Go Pro time lapse on the St Johns river, Palatka Florida on Spoonbill a Great Harbour N-47

Here is a link to the YouTube video we did with my GoPro Camera. Not the best but our first time using the camera It was shot at 1 photo every 6 seconds (10 photos per minute 1000 photos total). 

http://youtu.be/8ma-jDM9X10

Well it's Official

We are now the proud owner of the Motor Vessel John Henry (soon to be renamed and christened Quiet Company) a 2006 Great Harbour GH-47 Trawler.

The last few months have been filled with many ups and downs, excitement and anxiety as we a lot of time evaluating, contemplating, wondering should we buy such a large boat.

So many questions like:

Where will we keep it?

How will we get it home?

How much work will the upkeep be?

Does this boat layout best fit our needs?

Will we really enjoy it as much as we think?

Are we spending too much money (or not getting a good deal)?

How much money will we burn through owning it?

What will we be able to sell it for?

What else does the boat need to be fully operational?

What about insurance, taxes, maintenance and operating cost?

Will our family and friends join us and enjoy the boating lifestyle with us?

Will we be OK with being away from home for extended periods of time?

Will it be as much fun as we think it will?

Etc...etc...etc......

So the decision point came and we decided to commit. Do we know all the answers...many but not all... but as with many things in life you can analysis, and calculate until your blue in the face, but at some point you have to decide and we decided to go for it!

Was it a good decision, "Time will Tell"....

After all....Its what life is...It's an Adventure!

A New Adventure begins....GH-47

Today is November 17, 2013 and today I started a new adventure. I flew from Evansville Indiana back down to Jacksonville Florida. From there a rental car back to Green Cove Springs to stay overnight on the motor vessel Spoonbill.

Spoonbill which is the boat that we chartered back and September for a week on the St. Johns River. We became interested in Great Harbour Yacht's after touring Joe Pica's boat and Randy Semper's boat in Owensboro Kentucky on their way down the Ohio River. We had the opportunity to take them to dinner at Moonlight barbecue and thoroughly enjoyed touring their boats. As I learn more and more about the great Harbour yacht's I continued to be impressed. This summer we spent two weeks on Great Harbour yacht an N37 and a N47 (37 and 47). When we first came into Green Cove Springs John Henry a GH 47 was anchored at the marina. The boat was for sale and Ken Fickett the manufacturer of Great Harbour yacht's gave us a tour. After having spent two weeks this summer on  N-37 and a N-47 we were very impressed with the quality of the workmanship and the solid feel of the boat.

 This was also reflected in the GH 47 motor vessel named John Henry. John Henry is more of a pilothouse trawler versus a ocean cruiser and has three bedrooms 2 1/2 baths and a full pilothouse. It shares the same hull design from the rub rail down as the N47. Long story short we started negotiating the purchase John Henry and have made an offer which has been accepted and I'm now in Florida for the survey. The survey for a boat is essentially the same as a house inspection for buying a home and of equal importance. The boat will be hauled out of the water, the bottom power washed and a surveyor will be here on Tuesday to analyze and check out the boat. Assuming no major deficiencies are found we will accept the boat and John Henry will be ours.

Survey Continued...

Next the surveyor moves on to the interior of the boat and the on board equipment. While underway on the sea trial, the engines are checked to see that they are running properly and there are no leaks of any fluids. The genset is running with a load from the air conditioning electric cooktop, etc. The plumbing is tested included all toilets, sinks, washer and dryer, microwave/convection oven and dishwasher all are operating normally. The GH-47 has a large galley with full size appliances.

Galley....

Stairs to the pilot house..

And the pilot house...(the L Settee makes into a queen size bed if needed) with storage underneath, the  sunshades on the windows to keep the sun from damaging the furniture.

Behind the pilot house is the watch cabin with a queen size bed...

Plenty of cabinets for cloths and a half bath to the left.

At the foot of the watch cabin bed is a fold down TV (down in this picture).

The TV raises up for viewing and more storage underneath. The boat has over 100 compartments for storing lots of gear and supplies.

The saloon is very large (16 foot wide), the dog does not go with the boat...

There is  a large flat screen TV with surround sound for movies and satellite TV tat tracks the satellites in the sky as the boat is on the dock or on the move. The sole of the boat (floors) are Teak wood and Holley. The walls look like bead board but are actual solid bulkheads made of fiberglass. The white color we like for the light and large feel and can be clean simply with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser. So many boats look and feel like a trailer on the water but the Great Harbour feels and is very substantial which provide a feeling of safety and comfort. We also like the pass through to the galley. 

This is the view from the galley sink looking into the saloon. Lots of windows will afford and open and airy feel while a the dock or while cruising. The door lead out onto the aft cockpit..

