Day and a Night in the Cuddy in Fla in August
 

So we're at the end of the wifes 10 days off w/zero time spent on the boat when I decide this is unacceptable.
We load the boat and head for the ramp Sat around noon figuring a day/night is better than nothing. No plans and no schedule.
Weather is partly cloudy, light breeze and a high about 90. Figure this will be the perfect test of the effectiveness of the boats new bimini and the wifes requested fan in the nose of the cuddy.
90* in Fla, in August should also test my long spouted theory that as long as you have shade and a breeze you'll be fine.
Results are in and it was fantastic.
Spent the day anchored off one of the spoil islands under the flight path of our local sky dive plane. That meant that every 15 mins the plane took off over our heads and then groups of skydivers floating past soon after. Way Cool stuff.
Few hrs later, dinner by boat at a pub on the water in the next town north. Drinks at another spot a bit farther north which required (no dock) anchoring out and wading in.
Left there and picked another island to spend the night at. At this point we had a fair breeze from the east so I chose the west side (lee) of the island for shelter in case it kicked up in the middle of the night. (Atlantic is about 3 mls straight east of there)
Waded into the island to collect wood for a small bon fire and wait for the sun set. As pix's attest, it did not disappoint.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...811_195208.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...811_200227.jpg
Crawled in the cuddy to be welcomed by a perfect breeze blowing through the bow hatches and the Mrs enjoying her new fan. We both wake at 5:00 A.M. on work days w/o an alarm.
We woke up at 9:00 A.M. on Sunday :thankyouthankyou:
Ran back to the harbor by our house to let the dogs out then headed back out to breakfast by boat. That was requested by the Mrs ;)
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6470.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6469.jpg
Watched a poor soul sink his pickup at the ramp next door to the restaurant. After a great breakfast we idled out of there into a pod of dolphin destroying a school of fish for their breakfast! The Mrs was eustatic as this went on for 15 mins within feet of the boat. They were jumping from the water w/the fish still in their mouths.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6473.jpg
Back to another unnamed island for a couple of hrs in the sun before the forecast clouds moved in.
Left there and anchored off of another local haunt, "Earls Hideaway". From the boat we could listen to their band which was kickin it!
Headed to shore, had lunch, libations and rocked out.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6486.jpgThe storms finally caught up with us so we stayed put and enjoyed the band. These guys tore the place up! Lightning took the power out, pouring wind/rain and they never slowed down.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6489.jpg
Can see the boat through the bikes.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6492.jpg
About 4:00 we saw an opening and ran for the boat. Can see it through the bikes.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF6487.jpg
Got to the ramp, loaded and home before it rained on us.
5 mins after we got home it opened up and poured the rest of the day/night.
Not bad for 36 hrs of fun 10 mls from home on a paper thin budget :cartman:
Hope you enjoy the pix's and play by play :thankyouthankyou:

Looks like you've cleaned the boat up a lot & added on since your last trip (documented here) last winter. Looks sweet !

MD

Sounds like a Great time with the wife!!!


WwW

Now that looks like fun. Wish my Wife would sleep on the boat.

Thanks for sharing.

HD

Thanks guys. Actually, this trip was for her and most of it her idea. Hotdaddy, most of that comes from what they think they know. Like I've said a million times, plan it well and you will be treated like a rock start if you know what I mean.
My wife (and X GF's) have all made comments to me about how lucky I am that they like that sort of thing. I always tell them that they're the lucky ones as they wouldn't have made it past square one before that was established ;)
She put up with 2 yrs of being broke and me *****ing while in the "in process" stage.
This picture was taken not that long ago.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF1107.jpg

Awesome stuff! Thanks for the story!

I did forget this though :helmet:

My latest attempt at real coffee on the boat w/o shore power or killing both batteries. This one actually works well.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...coffeept30.jpg

Looks like another great trip Gary! Almost called you this weekend too...was thinking of heading that way yesterday, but the weather has been so iffy.

I'm ready for another East coast trip. :evilb:

Missed this one. This is what the Mrs had in mind for the day/night.
Jeff, any time.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...set8-11-12.jpg

Looks like a ton of hardwork and planning is paying off. Happy for you and the mrs!

What does that thing run w/ 500hp on the back??? It's gotta be into the 70's...

Man, I need to get my wife to read your posts. I have been trying to get her out for the weekend on the boat for the longest time. Maybe when it cools off a little in Texas she will be more willing to try. Great post, looked like a great time!

I followed your build on S&F. The boat turned out beautiful.

