 foot trawler, Endeavor. Larry and Donna are occupying our slip at Allatoona Landing Marina while we are gone. I hope we can talk them into giving the slip back to us when we return to Lake Allatoona!

Chickamauga Lock

Tennessee Aquarium

We had to travel at planning speed in order to be at Shellmound by dark due to leaving Island Cove at noon, so we burned a lot of fuel. We stopped in at Hales Bar Marina about 5 miles before Shellmound, and it was there that we had our first grounding of the trip. They had a big storm through there a few days before and it moved their channel markers marking the entrance to the fuel dock. It was a very slow and soft grounding, but they did have to bring out a pontoon boat to pull us off. Nothing damaged except my ego. I am glad we got our first grounding out of the way early as I expect it will NOT be the last one we will experience!

Hales Bar

Pontoon boat pulling us off...

Traveling through the gorge.

Birds on rocks near the I-24 Bridge.

Endeavor at Shellmound.

Tip Sie Waci III at Shellmound. Sharing dock with Looper boats - Maia and Jackets II.

Sunday, October 28 found us at a much slower and economical speed of 8 MPH and our destination was Guntersville Marina. Recall that Hurricane Sandy was impacting the east coast of the US, but our only effects came from a massive Canadian cold front from the northwest bringing strong winds and very cold temperatures. The winds were picking up all day but the trip was uneventful. Monday, October 29 had us leaving Guntersville early for our trip to Joe Wheeler State Park, the site of the AGLCA Rendezvous the previous week. This day was exceptionally windy and we were into it bow-on all day long. Once we reached Decatur AL and the Railroad lift bridge, things got interesting. Winds were probably 30 to 40 MPH with waves 3 to 5 feet. The last time we experienced waves like these were on the Atlantic Ocean on our Bahamas trip in 2006. Yes, it is possible to get these big waves on the rivers if you have the wind from the right direction and there is a long stretch of river for the fetch to build. Wave periods were about 2 to 3 seconds which means a slamming type wave, not the gently rolling ones you get on the oceans. As a result, our bicycles came loose twice on the bow and I had to turn the boat around twice to make it safe enough to go out on deck to secure them. We have had Waci 3 in much higher seas and she handles them well, but this was both unexpected and uncomfortable for the Tennessee River. We finally arrived at Joe Wheeler and about 10 other Loopers came down to help catch our lines and get us into the slip. A lesson learned – when the wind is forecast for 30 mph, stay in port!

1st Barge we saw near I-65 Bridge

Mile Marker 326 - Mid point on the Tennessee River

Decatur, AL - Home of Meow Mix

Once at Joe Wheeler for the second time in a week, we had an opportunity for a brief break while we waited for the weather to improve. Our little portable heater finally quit in a puff of smoke, necessitating a replacement, and quickly. While the cabin has both heat and air conditioning, the cockpit has neither and the past several days called for a heater to help keep us warm while piloting the boat. Our friends, Tom and Patsy Conrad, graciously invited us to a home cooked spaghetti dinner cooked by Patsy on board their gorgeous trawler “True North”. Earlier in the day, Patsy had taken us to Lowes (new portable heater) and Publix in Athens AL in their vehicle. One thing that is greatly appreciated is a ride to the store for fresh produce and perishables. We stayed at Joe Wheeler for a couple of days doing laundry and other chores.

Dave on Tip Sie Waci at Joe Wheeler Marina

Joe Wheeler State Park - Rogersville, AL

Finally, the weather improved enough by Thursday, November 1 to move down river to Florence AL. Although the run was short, we had two locks to go through. We found it much easier to tie up in the locks without the wind being a factor and it is far more enjoyable being able to talk to the lockmasters face to face.

Wheeler Lock

We arrived early in the day at Florence Harbor Marina and found Eva, the dockmaster, to be very friendly and most helpful in planning our stay. She gave us a premium spot to tie up that was steps from the shower and restrooms. No cable TV here, but our TV antenna was able to pick up 4 local stations. We were very impressed with Florence as it is a very vibrant town. We used the marina courtesy car to go to Lowes and WalMart on Thursday.

Makin'-bacon on the dock Friday morning at Florence Harbor Marina

On Friday, we became tourists and drove by the Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright home in Alabama, but did not go inside. We visited the WC Handy museum (father of the blues) and had a personal tour by the docent. Next, we visited Popes Tavern, an old stagecoach stop and instrumental in the Civil War. Next was Ivy Green, the birthplace and home of Helen Keller. Of our three destinations, Nan Ellen and I agree that our favorite was the WC Handy Museum.

W.C. Handy - Father of the Blues

W.C. Handy Home

Jam session?

Handy's Trumpet

Pope's Tavern

Ivy Green - Birthplace of Helen Keller - Tuscumbia, AL

Keller Family Home

Well - "W-A-T-E-R"

The best part of the day came after sunset when we went downtown for “First Friday” – a local street celebration and craft fair held the first Friday of the month. Local bands, individual musicians, lots of arts and crafts, some guys raising money for breast cancer research selling opportunities to throw eggs at them, and local food purveyors were on hand. Nan Ellen bought some coasters with local landmarks on them. We also bought cinnamon rolls and jalapeno cornbread (now in the freezer). We ate dinner at Rosie’s, a local favorite Mexican restaurant. If you are ever in Florence AL on a first Friday of the month, we highly recommend you attend "First Friday".

