On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html

On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html





The telling quote from that article:

"At the time of the rescue, the air temperature was just 8 degrees, with
water temperatures of 35 degrees. Authorities did not say if the men
were wearing life jackets or had them on board. They said strong winds
made the river choppy, conditions challenging for a small boat."


Guys who are smart enough to know better, as your friend obviously was,
sometimes think they are physically invulnerable and take risks they
shouldn't. I've seen a few boaters the last week around here towing
their rigs down to the big public ramp in Solomons, and they weren't
watermen...they were recreational fishermen. It's been cold and windy,
and I would guess the water temp is only in the high 30's. They'd be
better off at one of the local firehouse poker games.

On 1/11/2014 3:52 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html






The telling quote from that article:

"At the time of the rescue, the air temperature was just 8 degrees, with
water temperatures of 35 degrees. Authorities did not say if the men
were wearing life jackets or had them on board. They said strong winds
made the river choppy, conditions challenging for a small boat."


Guys who are smart enough to know better, as your friend obviously was,
sometimes think they are physically invulnerable and take risks they
shouldn't. I've seen a few boaters the last week around here towing
their rigs down to the big public ramp in Solomons, and they weren't
watermen...they were recreational fishermen. It's been cold and windy,
and I would guess the water temp is only in the high 30's. They'd be
better off at one of the local firehouse poker games.



Yeah, it's why I was shocked to hear the news. Poor guy is dead, but he
should have known better. In my mind a small aluminum boat is no place
to be in when water temps are in the mid 30's. You don't last long if
you fall in. Eight degree air temp? No duck is worth that, even if I
were a hunter (which I am not).

On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html




BTW, you should consider putting in a bid for that Blackfin. Many of
them were and are first-class boats, and a lot less fuss than the bigger
boats. What is it, a 29 or 32?

On 1/11/2014 3:53 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html





BTW, you should consider putting in a bid for that Blackfin. Many of
them were and are first-class boats, and a lot less fuss than the bigger
boats. What is it, a 29 or 32?


I think his was a 29'. There were a couple of Blackfins on our dock in
Scituate and I always liked them.

I was at the dock when he splashed it after the diesel conversion and
helped him tie up in his slip. I couldn't believe how much lower it sat
in the water. Blackfins have a low freeboard at the stern even with gas
engines. The extra weight of the diesels (and new fuel tanks) really
made it squat down.

On 1/11/14, 4:12 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/2014 3:53 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the
boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html






BTW, you should consider putting in a bid for that Blackfin. Many of
them were and are first-class boats, and a lot less fuss than the bigger
boats. What is it, a 29 or 32?


I think his was a 29'. There were a couple of Blackfins on our dock in
Scituate and I always liked them.

I was at the dock when he splashed it after the diesel conversion and
helped him tie up in his slip. I couldn't believe how much lower it sat
in the water. Blackfins have a low freeboard at the stern even with gas
engines. The extra weight of the diesels (and new fuel tanks) really
made it squat down.



A few years ago, one of the local states around here sold off three
Bertram 31' sportfisherman boats that were used as patrol boats. At
least one of them was "converted" back to a pleasure fishing boat by a
first class yard. I saw the boat tied up to a dock at Rudee Inlet at
Virginia Beach. The dockmaster told me the boat was converted from gas
to diesel. Seem to ride high enough in the stern. I don't recall any
more of the particular, but it was one beautiful boat.

On 1/11/2014 5:05 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 1/11/14, 4:12 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/2014 3:53 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
On 1/11/14, 3:35 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 1/11/14, 12:09 PM, F.O.A.D. wrote:


About 25 years ago, a friend of mine was out duckhunting on the Bay in
one of those dark green aluminum "duck boats." It was cold as a
roomful
of ex-wives that day, and while I don't call the circumstances, the
boat
capsized and my friend and a buddy of his drowned. At his funeral, the
comments included remarks from his close friends who wondered what the
hell a married man with small children was doing out on the Bay on a
bitter cold day hunting ducks from a small boat.

Indeed.




A guy I know just died in a boating accident in Westport, CT. while
duck
hunting.

He ran the local Monster Shark Tournaments for years and kept his boat
in a slip near mine in Scituate Harbor. Steve James was a very
experienced boater and I was shocked to learn of this accident.

He also recently returned from a trip to Africa, BTW.

