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Rudderham's Captain's Comments
Time to make
your checklist for winter
 You
and your crew have had a great summer on the water and unfortunately
the season will soon end. Now is the time to make a list of things
other than your normal winterizing procedure. Things you noticed
while cruising. Those mental notes that said you would take care of
things in the fall.
Maybe your Bimini top needs replacing or your cockpit
cover, seats or cushions, fenders and lines need to be inspected to
see if they need to be replaced. Engine gauges might not be giving a
correct reading. Maybe the tachometer, temperature or amp gauge will
need replacing. If you have a cabin boat you might have leaky ports
or hatches that need to be serviced. Perhaps a bow rail or side rail
support is loose and will need refastening to make sure it is safe.
You might have seen corrosion on electrical connections. All of them
need to be checked and serviced.
Your V.H.F., fathometer or other electronic equipment
might need servicing if they had a blip or two during the season.
Then there is always the head, holding tank and water system. These
hoses, clamps, and electrical switches need inspecting. And don’t
forget that special potable antifreeze for the water system. A
complete inspection of engine and bilge area should be done. Correct
any oil leaks. Clean, prime and paint any rust areas. Clean bilge
and make sure it is dry, as mold will develop during storage.
Last but not least, inspect the hull and topsides.
Any scratches or chips in your gel-coat should be repaired prior to
your cleaning and waxing – before winterizing. Oh yes, that time you
ran aground your prop probably needs re-conditioning.
If you trailer your boat you want to check your
tires, bearings, lights, and any other items. You might just call
this a reminder list of things you thought of while cruising this
summer. If you fix it now you won’t have to worry about it next
season.
Boats I remember
You always remember your first boat. Mine sank. I had
talked my grandfather into repairing a 14-foot rowboat that had six
or eight strips that were dry-rotted. I figured with some tar and
pieces of wood I could repair the bad places and have my own boat. I
guess my granddad figured it would be a good experience for me. When
I thought I had done a good job, grandpa brought it to the dock, put
it in the water, and it sunk. He didn’t say anything and just hauled
the boat back to the dump pile. Of course I was devastated and I
also didn’t have my much-cherished boat.
A day or two later grandpa left with his pickup and
didn’t come back till late in the afternoon – with a 12-foot row
boat in the truck. He said, “Here’s the boat you worked for.” I was
ecstatic and couldn’t believe it. I named it the “American Eagle.”
One quiet afternoon the wind was blowing and I thought “sailboat.” I
was allowed to run around the docks and camp on my own and in the
afternoon the adults were napping or busy. So I went to the shop and
retrieved some 2x2 spars of the right length and some clothesline. I
engineered a make shift mast and boom. I didn’t have a sail so I
went searching. I knew I couldn’t use my mother’s table cloth, so I
kept looking and found the oil cloth covering the kitchen table. It
fit perfectly. I used a canoe paddle for a rudder. The wind was good
and I was underway; quite proud of myself as I didn’t have to row.
Well three miles across the lake was a great sail,
but now I had to head back. I did some very poor attempts of tacking
when I realized I’d better row. Well I was late for dinner and had a
greeting committee on the dock when I returned. Needless to say
this was the first time I was beached.
My family moved to Florida in 1950, it was a
12-year-old’s dream. My dad allowed me to buy a 14-foot Carter-Craft
from one of my paper route customers. Dad had a 5 hp Johnson so we
called it “Half-Mine.” I think my half was the work as I always had
to remove barnacles and paint the bottom.
I had a buddy who had a Mercury Hurricane Super 10
which we replaced the 5 hp Johnson with. Now we were fast enough
for water-skiing. Meantime another buddy’s mother bought him an A/B
racing runabout with Mercury motors and Quicksilver lower units.
They indeed made the boat fast. He was scared of it. I wasn’t and I
talked him into entering A.P.B.A. races at Lake Maggorie in St.
Petersburg. Well, I won several races in both classes. Not because I
was a great driver, but because I was 100 pounds lighter. Eventually
this got back to my father, and yes I was beached again and not
allowed to race anymore. But I sure had fun.
Water-skiing kind of took over and my dad bought a
16-foot Century Palomino runabout with a Mark 55 Mercury. It was a
beautiful boat, but not as fast as I would have liked. It was
perfect though for practicing trick routines. When I skied
tournaments at Cypress Gardens it was always behind a beautiful
Correct-Craft with a big Chrysler Hemi providing the power. The
driver’s nickname was “Hadacol” and he was a character, always
sipping a bottle of his nickname. It wasn’t until years later when I
worked for Jack Eckard that I found out “Hadacol” was mostly
alcohol.
