FROM THE CAPTAIN’S LOG
No two days on the water run the same. Different boat, different water, different weather, and almost always a few decisions that don’t show up in the float plan. These are coaching days and deliveries I’ve run from Lake Erie to Lake Huron, written up so you can see how the work actually goes.
Captain's Coaching
Two Evenings on a Rinker 342 at Anchor Bay
2003 Rinker Fiesta Vee 342 · twin MerCruiser 350 MAG engines
Sundog Marina · Anchor Bay · Lake St. Clair
Calm evening one, 12–15 kt wind evening two, mid-70s both nights
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Captain's Coaching
A First Day on a New Robalo Off Grosse Ile
2024 Robalo 18' Center Console · Yamaha F150 outboard
Private Grosse Ile home with boat lift · Detroit River
Cloudy to sunny, mid-70s, light and variable winds
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Captain's Coaching
Four Days Aboard a 60-Foot Viking Sport Yacht at Jefferson Beach
Beaux Dacious, 1999 Viking 60' Cockpit Sport Yacht · twin 1,050-hp MAN diesels
Jefferson Beach Marina · Lake St. Clair
Fair with light winds days one and two, 15–20 kt wind day three, brisk wind and 1–2' chop day four
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Vessel Delivery
Delivering a 58' Sea Ray from Lake St. Clair to Holland, Michigan
Gratitude, 58' Sea Ray Sedan Bridge · twin diesels
Colony Marine (Lake St. Clair) → Rogers City → Frankfort → ME Yacht Restoration, Holland
Persistent dense fog, two storm systems outrun, 4' seas on Lake Michigan
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Captain's Coaching
A Cold, Rainy Day of Spring-Line Practice on a Sea Ray 340
2004 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer
Ford Yacht Club, Grosse Ile
Cold and rainy most of the day
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Captain's Coaching
A Day of Coaching on a New Jeanneau at Jefferson Beach Marina
2023 Jeanneau NC 1095 · twin Yamaha 300HP outboards
Jefferson Beach Marina, Lake St. Clair
Clear, mid-70s, NNE winds 5 mph
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Captain's Coaching
Two Days on a 1999 Bayliner Out of Gibraltar
Irish Goodbye, 1999 Bayliner 2855 Ciera · single sterndrive
Gibraltar Boat Yard · Detroit River
5–10 kt southerly winds day one, 10–20 kt south day two, clear, upper 70s to low 80s
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Vessel Delivery
Delivering a 50' Viking from Mac-Ray Harbor to Windsor
1996 50' Viking · twin diesels
Mac-Ray Harbor (Lake St. Clair) → Windsor, Ontario
15–20 mph headwind, one storm cell passed through
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Captain's Coaching
When the Lesson Plan Changes: A Coaching Day That Started in the Engine Room
2004 37' Maxum 3700 · twin 6.2L MerCruiser V-drive inboards
Lambrecht Marina
Clear, 60s warming to low 70s, NNW winds 10–20 mph
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Owner-Assisted Delivery
Delivering a Sea Ray 340 Sundancer from Jefferson Beach to Ford Yacht Club
2004 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer · twin sterndrives
Jefferson Beach Marina (Lake St. Clair) → Detroit River → Ford Yacht Club, Grosse Ile
Light southwest breeze, spring debris in the river from recent flooding, two freighter wake crossings
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