The cockpit even has a third set of engine controls to use when backing into a slip.

Stairs leading to the pilothouse..

Master Cabin with seven foot ceilings...

With a built in desk...

And a master cabin with ensuite head with full size shower....

Guest cabin with queen size bed and Pullman's style fold-down bed...

The engine room is spotless! Lots of room to move around the engine and get to the systems...

And the engine room can be entered through a mahogany door in the utility room 

The a fly bridge is great for warm summer days...and nights....

We cant wait for summer to come!

Well the survey went fine with no major issues noted. So next we will fly down and run the boat on the St Johns River to be sure all is in order then we will figure out how to get the boat 2000 mile north back to Indiana!

The Survey of GH-47 John Henry (soon to be renamed Quiet Company)

Well the day (11-20-2013) has arrived for the all important survey on the GH-47 John Henry. We have made an offer on the boat and it has been accepted contingent on my acceptance of the survey. The survey of a boat is essentially the same as a house inspection is when you are buying a house. The major difference is there is more to inspect. On a boat, on which you are capable of living aboard (for a long periods of time) has many systems. The boat has to be independent. It has to carry and/or make its own water and also heat it. It must process or hold until pumped out its own waste water. Make and store its own electricity, heat and cool its own interior, all while being able to travel safely under its own power. And there is that safety thing, proper communication and navigation systems. The boat must have all the needed safety features required by the US Coast Guard, with all electrical power wired and plumbing installed to code. All of these systems must be capable of operating in an often wet, hot, cold and dry/humid, daylight and/or dark environment. It all makes for a really great adventure.....  

As a purchaser you are certainly looking for a vessel that was manufactured to a high quality standard and has been well maintained with an owner that has paid attention to the detail (and that is where this GH-47 shines). It is obvious the original owners were anal, with a real disposition to take care of the boat). Also the construction of the boat must meet the requirement for the type of boating one plans to do. The boat you would want to have to cross the ocean would have a very different set of requirements, than a boat that will be primarily used to cruise inland waters with the occasional trip to the Bahamas or Dry Tortugas. For us, we wanted a boat with a shallow draft to reduce the chances of running aground in the rivers/lakes and the ICW. There is a big problem of shoaling in the Intercoastal Waterways (ICW). Dredging is low on the government priority list be it the ICW or Inland Rivers and Lakes. And many marinas like our own Inland Marina here in Evansville, only work to maintain a reasonable depth (5-to 7 feet). The GH-47 only drafts 3 FEET of water, making it an ideal boat to cruise the "Great Loop". It has a one inch+ solid fiberglass hull, to the rub rails, with keel protected props and is built with purposed quality and is very solid (in look and feel) We could have set the boat on the ground and it will stand up straight just like, in the water (how cool is that).

It is hull number 4 of only nine GH-47 boats built by Mirage Manufacturing in Gainesville Florida. We feel very fortunate to have been in the right place, at the right time, and are able to buy one of the nine (they don't come up for sale very often)! The company is owned by Ken Fickett who is also the Listing Broker for John Henry. That has special benefits given Ken's intimate knowledge of the boat as the boats builder. Mirage has manufactured hundreds of boat from sail boats to sport fishing boats to trawlers like the N-37 and N47 and the GH-37 and GH-47. The GH-47 is approx 47 foot long, 16 foot wide, and weighs in at +/- 32 tons. It is powered by two 75 horsepower Yanmar diesel motors and has a top speed of 8.5 Knots (9-11-MPH). At top speed it only burns 3 gallons of diesel fuel per hour. If interested you can learn more detail at:     http://www.greatharbourtrawlers.com/gh47.html 

This is a picture of John Henry taken by the present owner in the Bahamas. The boat we are buying is in the foreground, the boat behind is a N-37 also built by Mirage. As you will see for its length the boat is very spacious. It has three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths (heads) both with showers and one with a full size bathtub (more on that later)! 

 Here the boat is being readied to be hauled out. Not to be taken lightly with a 30+ ton boat.

 In the slings and out of the water awaiting a bottom scraping and powers wash.

Scrap off three years of barnacles and gunk (the boat has not been used for three years, the owners had an illness in the family that required them to abruptly stop boating and return to Texas). So it is in need of a good detail and wax, but that is yet to come. For now its scrap and power wash so the surveyor can do the hull survey (check it for damage and or any needed repairs to the bottom, the props and shafts).

Now power wash the bottom, then power wash the exterior of the boat.

And after the hull survey it is back in the the water...

and now...

