Moving up from a fast 40 foot planing boat to a 58 foot traditional trawler can be daunting. This Kadey Krogen has many more systems and OH! so many more options for travel. Just Ask Captain Chris to help with the transition!
Funny thing is this boat is very familiar to us even before we started this training session. Now she’s called Unforgettable but once she was known as Clover. We have done quite a few ocean runs from south Florida to the Chesapeake aboard this wonderful yacht (click here for one of the nicer runs). And, we know she is capable of handling some pretty rough seas too….when NOAA gets the forecast wrong and we were rounding Cape Hatteras. Fortunately for these new owners, our recent time aboard offered much better weather.
As most of our training begins, we start below decks and review all the systems. This not only allows you as the new owner to learn what is where, why and what things do but, it also allows Captain Chris to be sure all is running smoothly and safely before we leave the dock. This boat was in fine shape so all was A-OK!
Skills are best practiced under the least stressful situation so we pulled away from the marina and did some touch and go maneuvering near a day beacon in the St. Lucie River. A little wind, a little current and before you knew it both members of this team had the touch.
Getting comfortable with how your boat responds when you shift or give some throttle is key when docking in close quarters. Also, knowing how long you can use your bow and stern thrusters is essential. Some DC electric thrusters will overheat if you use them too much. How much is too much? That depends on the size of the battery bank and the state of charge. Fortunately this boat has thrusters powered by hydraulics from the 20 kW generator with a PTO (Power Take Off) hydraulic pump. This pump also powers the hydraulic windlass…both at the same time if needed!
Switching gears, we selected an anchorage off the beaten path and lowered the hook for a quick lunch. Anchoring not only can save you marina $$ but it also can provide a calm and serene way to spend the evening….if you select the right location when planning your trip. Anchoring or finding a marina is another important part of your trip planning.
And Captain Chris spends time helping you to learn functional navigation that’s easy to use as you cruise to new places along the waterway. And this couple plans to travel far and wide aboard this roomy Kadey Krogen. In the not to distant future they have hopes to go down island through the Bahama chain and have installed solar panels on the pilot house roof. They intend to spend months at a time off the grid. Pretty exciting!
Be sure to click on the video below to get an idea of how spacious the upper flybridge deck is. And if you’d like to see how easily this 58 footer can be docked click here.
Ask Captain Chris how we can help you transition from a smaller boat to a larger, more system intensive yacht. 772-205-1859
