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The Canal's website states that it is now closed to navigation from Lock 2 to 22. I called and spoke to someone who was not very helpful. When I asked him if he had any idea of when it would be re-opened, he told me to check the website. Asked if it provided daily updates, he said, "I get...

If you want something very lightweight but well built, take a look at the Achilles LT-2 or LT-4. Over many years we've owned just about every brand and keep coming back to Achilles. I can easily lift the LT-2 (37 lbs.) over the rail of our TomCat and put it on the roof myself. We have a Suzuki...

I know my post on this subject is years later than the last, but thanks to reading everyone's comments, I finally added Permatrims to my TomCat. While I only ran ViewFinder for a few short sprints up and down the river near home, I am very impressed with how she feels and handles. Before...

You may want to consider Plantation Yacht Harbor in Islamorada, part of Founders Park. Great facilities, wonderful park setting and room to store trailers. We stayed here for three months cruising up and down the Keys.

Thanks to the C-Brats recommendations, we just bought an Achilles LT-2 inflatable with a Suzuki 2.5 and are quite happy with this combo. Because of a bad back, I was most concerned with weight, and I can haul the LT-2 over the rail of my TomCat and tie it on the roof by myself. The boat comes...

We own two AIRIS kayaks by Walker Bay, and while we have appreciated their light weight and stability, we have been disappointed by their durability. Each one now has six patches covering small air leaks. The skeg fell off one of them, and it took two months to get a replacement part from...

We hope to arrive in Coeymans, NY on July 17th by trailer, and then do the Canal, Thousand Islands and part of the Rideau Canal. We'll haul out in Oswego early August and have our TomCat towed home. This will be our first time in the Erie Canal, and we're looking forward to it. Also hope to...

Once again, the C-Brats site has given us some very valuable tips. After losing faith in the reliability of our inflatable AIRIS kayaks by Walker Bay (the fabric is far too susceptible to being punctured when dragged up on a sandy beach), we just bought an Achilles LT-2. At 37-pounds, it's...

A good source for rubber stoppers is www.widgetco.com Order a pair of #10 Rubber Stoppers, their part number 7-R10-S-EPDM-RS which cost $2.25 each. I've found that if I have more than 4 people in the cockpit of my TC-255 I need to insert these in the scuppers to prevent flooding when...

Hmm. We have a 2009 TomCat and have never experienced this. We can run 20-25 knots with the cockpit door closed and have never smelled fuel. However, I'll keep my eye on this post, as I'm now curious and concerned. I hope you find the solution, and that it's not having to remove the tank...

Bill and Brenda, We cruised up the Potomac River years ago in our Thomas Point 43 and had a wonderful time exploring Washington's many attractions. Attached is a story I wrote about the experience published in Power Cruising magazine. While we only live 45 minutes from DC by car, and we go...

Larry, I've owned a TomCat for two years and except for its non-existent tunnel clearance when at rest or slow speeds (which causes slamming and a noisy night on the hook) the boat is terrific. It's much more stable than a mono-hull, and it has more room (interior and cockpit) than the C-25...

ViewFinder at 28 knots

Goin\' fishing in the Keys

Good service from: Wefings Marine Float-On Trailers Garmin A&M Suzuki Marine Service (Grasonville, MD) Canvas Creations Annapolis, MD Plantation Yacht Harbor Islamorada, FL Engel Coolers USA Bad Service: Airis Inflatables (Walker Bay)

Like inflatable dinghies, the bottom of the "tubes" on the Airis comes in contact with the land when beached. The separate, bottom floor cannot protect the inflatable tubes from sand or pebbles, so extreme caution must be used when beaching these kayaks. Also, we have had two failures in the...

We have owned a pair of Airis inflatable kayaks for three years and have had mixed results. They are manufactured by Walker Bay, the company that makes those plastic hard dinghies, and are available in Annapolis at Inflatable Xperts, or MSI. They are very light, extremely stable and have some...

The Nimble has an even flatter entry than a C-Dory monohull. I've run both and I'd rather be in a C-Dory when the conditions get snotty.

Bob, I've run a few smaller, outboard powered Nimbles designed by Ted Brewer, and while I have always liked their salty look and clever interior design, I found their flat bottoms to be extremely uncomfortable in anything more than a one foot chop. I think they are a great river boat, but...

We recently spent three days in Fernandina Beach after running our TomCat up from the Keys. The marina is top notch and the town has lots to offer, much like our homeport of Annapolis. The restaurants are superb, matching the quality in Key West, and even the local pizza place, Artiste Pizza...