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Comments
Went to the top of the island, pretty cool, everyone here is very laid back, starting to get a good dock crowd.. going to go sample the local pizza.
Both straps from the window to the bimini ended up falling apart and I had to fix them on the fly. This was during the worst part of the trip as far as waves go. Luckily I had planned ahead for events like that and had some extra straps ready to go. Slowed down for a few minutes and fixed them as needed.
What I would say after doing is to go down to your boat, look for things that could fail easily while you sit there and have a drink.. as I did a month or so before the trip.
I brought a full tool box, only needed the screwdrivers and the pliers.
Here is the trip I made.. I'd say it was more like 16 hours total, due to waves.
I haven't added up the fuel just yet, it was 3.29 a gallon everywhere except block island, it was 3.80 there. I honestly don't want to know till tomorrow how much was spent of fuel
Fun factor was an 9... mostly due to the people I met while making a trip like this alone.
Scare factor was an 11 between number 2 and 3.. I was very prepared, with an auto inflate life vest, VHF with GPS/DSC and PLB tied to the life vest and a 5 person tube with a quick release knot attached to the swim platform (I was assuming the worst, say I hit my head on something and fell off the boat unconscious) but that run between Block Island and Cutty hunk was one that I would wish on no one. Screws backed out of their screw holes, vibrations showed up that I've never felt before (and are still present!)
If I could have controlled all factors, I would have been sure to only go WITH the tide, but in my case I had to stay ahead of storms that were coming up the sound and fog as well.. as I just dont boat in fog.
Next year, if I do this again, I'm going to skip staying overnight at Westbrook CT and Block island. Instead I'll head to Newport for a night or two and then go up to the cape and do the same thing on the return. I did see a lot of boats doing the same kind of run (and will post pictures and videos this week) but they were pretty big, def not a 270.
Keep in mind I switched props to the hill marine 4x4 20p's while on vacation. That would have made the ride between 3 and 4 much less scary.
I would say going forward just assume the worst for the water off of Rhode Island.
Yesterday I opted to skip and overnight on the return trip at westbrook.. and I'm very glad to have done that, waves on the sound today were out of control!! Which leads me to my next point. Build in enough time that you can be delayed for a day or two while waiting for good weather. My run from block island to cutty hunk was the worst part... but I saw with my own eyes (after hiking to the top of cutty hunk) that the R.I. sound water that I had just crossed was FLAT CALM just a few hours after I crossed it battling 4-6 footers. What I should have done was a 180 degree turn after coming around the north tip of block island and found a cove to drop the anchor till it calmed down.
To be continued.
Did you not dig Block, hence skipping it next time? Its the total opposite of Cuttyhunk, as the harbor is always jamming with boats. You gotta catch it on a nice day too and then explore town and the beaches. You can't beat the beaches of Block. Also on a bad weather day the harbor is so big that it is more affected by weather than most, especially the anchorage seeing it is more exposed to the southwesterly winds given its location on the Eastern/northeastern side of the harbor. None the less its our favorite spot to anchor for long periods. The marinas are a zoo in Block, so we typically avoid those.
We leave next week for our big summer trip. We are doing 3 nights at a Marina in Menemsha on Marthas Vineyard (Menemsha is the sleepy harbor of the Vineyard where they filmed the notable Jaws scene of the shark entering the channel/harbor); then 3 nights at the marina in Cuttyhunk; and end the trip with 4 nights under anchor in Block Island; then back home to Mystic. Hoping for good weather.
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
Considering it was 400 a day to rent a boat in Capecod... 903 seems "okay" to have a boat with you to go enjoy the bass river almost everyday. The trip was fun as well, stopping at the various places, meeting other boaters and seeing friends. The cost of gas seems like a small price to pay for all the experiences.