Next, its off to the sea trial to run all the systems and prove out the mechanicals on the boat. Remember that once you make a written offer, the survey is your last opportunity to discovery what is broke or breaking, and assess if anything found is a deal breaker. Until you accept the boat (contingent to the survey) you can still reject the boat and get a return of your deposit. Once you accept the boat its yours, with all the joys and expenses ownership will bring. Boats are just like houses, everything is broke (just not yet). The cost of owning the boat is largely set at the time you buy it. Cost like insurance, taxes, dockage, upkeep and fuel expense can be estimated. Take fuel for example... a boat that burns 3 gallons of fuel per hour (3 X $4.00= $12 per hour) is a much different operating cost that a boat that burns 30 gallons per hour, (30 X $4.00= $120 per hour). The 30gph boat will certainly get you there faster (with a great big wake) but every mile per hour of extra speed has an additional cost.

 My work and everyday world has been like running 100 MPH everyday, (for 40+ years)...in the future...traveling a 9 MPG for some reason, seems just right, when your cruising without a hard and fast schedule, on a big...heavy....boat!

Next the balance of the survey.....

St Johns trip Day 6

The beginning of Day 6 looks like this!

We decided to stay in at the dock today. The wind on the St. John's was expected to be 25 mph all day which meant very rough cruising conditions. So we took off from the dock in our rental car to Crystal Cove Marina at Palatka Florida. We wanted to get a look at a GH 37 a Great Harbour trawler which we know is for sale and it is docked at the Marina.

We walked around the boat from front to rear and it was not in very good condition. We called the sellers phone number listed but no one answered. 

Well the boat looks better in the pictures than it does in person. This dingy arrangement lowers into the water (at least it is supposes to, but is known to be a maintenance nightmare).

Well I mustered my courage and knocked on the side of boat then stepped through the door onto the boat and said "hello anybody home"?; and to my surprise (and theirs) the owners were there taking a nap in the master cabin in the bow of the boat.

They were startled as anyone would be ( I know I was), but could quickly tell we were not intruders but might be possible buyers and they were happy to show us their boat.

The boat had a hot tub on the back which the owner thought was a great improvement, but as we looked at the arrangement it's spelled trouble our minds. Boats have plenty of maintenance needs and this looked like a full time job not to mention the issues with more than a ton of water on the roof.

I was also really disappointed in the in the room. The dimensions are just way too tight to be able to adequately get around in the room to do needed service. Since I'm not partial to crawling, this boat is a no go!

Decent pilothouse..

And our mission at Crystal cove was complete. Earl and Pat were nice people..We hope they find a buyer.....

Next we arrived in St Augustine FL, the oldest city in the us....This is the plaza in the center of the old part of town.

We took a break in town to get our bearings, and this pigeon was happy to offer advice..

We got our bearings and were off to see the sights.

Don't see a chrome car everyday..

The Old Fort next to the ocean was our next stop but a rain squall rolled in as we were heading up

the rise and we high-tailed for rain cover..

The rain passed and this taxi guy asked if we wanted to ride and we jumped in...we have done this in New York City Central Park and it was fun. The drivers have a real incentive to keep you touring in their seat (more time equals more money) and we didn't want to do the tourist trolley (we have done that here before).  

So tours always show old churches, and there are lots and lots of churches in this area (lot of sinners to compete for I guess)..

Liberal Arts college right in the center of town

Next another rain squall rolled through and the driver took us a couple of blocks to get umbrellas

from where he stores his bike taxi (in his brothers horse barn, only one horse, but lots of carriages).  

Was a little spooky in the dark (all pictures needed a flash to take), but we did not feel threatened and

it turned out just fine...actually very entertaining. You would not see this stuff on a trolley tour.

I'm ready to start pulling...

Unfortunately his brother may have had a run in with city officials and they would not give him the needed permits to  be allowed on the streets with the carriages (sounded like sour grapes).

The only horse on the premises was a wooden one, (really it is all wood).

Rain is over and back to the tour...

Yes that is a pink Cadillac!

Looks like a shot from a roller coaster...

Refurbished bed and Historic houses..

All tours have to go by a grave yard...this one is for distinguished US Coast Guard soldiers..

The oldest house in St Augustine...

And the taxi driver said we should check out (and get a drink) in the oldest tavern in the oldest city....

On the way back to the marina we stopped at Outback Crab Shack on Six Mile Creek. It features a 1500 foot dock and local crabs and fish... we had a basket of alligator bites!

We sat at picnic tables under a tarp roof and watched the water coming up between the slabs of concrete. The floor was lower than the six mile creek in the background at high tide hence the flooding. If the pumps stop...our feet would be in the water.

Dock on Six Mile Creek off the St Johns river not that far from our marina

Sun setting on the 273 passenger cruise ship docked behind us in the marina. Another good day of adventure, dinner at Woody's BBQ, and a Netflix movie and sleep.......