On Saturday I drove up to Annapolis and jumped on board Sea Sextion (the previous name from an OB/GYN doctor). This has to be one of the most spacious boats I have been on. It is a 4 cabin boat with a salon that goes on for days. It has an extremely large and functional galley that opens to the salon and a pilothouse which is perfect for those cold mornings. The flybridge is large as well with a davit and space for RIB.
With any boat that is 20 years old you would expect a few issues. Sea Sextion was no exception. We were having some issues getting the boat started which is powered by twin Detroit Diesel 12V92 producing 1040hp each. We finally identified dead batteries at the DDEC system (not the starting batteries). DDEC is the electronic control system that monitors all the engine functions.
Once we had that figured out, we were ready for a short sea-trial and to top off the fuel tanks. Unfortunately, we never got the first line untied. We discovered a blown hydraulic line to the power steering ram. So the listing broker took off to the parts store. He was smart enough to get a spare in case it happened again. Which it did… two more times. Long story, but after a few choice words by everyone involved the steering system was ALMOST back together by 11:00pm that night.
We started on it again at 7:00am on Sunday morning. Now we needed to bleed all the air out of the system. So with a team of three, 1 to crack the hydraulic lines at the upper and lower controls, 2 to move the steering wheel lock to lock to move the air and fluid through the system, and 3 to continue to add hydraulic fluid to the system and pressurize the system with a bicycle pump we were able to get the system fixed.
At 12:00 noon on Sunday all systems were operational and it was time to get ready to get underway. At 12:30 we pulled off the dock, cleared under the very narrow Spa Creek bridge in downtown Annapolis and started our journey north on the Chesapeake Bay.
This boat has a dry weight of 70,000 lbs. She is a big, honking boat to say the least. At cruise speed of 1800 rpm she burns 80 gallons an hour at 18kts. So needless to say the cost to operate is much more efficient at 10mph burning 16 gallons per hour. So we have been running the boat mostly at displacement speed with the occasional jump up on plane to make our destination.
On Sunday we traveled 60 miles from Annapolis up to Chesapeake City, MD on the C&D canal and tied up around 5:30. We stayed at Schaeffer’s Marina and had a great meal after a long two days mostly in the engine room. The owner Geoff Smith was not able to travel with us, but his wife Celeste is going to be on board for the first 4 days. So far she is loving this boat just as I am and my first make Skip Stokes. The boat has hydraulic stabilizers which have made for a very smooth ride.
On day 3 (Monday) we departed Chesapeake City and continued down the Delaware Bay past Cape May and made it to Atlantic City. You could not have asked for a nicer day on the water. We had sunny skies, temps in the low 70’s and flat calm seas both down the Delaware and out the inlet in Cape May all the way to Absecon Inlet in Atlantic City. We got in at 4:00pm after 116 miles and took on fuel and got the boat cleaned up. We tied up at Kammerman’s Marina for the night and went over to Back Bay for dinner and cold beer. Tomorrow it is on past New York City and to Haverstraw, NY.
A few pictures:
A crowded Spa Creek departing Annapolis
Tied up on the C&D canal
Sunday night there were lots of people enjoying the outdoor dining at Schaeffer's Marina
A little fog as we pulled out of the marina Monday morning
The owner, Celeste Smith, enjoying the view from the Flybridge as we motor down the Delaware Bay
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