Recent content by Gulfcoast John

14 weeks would be plenty for us on that cruise (we averaged over 35 MPH on the Great Lakes, but were incredibly lucky with calm conditions). For trailer boats, that’s where the weather risk is. Like trying to cross the Gulf in winter, you might be stuck for two weeks, or not at all. By the...

Hi Scott and Barb, We’ve been cruising one-way Segments of the Loop since 2016, and will also finish this summer after only ten years…yes, we’re ‘rushing it.’ I assume you plan to launch near Waterford/Troy and head up to Lake Champlain to do the Triangle Loop backwards (against the current)...

Hi Capt Scott, It is a 25.5 ft LOA trailer boat with a very low bridgedeck clearance (almost none at rest, and less than none with a six-pack of 300 pound Good Ol’ Boys PAX if you have that license). I wouldn’t waste money on that item. Take fewer PAX, move them into the cabin, and adjust...

Galley Extension board: Underway, this lives under the Nav seat cushion, cut so that it doesn’t interfere with the snaps which keep it in place when underway (roughly 29.5 x 24” birch with Gloss varnish). I didn’t want to screw it into the teak trim so attached a trim piece to that for the...

Hi AnchoredOut, For the same reasons, I bought a Pecron 3800 and accessory battery, which together should supply ALL our 120v needs for three nights or more, plus the existing but totally separate three Group 31 AGM batteries plus 100w Renogy glued’down panel has proven to be enough for three...

Hi Colby, When we took a scouting cruise on the David B in Sept 2022, south of the Ketchikan start point there was Verizon coverage every third stop (each stop is listed in that trip report below, and each was lovely for a C-Dory). From the top of the Inside Passage at Vancouver Island...

Welcome all these new TC255 owners, and they’re just the ones I know about! Dan and Jennie Skelly (south Louisiana) once got a tour of Cat O’ Mine, so naturally they had to have one built (Catalyst) then tow a new trailer up to the factory, tour the PNW and bring her home. They were signed up...

Hi Rob! Congrats on a great boat, you’re going to love it! I can’t measure at post-op day #3 after major surgery; doctor’s orders no climbing around on the boat for six weeks. I plan to wait until the day after tomorrow for that. I’m a terrible patient. Anyhows, we glued down a Renogy 100...

Mods that did not work out for us: A wireless remote Lewmar fob that allows Eileen to control the windlass from her position on the bow when launching or retrieving: The fob was under $250 but required another solenoid box and re-wiring that exceeded $900 overall. Her hand signals work just as...

We've found the best marina bargain for a C-Dory at the Pink Shell Marina 5 star resort in Ft Myers Beach and return every year in Jan until the Hontoon Hoot in March. I run several days behind if you want to 'follow' the Find Penguins link...

Our new interest in a lithium + big inverter option when shore power is not available: We hope to be spending time on the Canadian walls this summer while doing the Triangle Loop backwards; ending up at Kingston on the North side of Lake Ontario and only 70 miles to the entrance of the...

These are the ‘gadget’ adapters shown at the Hontoon Hoot. You will eventually happen on a marina or wall which only has a 50 amp pedestal available. The adapter you need is a 50A 125/250V to 30A 125V (not 50A 125V, which would only be found in very old marinas). Be sure the marina agrees to...

Panels are easy to remove quickly, take a bit longer to install when aligning the zippers on the sides and top with Sai-lrite bungeys at the bottom.

Hi Dave, Give yourselves some trips under your belt before spending too much. If you don’t have a dog, you may not need a dinghy. If you beach on rocks, you may not want an inflatable (we just gave ours to the Boy Scouts, after never feeling a need for it in real life after 13 years). Raise...

Hi Greg, Oddly the written marina slip reservation does NOT include your slip number. You have to call them for that if you misplaced it after your call. If you think that a guvmint Reservations system should include the room number you paid for, then you have a full lifetime of...