I remember he had a nice Blackfin that he retrofitted with Yanmar
diesels, replacing the original gas engines. Boat sat very low in the
water after the conversion.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/01/07/three-duck-hunters-fall-into-westport-river-rescued-first-responders-but-conditions-unknown/f8fD65Go56gVCwzHbhOJFL/story.html







BTW, you should consider putting in a bid for that Blackfin. Many of
them were and are first-class boats, and a lot less fuss than the bigger
boats. What is it, a 29 or 32?


I think his was a 29'. There were a couple of Blackfins on our dock in
Scituate and I always liked them.

I was at the dock when he splashed it after the diesel conversion and
helped him tie up in his slip. I couldn't believe how much lower it sat
in the water. Blackfins have a low freeboard at the stern even with gas
engines. The extra weight of the diesels (and new fuel tanks) really
made it squat down.



A few years ago, one of the local states around here sold off three
Bertram 31' sportfisherman boats that were used as patrol boats. At
least one of them was "converted" back to a pleasure fishing boat by a
first class yard. I saw the boat tied up to a dock at Rudee Inlet at
Virginia Beach. The dockmaster told me the boat was converted from gas
to diesel. Seem to ride high enough in the stern. I don't recall any
more of the particular, but it was one beautiful boat.


One of the boats I had that I've never posted much about was a Phoenix
SportsFish. I think it was a 28 footer, IIRC. This model Phoenix is
*very* similar to a Bert, mainly because they were designed by the same
people who developed the Bertram models.

This was a sweet, fast boat. Dual Merc 350's that were only a couple of
years old when I bought it and ran like tops. I actually bought it as
a surprise for my father-in-law hoping that he'd retire his old
Uniflite that was a floating time bomb electrically and made the whole
family nervous whenever he went out. But he didn't want the Phoenix
because unlike his Uniflite, the Phoenix did not have a lower helm station.

So, I used it for a while and then my younger son used it for two
seasons. When he went off to school I sold it to my brother who used it
for several years with virtually no problems or issues. I also had the
37' Egg Sportsfish at the time and my brother would have no problem
following me out 32 miles to our favorite cod fishing spot.

Nice boat. Handled nicely, rode nicely. Shuda kept it, dammit!

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/Phoenix.jpg?t=1389486466

On Saturday, January 11, 2014 6:43:36 PM UTC-6, Mr. Luddite wrote:

Nice boat. Handled nicely, rode nicely. Shuda kept it, dammit!



http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/Phoenix.jpg?t=1389486466

Very nice, Richard. But over time, it'd probably be clapped out by now..

But it looks great while it was young!

On 1/11/2014 8:00 PM, Tim wrote:
On Saturday, January 11, 2014 6:43:36 PM UTC-6, Mr. Luddite wrote:

Nice boat. Handled nicely, rode nicely. Shuda kept it, dammit!



http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/Phoenix.jpg?t=1389486466

Very nice, Richard. But over time, it'd probably be clapped out by now..

But it looks great while it was young!


It wasn't exactly young then. I think it was a 1984 or 1985 and that
picture was probably taken in 2002 or 2003 shortly after I bought it..
Actually, the image I posted to Photobucket is a scan of a picture I have.

My brother ended up selling it about five years ago to another guy I
know. He's still using it every summer and it's still going strong.

When I bought it the engines only had a couple hundred hours on them. I
am sure the hours today are well north of 1000.

On Sat, 11 Jan 2014 19:43:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

One of the boats I had that I've never posted much about was a Phoenix
SportsFish. I think it was a 28 footer, IIRC. This model Phoenix is
*very* similar to a Bert, mainly because they were designed by the same
people who developed the Bertram models.

This was a sweet, fast boat. Dual Merc 350's that were only a couple of
years old when I bought it and ran like tops. I actually bought it as
a surprise for my father-in-law hoping that he'd retire his old
Uniflite that was a floating time bomb electrically and made the whole
family nervous whenever he went out. But he didn't want the Phoenix
because unlike his Uniflite, the Phoenix did not have a lower helm station.

So, I used it for a while and then my younger son used it for two
seasons. When he went off to school I sold it to my brother who used it
for several years with virtually no problems or issues. I also had the
37' Egg Sportsfish at the time and my brother would have no problem
following me out 32 miles to our favorite cod fishing spot.

Nice boat. Handled nicely, rode nicely. Shuda kept it, dammit!

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/Phoenix.jpg?t=1389486466

===

Looks just like a Bertram 31. We looked at a bunch of them back in
1999 but ended up getting a really nice Bertram 33 instead. It was a
great boat and I would have brought it with us to Florida in 2003 if
it had diesels instead of the Crusader 454s. It would have cost as
much to repower as the boat was worth and it still would not have been
suitable for long range cruising.