It was time to move out of the Hinckley Boatyard and over to the Mariner Cay Marina across Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno, FL (just south of Stuart) for 3-4 days of hands-on training with Capt. Chris Caldwell.
We have experience sailing 28'-42' sailboats in and around San Diego. We also chartered a 38' Selene trawler for 10 days of cruising in the San Juan Islands, WA in 2012. But we really had little experience with diesels engines and the complicated systems that go along with owning and operating a sizable power boat. Being trained on our own boat by the experienced and highly recommended Capt. Chris was the way to go.
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| Our fearless and patient trainer, Capt. Chris Caldwell |
On the way to Mariner Cay, it seemed the steering on the flybridge was very mushy and loose. The wheel would have to be turned many times to get the boat to turn. For the next two days we would concentrate on being trained in all the various systems on the boat - inside and out. On-the-water practice with docking and maneuvering was planned for the third day, so our steering at both the upper and lower helms would be fully exercised then and we'd discover if we really had steering issues.
It was a long day, in sweltering heat, learning all about diesel engines, generators, bilge pumps, fuel pumps, water lines, holding tanks, toilets, electrical panel, chart plotters, radio, marine air conditioners, batteries, battery chargers, inverters - and the list went on and on, filling many, many pages in our notebooks. I am particularly fond of the page that is titled 'To Buy or Replace,' as $$$$ danced before my eyes.
On Day 2 of training, Jim and Chris continued going over every inch of the boat, climbing into unbelievably small hatches and spaces. They had a merry ole time discovering things like the holding tank - which holds refuse from the toilets and which must be pumped out as it gets close to the 30 gallon maximum. Unfortunately, the 'full' sensor was not working, so we were never really sure when it was getting close to full. Now, let me emphasize how important this is - without a working indicator that tells you it's getting close to no-more-flushes-allowed, you don't really know when the tank is full and you can no longer use the bathroom on your boat! Hopefully, there's the option of walking up to the marina bathrooms - usually a mile away and, in Florida especially, being eaten alive by mosquitos if you just can't wait until morning. One of Jim's top projects for our first non-training day would be to open the holding tank and replace the sensor. This will involve full hazmat preparation. Until then we kept track of our 'head usage' on a piece of paper - figuring we had about 20 flushes before we had to hike up the dock. Chris shared his wise advice, 'whenever you are on land, find a head (toilet) before going back to your boat.'
While Jim and Chris disappeared into Bazinga's bowels, Chris's wife, Capt Alyse Caldwell, spent time with Georgia reviewing navigation how-to's, galley tips, and overall tips and tricks about living comfortably on a boat. What a wealth of knowledge both Chris and Alyse have! And their patient and positive attitude was so appreciated. Jim and I must have started looking a bit cross-eyed by afternoon, as Chris and Alyse assured us that feeling both overwhelmed and exhausted was quite normal. Are we having fun yet?!
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| Mariner Cay Marina |
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| Bazinga's bow is peeking out from behind the larger boat. We're on the face dock (the T at the end of a dock) and had a great time watching the variety of boats pass by, as well as a lovely view out the Manatee Pocket toward the ICW |
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| Although prolific in this area, we didn't see any manatees. It could be the water is too warm. |
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| Bruises are a part of owning a boat! |
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