Florence, AL

Dave and the Green Haired Ladies

Saturday, November 3 finds us at Grand Harbor Marina in Counce, TN at the top of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Locals refer to the area as "Tennalasippii for the tri state area of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. We just turned off the Tennessee River about 1 mile ago and are now on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. This is where we head south and for the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile, AL about 450 miles and 12 locks away. So far, we have traveled 263 miles and transited 5 locks.

Natchez Trace Bridge

Grand Harbor Marina

Condos and Marina at Grand Harbor

Glider on the dock

Shiloh Visitor Center

On Sunday, November 4, we used one of the three NEW marina vehicles to go to the Shiloh National Battlefield where we watched a sobering movie that told the story of how 23,746 men were killed, wounded, or missing in only two days of battle early in the Civil War. According to the film, that is more casualties than America had suffered in all previous wars. On the first day, the Southern forces led by General Johnstone had the upper hand, but by the second day, General Grant had reinforcements, and the Southern forces were soundly defeated.

Tennessee River's importance to the battle

We have a great deal of Civil War history around Atlanta, but the Shiloh National Military Park is far more sobering that anything else we have ever seen. This is a huge park that reminds us of the Chickamauga Battlefield and Memorials near Chattanooga. We visited Chickamauga earlier this year while on the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia.

Gun Boat Cannons on the Tennessee River

Even though we are a week behind where we wanted to be as per the original plan, we are on track to make it to the Panhandle of Florida by Thanksgiving. We are still unsure of precisely where we will suspend our trip for the holidays. We hope to make it as far as Panama City, but only time will tell. Stay tuned for more updates, and I promise they will be more frequent!

Monday, October 1, 2012

October 1 is here far too soon, and we are closing in very quickly on our start of the Great Loop.

Preparations began months ago with our trip to the Miami Boat Show in February. We spent three days walking the Convention Center gathering information from several vendors and manufacturers. As we began the process of deciding what additional equipment we really needed to do this trip comfortably and safely, we learned our ballpark numbers on budget were way off on some items, but close on others.

Daymon and Joanie installing the frame

Daymon and Joanie installing a brace for the top

One of our first upgrades was to completely redesign the canvas. We decided on Lakeside Canvas to do the job. Daymon and Joanie were fabulous and were able to make the canvas to our exact needs. They do exceptionally high quality work, and the finished work was way beyond our expectations. They also made a TV cover for the on-deck TV as well as bags for our fold up bikes, and they modified the cover of Little Waci so we could have it covered while on the davits.

Fitting the top canvas

They do business the old fashioned way and won't take a dime of your money until the job is complete and you are thrilled with the result. If you need canvas work in the Atlanta or Chattanooga areas, you MUST call them.

Finished canvas - what a super job!

Arthur Silbert in bilge installing bracing for davits

We have done a great deal of preparation with modifications to the boat done mostly with the help of our friends. I could not have done it without them. Dan Hunt, Skip Harper, Arthur Silbert, and especially Larry Cook were lifesavers. Larry is a highly skilled craftsman and was essential in fabricating pieces to install the davits and the on-deck TV mount. He and Arthur left some blood and flesh in my bilge while installing the davits. These guys are all special friends. Nan Ellen and I are very grateful for what they did for us and we treasure their friendship.

Larry Cook drilling holes for davits while Dave supervises

We had a big problem with Little Waci - our dingy. The rear starboard tube sprung a leak and I tried multiple times to find it. I finally gave up and decided to take it back to the dealer in Clearwater FL. We made this trip part of a planned Coast Guard trip to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and the 7th District Auxiliary Conference in St Petersburg. They sprayed it down, repeating my efforts, but could not find the leak. Next, they shut off all noise in the service bay and listened for a whistling sound. Once he heard the sound, it was simply a matter of running his hand over the tube to find the leak. I could not believe it was that simple. An hour later, the hole was patched, and I also picked up a spare valve, a special wrench to replace a broken valve, and some preservative for the tubes.

Finished project with Dave and Larry

We moved Waci 3 from our slip at Allatoona Landing Marina on Lake Allatoona to Island Cove Marina in Harrison TN (suburb of Chattanooga) on September 11. We thought we might not make it that day after weighing the boat at the Love's Truck Stop in Emerson GA before getting on I-75. The boat was about 4000 pounds over the weight limit of the permit, so we had no choice but to try to decrease the weight. We managed to remove a great deal of our stuff, but we were still 1500 pounds over the weight limit. A decision was finally made where I agreed to pay the hauler's fine if he was stopped and weighed. We knew he would have to pass through a weigh station, but there was a chance they would simply check his paperwork without checking the weight since they see him hauling boats through there regularly.

