LEAVING CLEVELAND, OHIO FOR BUFFALO, NY

12 June, 2014
Cleveland, OH

After spending a few days moving our stuff onboard for the delivery and getting a little familiar with the boat systems, we left the marina in Cleveland about 0800 before things got busy at the marina.

You know, you are always a little nervous taking the boat in or out of a marina, but (1) when you haven't been on a sailboat in 6 or 7 years, (2) and the boat is new to you, (3) AND the boat is 6 feet longer than your previous boat….. you are a little more apprehensive than normal.  I don't know how many times we have been entertained by watching another crew try to enter or leave a slip with a big sailboat.  (We have also been the source of other peoples amusement a few times in the past too).   Thankfully, there were very few people around when we launched and because there was no one around to see us, we handled the boat like we knew what we were doing.  LOL.

With clear skies and temperatures climbing to the high 70's.  Really a nice day with the exception there was no wind……motoring almost the entire way.  

We saw very little boat traffic…this was a little surprising to us; but we did have more than our share of air traffic in the form of house flies.  Biting house flies.  There we were 8-10 miles offshore along the northern coast of Ohio and we were inundated with hundreds of common house flies that were obviously hungry….as in, bite-the-heck-out-of-you-hungry.  So in addition to motoring along enroute to Buffalo, our first stop, we waged a major war with the aggravating insects.  After an extended 8-hour battle we came out victorious.  We believe if you are going to war, you should win decisively and quickly.  Thank goodness we did have sufficient weaponry (fly swatters) onboard. 

Other than the 'house fly war', our 22-hour, 155 mile trip across Lake Erie from Cleveland to Buffalo was great (uneventful), with us getting to know our new boat.

We will tell of our stepping the mast experience in the next post.    

Early morning 12 June leaving Cleveland, OH

Early morning 13 June arriving in Buffalo, NY

Our welcoming party coming into Buffalo….LOL

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

9 Jun 2014

Cleveland, Ohio

Sunset on the Chesapeake Bay

After renting a Penske 12' moving truck to take tools, dinghy, dinghy outboard, etc., we made the 10 hour trip from Vonore to Cleveland.  The weather was nice for the drive up and we had just a little trouble finding a hotel close to the boatyard.  The boat was on the hard at a local Cleveland boatyard located right on Lake Erie. The boat was as Dahleen had described (pristine condition) and I was very pleased with what I saw.  The bimini had been completed and installed and it was very high quality material and craftsmanship (both the frame and the canvas).

Soon after arriving we began unloading the truck and storing things on board.  It wasn't easy hauling things up the ladder, and it would have been much easier to do so after we got the boat back in the water, but because of their tight schedule relaunching all the boats that had been stored for the winter, we would only be allowed a few minutes the slip after splash.

We would end up spending a couple of days loading the boat, returning the rental truck before splashing the boat and heading east a few miles to a local marina.  We would then spend a couple of nights in a slip there prepping the boat and waiting for a weather wind to cross Lake Erie for the first leg of our trip to the Chesapeake.

Just a word about our broker on this boat…..before I begin, let me first tell you that our experience with brokers has generally not been all that great.  Most of the brokers that we have dealt with talk a good game, but come up short with performance.  We had prior experience, both buying and selling, with a previous broker and we were underwhelmed with his performance….both times.  This time around we had actually contacted a different broker to be our 'buyer's broker' and assist us in finding a boat.  After finding several boats that met our criteria and hearing nothing but crickets from our broker for months, it became apparent that we were better off finding our own boat.

I saw the boat we eventually bought, contacted the selling broker, Terry Freeman, and he has been nothing but professional, responsive, and a life-saver for us.  Because I was on the other side of the world, and Dahleen was going to have to handle most of the legwork, it was imperative that we have someone who would be prompt and responsive when we contacted him.  Terry was super.  He answered my emails and Dahleen's emails, texts, and phone calls almost immediately.  If he told you he would do something….he did it.  He was personable, dependable and professional.  If you have the need for a broker, as a buyer or a seller, we highly recommend Terry at Freeman-Eckley Yachts
(440) 653-1083.

 My First Look at 'the Boat'

 In the Travel-Lift Heading for the Splash

 Always Un-Nerving to See Your Boat in Slings

Approaching Splash in Lake Erie

Hanging in the Slings

 Almost Back in the Water