The Adventure Begins

[willy]

So tomorrow mourning my buddy Jeff and I are going to Cape May NJ to pick up Senor Bertram and take her on a 120 mile journey up the coast of Jersey to her new home in Raritan Bay
Sort of a trial by fire for Senor Bertram and me, never handled a twin screw hull like this. Looking forward to it. Pics to follow.
Wish me luck.

[macojoe]

Good way to see if she needs anything!! Good Luck!! :clap:

[Kracker Jack]

Even though we don't know each other I would love to take that trip with you!!!! Sounds like a great time!!! Be safe and enjoy your rig.

[THEFERMANATOR]

120 miles is nothing, you should have been there for the 1400 mile one we did 7 years ago when my uncle bought a 43 TORRES in Boston and we brought it back to Florida. THAT was a trial by fire expedition.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Be safe and do not forget the camera. :beer:

[spareparts]

good luck, call me if you have any issues, just remember, with twin inboards, it drives like a tractor does with the brakes, positioning to set up for a slip is like driving a train, you have to pull up, rotate, then back up. And there is no shame in tieing up on the tee head to wait for a favorable wind and tide to put it in the slip


oh, if you have seatow or towboat, check with Capt Pete to make sure there arn't any exclusions to worry about

[Genie Aye]

Have a safe trip!!

Twin screws---rock--you can dock it sideways--easy as can be to dock and manuever for sure---That is the one thing I miss about my 33 Penn Yan SF--them twin inboards--great manueverability. I use to be able to slide in places many others would never think of trying to dock in. If the boat would fit on the dock--I could get her in there.

Have fun--I envy ya---love them long sea runs.

Of course our average Albie tuna run will be 150 miles by the end of the day. Remember the pictures!!

[Cam]

Twin screws is a breeze...just practice a little when you get it into the ocean. It is a relatively a short trip but a good shake down trip. Enjoy it and take pics.....:happy:

[SkunkBoat]

remember backing up, leave the rudders centered (as my brother always yells at me, Don't touch the f...ing wheel Dumbass!"), leave the throttles in idle, and steer with the fwd/rev shifters.

Its hard for an outboard guy to break the habit of turning the wheel.

Congrats on the Bertram!. One of my dreamboats.

Someday! :love:

[Destroyer]

So how was the trip Willy? Wish I had been able to go along as a deck hand. I'm jealous for sure. PICTURES!!!!!!!!!:laugh:

[lathehand]

Good luck with her.By the looks of her you should have no trouble bringing her home.

[RidgeRunner]

If she is that good mechanically, go for it. Just don't use too much speed at the dock and it will be a cake walk. What a opener, tell us how you do..

[spareparts]

well? we are waiting?

[willy]

All right here is the skinny, left Cape May at 1100. Boat running beautiful.
We ran into quartering seas 2-4's quick duration and a lot of chatter on the radio of guys heading in to fish inside etc.
Senor Bertram just cut right through. It was wonderful.
Ran for about four hours, Got up about six miles north of Barnegat Inlet and then the port engine started acting weird. Tach and engine revving up then dying back, would not stay at upper rpm.
Shut her down and got down to investigate.
Found that the fan belt was so loose on the alternator pulley that I could spin it around with my hand.
Tried to start engine, no battery juice.
Apparently was running on battery voltage the whole way. They were fully charged group 27's.
Tried to use the parallel switch to start, battery was too dead. All I got was clicking from the starter.
Called Tow Boat U.S
They got out there and we used their battery and jumper cables and the engine started right up.
Idled fine for a few minutes, went up to the bridge and revved it and sounded good.
Oh, two things, while I was waiting for tow Boat I got down and adjusted the pulley and got the belt tight. and also the engine did not over heat as we were looking at the gauges the whole time.
So we were going to run the boat the last forty miles and said good bye to the Tow guys.
Got on plane and it started the same thing again.
Called the Tow guys on the radio they were still right there.
We tried to see if we could jump from the good battery on the boat to the bad battery and we ran the good engine while hooked up and tried to charge the bad one for a few and I saw some rubber smelling smoke come out very light from around the starboard engine area. Don't know if the jumper cable was touching something hot or what yet.
Told the Tow boys to bring us in.
Called Capt. Pete and he told me to have it towed to Manasquan and his marina, that is where it sits right now waiting for today and their head mechanic to check it out.
Went down Sunday and changed out the bad battery and the engine started right up. Alternator pulley is chirping away and the alternator is NOT charging the battery according to my meter. I believe I ran on battery power for about four hours before she finally died.
Capt. Pete stopped by to see me at the boat, I hooked the boat up to shore power and am waiting today to talk via phone to the mechanic.
Wish me luck.