You might think I was all powerboat, but myself and a
couple of buddies signed on as cabin boys (cleaners) on the 48-foot
Herreschoff designed Marconi rigged schooner “Rambler.” We would go
on charters and when they were over we made her clean and shipshape.
The Captain was Russell R. “Robbie” Robinson who had sailed the
world over. He was also a recognized portrait artist with a great
sense of humor. He painted a nude without showing the lady’s face,
hung it in Clearwater’s Irish pub and had everyone trying to guess
whose wife or girlfriend it was. He told me that he got up to $3,000
a portrait. I said, “How long does it take?” He said, “I complete
the portrait in the first sitting, and touch up the background on
the next nine.”
If you have read John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee
series, I was the kid in the background. I had the chance to build
one of the first straight, inboard center-consoles. It was a
24-footer powered by a Mercruiser Blue Water 427 C.I., 325 hp. It
would cruise over 40 knots and was an ideal tarpon boat, as you
could fish 360 degrees without any obstructions. I had a lot of good
fishing memories of the 24-foot Fish Master in Boca Grande Pass. We
also built a bunch more for other fishermen.
When I had my yacht sales business and going to boat
shows I became acquainted with a boat called Carri-Craft, built in
Berlin, WI. It was a catamaran powered by Lehman diesels with
V-drives. They came in 45-foot and 57-foot models. One thing led to
another and two 57-foot Carri-Crafts needed to be ferried from New
Orleans to Clearwater. The owner asked me to get another Captain and
run the boats to Clearwater. The Carri-Crafts were moored at a Lake
Ponchatrain marina with quick access to the Gulf or I.C.W. The owner
hired another Cajun Captain to assist on the boat I was to Captain.
Captain Tuffy Parker would be with the owner and family on the other
57-foot. We were to depart at 4 a.m.; everything was going well
except I couldn’t find the Cajun Captain Tony. When I finally did
find him he was in the galley with a Georgia ice tea glass full of
his favorite beverage. That’s when I knew this would be an
interesting trip. We headed down the I.C.W. and two days later were
in Carabelle, FL. Then we headed to Clearwater. It was a night trip
and Captain Tuffy kept us entertained talking to the shrimpers in
the Bay of Campeche. The Carri-Crafts cruised at 20 knots, and were
comfortable in a sea.
My two favorite boats are the 46-foot Bertram, of
which I have sold five or six and the 60-foot Hargraves designed
Lazy Days Houseboat. I have surveyed and delivered several of both
and they live up to their pedigree.
The next yacht that I’d like to survey or deliver is
a 60-foot enclosed bridge Martimo, built in Australia. Definitely a
class yacht. If I won the lottery I’d buy one. The fact remains,
any time onboard a boat, be it large, small, fast or slow is time we
all look forward to. It’s our way to unwind and get away from our
daily rush. Most think it a great way to charge your personal
batteries so you are ready for the week ahead. Maybe that’s why some
of the best folks I’ve met have always been associated with boating.
Crazy ’toons
Since the beginning of time man has always challenged
each other to see who is faster, whether it be running, bikes, cars,
boats, or planes. One always had to challenge to be faster. Now they
are doing it with pontoon boats. Play Craft Pontoons out in the Lake
of the Ozarks has a retail ready pontoon with a 430 hp engine that
clocks out at 67 plus mph. That’s got to be a hairy ride. It’s kind
of like running a Molinari tunnel boat without power trim. One thing
led to another and one afternoon an Odyssey pontoon with twin 300xs
outboards and a Play Craft, with a supercharged 540 C.I. putting out
950 hp started squaring off and they both reached 91 mph. That’s
kind of like riding on the wing of a jet plane. This just shows what
man will do to be the fastest in his choice of venue. Stay tuned as
they are only nine mph from that magic 100 mph barrier.
E15 decision expected soon
The EPA (environmental protection agency) is expected
to delay until fall as to whether it will raise its E10 (ethanol)
fuel to E15. The N.M.M.A. (National Marine Manufacturers
Association) and Boat U.S. have been urging the EPA to base its
decision on scientific data.
E10 has been known to disintegrate fiberglass fuel
tanks and gumming up fuel lines among other problems it has caused.
Let’s hope the decision will finally be in the boating community’s
favor. We’ll let you know what happens.
Be courteous, practice safe boating and I’ll see you
on the water.
Mike Rudderham is a veteran marine
surveyor with more than 40 years experience in the marine industry.
mike@lakesidenews.com
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