I agree with "...what they think they know". I think time will make it easier for her. Having never been on a boat, to meeting me and boating every single spare moment was quite the expectation on my part. Now she operates, sets the anchor and tells me when I am over trimmed or taking the wrong approach to something. Small steps...small steps.

Just a little jealous of those pics is all. :drink:

HD

You mean you communicate with Dolphins? Now that is planning. LOL

Your Wife must be one happy woman.

HD

Dude, that's huge!
 

Couple things to try.
#1. See if you can find some locals that stay on similar boats if they're any around you. When we were in Columbus we had groups that were always going to the local lakes for the weekends.
When your girl see's that the other girls are NOT waking up looking like models and they're OK w/it....., that's a HUGE step!
With 3 or 4 boats rafted together it takes one morning to figure it out.
We'd generally have a couple of 22' - 24' cuddy's and then one or two 25' - 26' trailerable cruiser and we'd all bring some kind of food dish (and concoction for the bar)along and it would be an absolute ball all while only being a 1/2 hr from home.

#2. Another trick is to find some where or event that you can go to by boat. One of those same inland lakes was famous for it's water front bars and killer bands. was far enough out that no one wanted to get half in the bag and then have to drive home but if your boat was at the end of the pier and you already had everything packed....

machloosy, 70 so far. Still chasing set up but is becoming more and more of a cabin cruiser. I've spent a lot of the last 10 or so yrs chasing every last MPH w/the smaller boats and I'm pretty burned out by it. I had a Sonic identical to this one that started out running running 80 and then kept slowing down which I never figured out. It had open exhaust, velocity stacks etc. On O/B's too, the intake noise in the cockpit is deafening on open intake motors.
At 50 w/these all you hear is the wind and we are both loving that aspect.

Dude you have fun on that boat.

BTW

Where is that Biker bar exactly? Looks like a good place to ride to one day.

On the river, right in the middle of Sebastian.
 

I-95 to 512, go east till you hit water. Go left/north 1/2 mile and you're there. A bridge over the I.C. to AIA 4 mls south too for more exploring by bike. I've done most of it on a bike and it's nice if you watch for geezers/tourists in box's.

Yesterday was a ****ty day, poured off and on all day long was still probably 30 or 40 bikes there. What really impressed me was there was a continuous flow of them. Even in that weather. I normally make fun of them as posers but those guys were the ****.
If it had been a nice day, there may have been 200 of them. Cool too as now all breed bikes are also showing up.
People come from all around for the music too. Best, free, live music you'll ever see/hear.
Go on a Sunday afternoon. It rocks. Several other neat places within a few blocks.
Great looking shirts too BTW, to mark the stop. Link bellow.
http://www.earlshideaway.com/

sounds like a great trip! More time on the water will help with the Mrs. I like the play-by-play! Great spots and pics!

Looks like you had another good time.

Awesome photos. Looks like you two are making the most out of your accommodations, and having a great time. I agree, though not the most comfortable time of year, it's certainly doable given the right creature comforts. Enjoy.

My wife and did this all the time when we lived in Cape Coral. We would take off down the intercoastal and find a place or island and spent day and night. I showed my wife this thread and she said we need to start doing this again. So my job now is find places to go along the Texas coast. Thanks for reminding how much fun this is.

Lovin This One! Excellent Idea!

Made the effort of posting the pix's and...
 

writing this thread all worth it. Awesome stuff!
I used to live in the Cape boated that area all the time.
It's amazing how rarely we see people in this size/style boat doing this. I think so many of us feel like we need the big fast boats to hang but in reality this is a way different and 9cheaper) style of boating that I've loved/done my entire life.
Thanks for your post!

It works great too.
 

The top is a Coleman single burner that's designed/sold to screw on the bottle I'm using w/o the extension hose. I used it that way the first time just to make sure it worked and then made my version.
As produced it sits about 5" taller than mine and made me nervous using it on the boat. Couldn't find what I wanted so I bought a piece of perforated sheet metal and cut it into 8 pc's to match the perimeter of the burner. Then I cut up a piano hinge to match the length of those pc's and welded it all together. Idea was the base would fold flat and be separate from the burner and occupy way less space.
Looked uglier than a box of rocks and never saw the light of day :cartman:
Thats a gallon paint can in the picture :)

Yeah, I've got a touch of OCD :helmet:

I forgot to say that we had a 25' Donzi Reggiza at the time, and loved it.

Twin, great post you got to be on your boat with your girl and have a great time. It really does not matter how far from home you are it`s what you make of it and you did a great job.