Salty Dog in Bahamas

[CaptLloyd]

We had a great trip across the Gulfstream (aka "Contender Highway") yesterday early morning. There was so many boats heading across, BTW, thanks to the 31 Contender "Mean Green" for calling on the VHF and being my buddy boat.

Since I had my young son with me, this wasn't a serious fishing/spearfishing trip. We did some snorkeling, caught up with some old crew, and had a very enjoyable stay at Big Game Club. The smile never left my son's face.

Woke this morning to a not so nice weather forecast. I decided to cut the trip short. I thought we could get in some more snorkeling in the morning before heading back midday. So at 8am, we head out to do some more snorkeling, but then this large ugly storm, with lots of lightning, forms just north of Bimini, and takes the smile off my son's face. I immediately point the boat west, and we had a another great crossing. We even stopped for a swim midway across. We got the boat on the trailer just minutes before a "frog strangler" of a thunderstorm was on us. Our timing couldn't have been better.

We can't wait to go again!

Lloyd

[strick]

Glad you got to spend some quality one on one time with your boy. Those are the times we fathers keep referring to in our memory bank. So what hp Suzuki do you have on the back of Salty Dog. Do you still have your 20sf?

strick

[Snookerd]

Lloyd-I agree with Strick about that quality time! I would love to have been your buddy boat! Next time....Your boat and motor set-up look great. Any additional pictures? Thanks for the report.

[CaptLloyd]

Yeah, definitely quality time with my son. But for the record, there was another adult with us, we refered to ourselves as two and a half men.

Strick,

The motor is a 2004 DF250 w/25" shaft I bought from a friend who upgraded to a 300hp. It had 135 hours on it when I got it. And the bracket was a great deal at the time. I saved several thousand dollars on my project.

I still have the 20sf, we use it in the Indian River Lagoon. It will be my son's runabout when he's old enough. I'm half way to the four boat theory.

Danny,

I'd buddy boat with you anytime!

When I get a chance, I'll post a few more pics. Cosmetically, she's still kind of rough. The prettiest part is the transom. I'm no Strick or Blue Heron or any of the other guys who turn out beautiful projects, but she's functional.

Lloyd

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by CaptLloyd

. . .
Woke this morning to a not so nice weather forecast. I decided to cut the trip short. I thought we could get in some more snorkeling in the morning before heading back midday. So at 8am, we head out to do some more snorkeling, but then this large ugly storm, with lots of lightning, forms just north of Bimini, and takes the smile off my son's face. I immediately point the boat west, and we had a another great crossing. We even stopped for a swim midway across. We got the boat on the trailer just minutes before a "frog strangler" of a thunderstorm was on us. Our timing couldn't have been better.

We can't wait to go again!

Lloyd

Lloyd, sounds like you had a good trip! Also a great way to introduce your boy to boating adventures! However that type of weather is why I always liked crossing the stream a few weeks earlier in mid-July! Still no guarantees that you won't get hammered, but it's typically a little less wind and rain, and maybe more predictable then. Looks like the next couple of weeks will be a little wet with the tropical storms starting to blow through!

Would love to see some more pics of that 23' WA/Seafari! I've never seen one of them, but always thought it was a neat model. Are the bunks in that cabin any longer than the 6' ones in the Tsunami/Sceptre, and how does it's cockpit compare? The 23 Sceptre has a great cockpit but it's cabin is smaller than the Seafari 20 and less practical for sleeping aboard! Denny

[CaptLloyd]

Here's a few more pics.

[workinpr0gress]

That's a cool SC ya got there to govalong with the SF CaptLloyd