I think I bought a boat

[Alaris]

You usually break it down as much as possible and strap all the big pieces together. Sometimes, the trucker will let you strap some of it to the trailer, depending on the design of the trailer and the size/shape of the bundles you want to secure to it.

When my powerboat was trucked from Massachusetts to South Carolina (long before I owned it), they removed the flying bridge and apparently strapped it to the trailer underneath the bow.

If you wind up with anything strapped to the deck or in the cockpit, it needs to be really well secured. If it comes loose, it can wreak havoc.

The goal is definitely to have nothing on deck

 

[longy]

Strap these loose bits to a pallet. That can be loaded onto the trailer after boat & mast are loaded. Truckers will just throw straps over the lump & tension so make sure the heap cannot be damaged by this.

 

[kinardly]

Do share all the expensive suprises you find (which will likely be found on any boat purchase... I am not throwing shade on Little Harbor in general or your boat in particular). I will be sharing some expensive surprises soon myself since I just bought a boat, too.

Yeah, heard about that sail drive from Ron. Still think you got e helluva boat, though.

 

[kinardly]

Only one wheel? Sheesh.

I found it’s about impossible to steer a RIB straight at planing speed using a tiller and sitting on the tube unless the surface were millpond smooth. Getting out to my favorite surfing spots would have taken so long at displacement speeds I would have given up surfing while on cruises. Consoles on small RIBs have their purpose.

 

[Alaris]

Driving eight hours to go settle on the boat today. The seller is getting emotional… said “there may be a tear next to our signatures” on the documentation certificate.

Fingers crossed he can let her go.

 

[bmiller]

Driving eight hours to go settle on the boat today. The seller is getting emotional… said “there may be a tear next to our signatures” on the documentation certificate.

Fingers crossed he can let her go.

Good luck.
When does the boat get moved to it's new home?

 

[accnick]

Driving eight hours to go settle on the boat today. The seller is getting emotional… said “there may be a tear next to our signatures” on the documentation certificate.

Fingers crossed he can let her go.

At the end of the day, as long as he thinks the boat is going to a good home, he will be OK with it. I remember going through this with the boat I built. It was really, really hard to let that boat go after what we had been through together. But the time had come, and the buyer proved to be the perfect owner for her.

How it hurt to deliver the boat to his dock, carefully tie her up for the last time, set the fenders, and walk away.

 

[Alaris]

Good luck.
When does the boat get moved to it's new home?

The plan is the first week of the new year.

 

[Alaris]

The world’s nicest emergency tiller

 

[slug zitski]

The world’s nicest emergency tiller

View attachment 557336

Typically the weak spot in an emergency tiller is the connection to the rudder stock.
This connection must be bolted, clamped and very robust

Many boats also add hardware for a tiller auto pilot

 

[Israel Hands]

Typically the weak spot in an emergency tiller is the connection to the rudder stock.
This connection must be bolted, clamped and very robust

Many boats also add hardware for a tiller auto pilot

The great thing about an autopilot with its arm attached to the steering quadrant is that you can use the autopilot to steer if you lose the wheel cable.

 

[monkphunk]

The great thing about an autopilot with its arm attached to the steering quadrant is that you can use the autopilot to steer if you lose the wheel cable.

Agreed. But I wonder what it is like in practice. Is there an easy way to get more interactive control than just giving the autopilot a heading to target? Definitely would be better than nothing- hold a course and get you close to your destination-but I think it would be tricky even to anchor, let alone dock, this way. Has anyone tried it?

 

[seaker]

Autopilots also have buttons to change course one or 10 degrees. So you can do push button steering. I haven't anchored or docked with them but I don't think it would be a big deal. I have been down the East River in New York using just the AP and it has currents you have to deal with.

 

[DDW]

If this is keeping you up at night, buy a proportional or bang-bang control for your autopilot.

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

If this is keeping you up at night, buy a proportional or bang-bang control for your autopilot.

I'm wiring a joystick to mine.

We used to drive the big ship via a joystick operating the steering motor, worked fine.

FKT

 

[monkphunk]

If this is keeping you up at night, buy a proportional or bang-bang control for your autopilot.

Not keeping me up at night, but I agree- think a joystick is what you would want if the autopilot ram is your emergency steering.

I have been down the East River in New York using just the AP and it has currents you have to deal with.

I use the +10/-10 button too but that is changing the desired heading, not the rudder angle, and I think is really only useful with some way on. (Plenty of way on in the East River.)

 

[Alaris]

Thread title update:

I bought a boat

 

[Beer fueled Mayhem]

Thread title update:

I bought a boat

Congrats!!!!

 

[Zonker]

I drove up the ICW with the autopilot steering 90% of the way. Including going between bridge piers. I took it off auto mode and used the +/- 1 and 10 degree buttons. Drove my wife nuts.

I'm sure I could anchor with it if needed, and probably approach a dock very slowly the same way.

 

[DDW]

Thread title update:

I bought a boat

Now all your problems are real, not hypothetical.