Saturday Aug 20 cruised over to Ft McRae cove, a bracing 90 degrees, water 86 degrees. Took a 2 hour walk on the Gulf side Johnson Beach (part of Gulf Islands Natl Park) with nobody in sight in either direction. For all the women who supposedly like ‘long walks on a deserted beach’ I almost never see any except Eileen. Got back in time to see a spectacular Blue Angels practice with blue smoke and full afterburners right overhead. Had 2 Coors Lights at 33.2 degrees (this should always be measured with an IR thermometer). As always had TC255 admirers…30 ft Grady White couple with lots of questions (we attended the Miami Boat show for 10 years straight looking for the ‘perfect boat’ including that GW-30 but found it right here on the for sale column).
Another hats off to Bob Austin. My Garmin network sounder ($180) is always getting fouled and can only be put on the wrong (port/ventilating) side of the non-CR engine without some really weird wiring runs. Bob has previously posted basically that any depth-only transducer can be put in a baggie of water over a non-cored area of minimally-disturbed water and work…you don’t need the Garmin in-hull model. Tucked the spare in fresh water in a zip lock baggie between 2 baggies of sand just aft of the bilge pump and damned if it didn’t work fine. No fouling, no disturbed water mash.
The starboard Garmin fuel management GFS-10 is reporting that engine is only burning 3.5g/hour rather than the usual 6.2 or so at 4000RPM cruise. Unfortunately, the gas gauge does not confirm that. It’s a boat, so IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING.
On return, the inside temp was 92 degrees, but with the center window open, 2 big ice waters, and the aft door closed we were perfectly comfy. Even had to close the front window at times. Tropical boaters never believe this, but you just don’t need AC underway at over 5mph/displacement speeds even in August in Florida in a TC255 with a couple of Caframo fans, and ice water.
It just don’t git no better than this!
Happy Boating!
John