[spareparts]

I was wondering if you made it back to land, you didn't answer the last time I called you, good to hear you've got everything under controll

[Destroyer]

Damn Willy, sorry to hear of your problems with the boat. The good side is that it seems whatever the problem is, it isn't the engines themselves.. they sound like they were running good, and the fact that they started right up each time is a good sign. I'm sure that everything is in good hands, but if there's anything I can do to help just give me a holler.

[willy]

Thanks destroyer, so anyhow here is the skinny as of today.
The mechanic says that the raw water pump has a leak, it is actually shot and needs to be replaced.
Apparently it was spraying a small amount of sea water on the alternator and just shorted and corroded it out.
Needs a new raw water pump, needs the alternator rebuilt.
I am having Capt Pete and his buddies go over both engines and repair what is needed. There getting started today, and are then going to run it under load and check it all out and then give me a call.
Hopefully I will be up and running in a day or two. A few hundred dollars poorer but I am glad there is nothing major wrong.
then I got to get someone with me and go to Point Pleasant and pick her up and bring her home to Raritan Bay. About 55 miles by water.

[RWilson2526]

.........a three hour tour.....a three hour tour........:fam:

[RidgeRunner]

I'll meet you there in my V- with the little wheel, just in case you need a tow. LOL That is an Adventure, glad it wasn't too costly..

[willy]

You kinda look a little like Gilligan there Rob, I look like a slimmed down Capt.
All we need is a Ginger and Marianne and we are in like Flint.

[macojoe]

Glad all is A OK!! Just like a used car, you always have a few small things to fix before its perfect, But when its done, its perfect!!

[phatdaddy]

that's why it's called a shake down cruise, get all the little demons out. the good thing is you were able to leave it with somebody you know. local knowledge is priceless.

[reelapeelin]

I still ain't seen no fookin' PICTURES...I'm beginnin' to wonder if the Burt is real or imagined...:time:
:thre:

[willy]

Speaking of pictures there Sweet Pea, got something to share with the class?

[RidgeRunner]

Rut Row... Got a new one coming out of the barn or what? I suspect something is amuck.. Too quiet of late..

[RWilson2526]

I think he's talking motion picture:zip:

[reelapeelin]

Speaking of pictures there Sweet Pea, got something to share with the class?


If yer talkin' about the movie I just got thru filming down in Charleston that's a lil something, sure...but it don't compare to the BOAT PORN you need to post up, there Buckaroo...what are they still at the developers?...

[willy]

Yea, yea, at the developers, that's it.

[spareparts]

Movie? Filming? Reel involved? I didn't know they were making another "Grumpier Old Men" movie. Sounds like perfect casting to me :you:

[reelapeelin]

Yea, yea, at the developers, that's it.

Hey Man...I know yer gettin' older up there and all...if ya need to get you a teenager or other qualified computer tech for help hangin' pics around here, I'm sure we can find you somebody...poor thing...

[willy]

Since I am getting heat from Hollywood Hutson here ya go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4H0s4xbCPA&feature=youtu.be

[willy]

What you don't want to see on your maiden voyage shake down

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f138/bill_schultz/047-7.jpg

[willy]

OK, so Senor Bertram is fixed, raw water pump replaced. Had crack in housing that was lightly spraying water on my alternator and shorted it out. Was running on battery charge only on port engine.
Alternator rebuilt.
Some other issues addressed by Capt. Pete's boys and him at the marina.
Was going to go down and pick it up today but crew availability and weather this afternoon conspired against it.
Looking like Tues or Wed is next weather window. Just got to find crew for one of those days.

[reelapeelin]

A little SLOW on the uptake...but you DELIVERED!..NICE VIDEO!!...did you have the option of going in on one engine?

[reelapeelin]

Since I am getting heat from Hollywood Hutson here ya go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4H0s4xbCPA& (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4H0s4xbCPA&feature=youtu.be)
feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4H0s4xbCPA&feature=youtu.be)

Wish Hollywood could come up and finish the trip w/ya...

[willy]

Could of moved out on one but to be honest the maneuverability on one was tricky going anyway but fairly straight.
Where I had to go required about a 14 mile run and then navigate a usually rough and narrow inlet at night (Manasquan Inlet) and then navigate under two bridges, one I would have to call for an opening for and then maneuver in a very tight marina that I did not even know how to get to.
And I wish you could to my friend, would have liked to get it up here this mourning but calling for 13 to 17 knot winds after 12 pm and my crew could not get here until around 1pm.