Waci 3 arrival at Island Cove Marina

As it turned out, this is exactly what happened and we dodged a bullet and potentially a several hundred dollar fine. The remainder of the trip was uneventful and the great group of guys at Island Cove Marina were ready with the travel lift when we arrived. They had it unloaded and on blocks in less than 30 minutes.

Off the trailer and onto the blocks

Over the next several days, they pressure washed the bottom and began the prep for new bottom paint. The bottom paint was at least 5 years old and need to be done. Much to my surprise (not to the marina staff), there were zero blisters in the hull. The marina guys say that they almost never find a blister in Sea Rays built from the mid 90s and later. I found out a couple of weeks ago when we took a Sea Ray plant tour in Knoxville that they check every single batch of resin to make certain it meets their specs before they accept delivery of it. This attention to detail and to quality is but one example of why Sea Ray is a superior boat. We saw several other boats on the hard at the marina getting blister repairs. It goes to show you - you get what you pay for and this is one of several reason I remain a loyal Sea Ray customer.They also checked the running gear and found both shafts OK, but the starboard cutlass bearing had a chunk of wood stuck in it and the prop had a minor ding. The prop was sent to be straitened and they dug out the wood from the bearing. Hopefully, this will fix the vibration problem and 200 rpm difference between the two engines. The bottom paint is now complete, and the sides of the hull have been polished removing all the hard water stains. They are waiting for the prop to splash the boat. Routine maintenance on the engines and generator are complete.

On the blocks with fresh bottom paint - almost ready to splash!

We have decided to add an autopilot, inverter system, and an AIS transceiver. These parts are on order and will be installed prior to leaving Chattanooga in about two weeks.

There is still much preparation to do at home before we shove off on October 17. With my election to District Captain in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, we have re-evaluated our original plan to complete the loop in a year. We fully expect to take at least two years for completion, and possibly more. We are NOT in a hurry as we want to thoroughly enjoy the time we spend on the boat and on shore in new and exciting places. We had always planned to do the Loop in legs with extended trips home in between those legs. Our thought was to be gone in 4 to 6 week segments and come home to check on Nan Ellen's mother who lives with us. She has proven to function very well without us, but is used to seeing us every day. Nan Ellen calls her twice a day when we are on the road. Our current goal is to be somewhere in the Tampa Bay area around Thanksgiving. Beyond that time, we will need to see what our schedules look like with friends, family, and Coast Guard Auxiliary / Power Squadron business. We may be home through much of December and January. That is the current plan, but as always, it is subject to change. We are looking forward to shoving off, and the first stop at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville AL for the Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association (AGLCA) Fall Rendezvous October 21-24.

I will be posting more frequently from this point forward. Stay tuned for more!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Preparation for the Erie Canal

This is my first attempt at a Blog, so please bear with me as I learn to crawl, then walk. I have not had a mentor to lean on, so this entire endeavor of creating and maintaining a blog will be a self taught learning experience.

I write this as we prepare to complete a leg of the Great Loop that we felt would be a problem for us given the time we have available. It was exceptionally fortunate for us that we were able to join a group of fellow Power Squadron members (and several PWC riders) by renting a pontoon boat for a one way trip on the Erie Canal from east to west. The planning for this event was headed up by fellow Power Squadron and AGLCA member Douglas Townes. He originally dreamed up this trip for his group of PWC riders as a way to complete the Great Loop in stages while on a PWC.

You may think that a group of PWCs, a trailerable cruiser, and a pontoon boat with a 40 HP outboard would not be compatable for the trip, but as most of the Erie Canal has a speed limit of 10 MPH or less, it will equalize any speed advantage of the PWCs. Douglas has done several scouting trips and has put in countless hours planning the finest of details to make this a safe and enjoyable trip for all.

My first Great Loop entries will be of our Erie Canal trip scheduled from August 5, 2012 to August 11, 2012. I know some of you will be critical of the plan to do the canal this quickly, but most of the participants are still working and not yet retired, so their time is at a premium, hence the faster pace than I would have desired. The good news is that my sister and brother-in-law live in Rochester NY and we will get to visit with them on both ends of the trip. We will have use of a car and their local knowledge to see all the things the Erie and surrounding area has to offer. This makes the fast transit time on the canal an acceptable tradoff for us.

Our plan remains to begin the Great Loop from Island Cove Marina just upstream of Chattanooga on the Tennessee River. We will have our boat hauled from Lake Allatoona the 80 miles to Island Cove and have them do maintenance prior to launching such as bottom paint, zinc's, etc. I just received the davits to mount Little Waci from St Croix Davits and will be installing them when we return from the Erie Canal trip. There is still some preparation I want to do on Waci 3 before we leave Lake Allatoona. How much of it I can do will depend on where we are budget wise (we are way over budget already) and the priority and importance of those upgrades. We already have done most of Nan Ellen's upgrade list and now we will tackle my list.

That's it for now - I hope to post more as we begin the Erie Canal trip, and of course, I will post more about the planning and preparation for the Great Loop.

Update: Here are some of the photos from the trip.