thedonz

This weekend was AWSOME " Joe" came down from Tx to hang out for the week at the Fl keys..He brought down his beautiful t/s gun.. We left from miami on fri to the tikki bar by ocean and experience some great times that only us on board of the Cig will bealive( at night time, we looked like drug smuglers).....Sat hooked up WITH "Under Pressure" and went fishing a tournamnet along with Michael Sanz in a baddass 33 hydro sport....Sun drove back down to Popmpano to hang out with the crew... i had a AWSOME weekend...i want to thanks to "Joe" for taking me along with his crew to hang with yall at the keys and to Under Pressure" for inviting me to go fishing and get sun .....Gordon if you read this PLEASE post the pics....anything yall need i'm only a phone call away....see yall in Nov

Mike

thedonz

I have to say that Gordon and "Feverfan" are playboys ...i took some chicks out with us on sunday and the ladys were all over them.......Joe like i said before i respect you very but very much...i will post pics i soon as i get them

mike

Joe

I had the best time..... Thanks (I think) Mike ------- You know what I mean re: the "I think" part.

To give everyone else who's reading this a hint of what "thedonz" (Mike) took us thru (and so I don't have to tell it 1000 more times), take the time to read this --- it's TRULY amazing (and accurate ---- no exageration --- I've kept the "feelings" out of it and am giving you "just the facts"... as Columbo would say!!!!

Here we go:
Thedonz had me finally understand why so many people have horror stories about "Inlets". I'll leave the "night time run" thru Haulover Inlet alone, as it was "just" scary vs. dangerous (comparing to what he took us thru the next day).

After we picked up FeverFan (the next day) from Haulover ramp thedonz suggested we again run out Haulover Cut vs. taking the (hot, slow) intercoastal to Monty's for lunch (before heading to Islamorada). Knowing we made it thru Haulover the night before (in 6-7's) in complete darkness, driving only via my GPS and Mike's local knowledge, I had no worries.

What I didn't see (because I was focusing on getting the boat around the corner and on plane before we hit the "expected" 6-7'ers), was a guy who apparently took a look at Haulover Inlet and u-turned. He was giving us hand signals telling us "big...big waves ---- turn around" (quoting from Gordon and FeverFan). I do vaguely remember Gordon saying something about that, but didn't pay much attn., as the guy was in a fairly small cruiser/fishing boat.

As we rounded the corner I saw solid 8-10' swells (which beat the crap out of you, but otherwise isn't too much of a worry). So, I powered-up and got on top of them, to which I then saw, what I described to everyone in my boat as,

"Oh sh!t..... here comes a big one white-capping..... hold on".

Remember, at that point in time we were flying (appx. 30') across the 8-10's when I saw this quote-unquote, "big one" ahead.

This wave was so big (no exaggeration) that as we were heading up the face, the nose of the boat was still in the water as the transom was already appx. 3' into the up-slope of the swell..... Meaning, the whole boat was at an appx. 45 -50 degree angle heading up this monster. We had an outgoing tide and 10-15 MPH wind heading in from the Atlantic, which, as I throttled up the wave, pushed the boat to an appx. 60 degree angle as we launched from the top.

When we landed the transom of the boat went under water up to the bottom of the vinyl Cig. logo on my engine hatch ---- engine hatch.... not swim platform.

When we landed the SmartCraft shut down the engines (525 EFI's) to 1500 RPM's for a few seconds and then let me power back up and we drove out (in, what we now call "small little 8-10's").

When we were in the 8-10's and saw this swell ahead, I went right past scared and straight into "which side of the boat is going to be safer to jump from when (not if) we begin to sink".

I never would have expected to see a boat fly so straight. We were nearly vertical (in gusting wind) and the boat launched and landed perfect (I didn't even get wet --- other than the warm stream (that was self induced) running down my leg! ).

I got a comment from thedonz on how well I flew/drove the boat all weekend (as we went back and fourth from from Islamorada and Ft. Lauderdale --- or Lickerdale, as they say at Shooters!), but I am 100% clear that 1) the boat held together 100% (no stress cracks, no loose parts, no broken anything)... and 2) that when Cigarette builds a boat, they build it with consideration of being caught in BIGGGGGGGGG water.

Thanks, Skip, Tim and everyone at Cigarette, for building such a great boat, and thanks Phil for such excellent rigging! I couldn't have expected more from the boat.

Any thoughts I had of stepping up into a longer boat are gone. The 38 T/S TG is it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

underpressure

Mike,

No problem, it was a blast. Too bad the seas were a "little" lumpy. The 33 Hydra-Sports is an animal in the rough but I guess the fish were not as rugged as us. I am still a die hard go-fast guy but there is something to be said about big triple center consoles. It is a different kind of fun. We will have to do it again soon when the kids aren't aboard.

Joe,

Sorry we missed you but with our owners fishing tournament we were busy. Next time. I guess the sandbar at Holiday Isle and fishing guys don't stand up to Shooters. Not quite sure why?

Great description of an inlet run. Been there, done that in another life with Robert Tanner (Tonto) and John Pompi up in St. Augustine when Robert first bought the 41 Apache. All three of us still talk about it even though John is kind of new to boating and hasn't seen much big water!!!

That inlet run and the next 56 miles to Ponce Inlet, because it was too rough to go back in safely, gave me new respect for an Apache. It is the reason I bought my 38 Gun, Pure Pressure. It may be old and heavy for a 38, but I know what it could do if it had to.

Like a good friend of mine always says "He who don't know, don't know"

Hope to see you next time, Key West???

Carl

underpressure

Joe,

Are you guys planning the Key West trip this year? I will be going on Tuesday, returning on the next Monday. I will probably meet Stus gang at Gilberts as I live right there. Probably have two or three other boats with me.

We tend to take the slow scenic way, maybe even making a few stops before we get to Key West. Most of us have slips at the Galleon.

Carl

Joe

Hey Carl -

Yes, we are going and already booked at the Gallion hotel and marina (boat slip). We are on the fence whether to go on Stu's run, or just go on our own (which is what we're leaning toward). I like your idea of the slow scenic way.... We almost NEVER do that, so I'd be a nice change (and my wife would be able to run w/ us. She got in a car crash many yrs. ago and her neck doesn't lend her to wave crashing trips). We'll for sure connect in advance to figure out logistics etc.... Thanks for the invite - this is exactly what we were wanting to do!

Joe