A month after our nearly destructive, ultimately successful boat float test, Brett and I ventured out for our first overnight excursion in our new-to-us 1980 Carver Santa Cruz. Some things went well. Some things did not. We took it all in stride and came out with exciting new experiences and lessons learned along the way. Here are some of the highlights and hiccups from the 24-hour voyage.
Arrival at Egg Harbor Marina
Our sights were set on Door County, a Wisconsin peninsula boasting 300 miles of shoreline surrounded by Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Dotted with quaint, coastal towns, beaches, and rugged bluffs, this area of our state is known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.”
The plan was to put the boat in at a small marina in Egg Harbor and anchor somewhere just off shore for the night. We didn’t arrive until 10 p.m., but the delayed takeoff was for good reason: Brett spent the afternoon installing our new Mercury Pro kicker motor – a key piece of equipment that would soon save the trip.
If you’re like me and new to boat lingo, a kicker motor is a small motor that can be used as a backup and save gas and hours on the main engine. With our boat being over 40 years old, we feel much safer with a reliable backup motor.
Our late arrival to the marina with few people out and about turned out to be a blessing. After we got the boat off the trailer, loaded everything into the cabin, turned the engine key and … nothing.
The engine turned, but it wouldn’t start.
Troubleshooting, sleep, and caffeine
We lifted the door to the inboard engine compartment to try to figure out the issue. Brett soon realized it was a problem with the gas line.
By 11 p.m. it was clear we wouldn’t get out of the marina that night. We decided to use the kicker to move to a neighboring pier so we could tie up away from the landing and reevaluate things in the daylight.
It sounds simple enough, but that task was an adventure in itself. Brett steered the motor from the back of the boat while I stood on the flybridge with a flashlight, trying to direct him through the dark maze of piers and yachts worth much more than ours.
We made it safely, but with pumping hearts and racing minds, neither of us slept well during our first night in the boat. Troubleshooting resumed in the early morning, and at 6 a.m. I walked up the hill into Egg Harbor’s downtown in pursuit of caffeine.
“You look like you could use some coffee,” the owner of Buttercups Coffee Shop said as he came outside to display the ‘open’ signs.
Coffee and freshly baked scones in hand, I strolled back to the marina with a renewed pep in my step. A golden hour glow was casting soft light across the marina and it was hard to feel anything but appreciation for being in this beautiful setting, walking back to my husband and our yacht – never mind if it doesn’t work!
Brett’s spirits were also lifted when I returned. We were able to get the engine running by swapping the line used for the kicker motor. Not ideal – it would need to switch back every time we used the kicker – but it could work. We weighed our options of finding a place to buy another gas line, but decided the temporary setup could work for the day.
Fishing, islands, sun, and fun
We were back in business shortly after 7 a.m. Cruising north toward Fish Creek, we approached an area of small islands near Peninsula State Park. Brett set up fishing rods and we trolled for walleyes with the kicker and trolling motors. In mid-morning he reeled in a sheephead – our first fish from the boat.
By 11 a.m. the sun broke through the hazy sky and we were ready to cool off in the water. We made our way over to Horseshoe Island, a 38-acre island located two miles offshore from Peninsula State Park, aptly named for its “U” shape.
A few other boats were anchored near shore and groups of kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders came in and out from the mainland to hike the trail around the island. Fishing boats weren’t shy about weaving in and out of those of us anchored to cast lines along the shore.
It was a nice spot, but the shoreline was rocky and had a steep dropoff that made anchoring and wading in the water challenging. After a few hours of swimming and hiking, we picked up anchor and moved about seven miles west to Chambers Island.
With a long, sandy beach, fewer boats and people, and the ability to anchor and stand in the water near shore, Chambers Island felt much more like our kind of place. We didn’t venture beyond the public beach area in the southeast corner, but the 3,200 acre island has hiking trails, a lighthouse, two inland lakes, homes, and even a private airport.
It would’ve been the perfect spot to stay the night if not for the storms forecasted to roll in in early morning. At 6 p.m. we reluctantly lifted anchor and cruised back to Egg Harbor.
The final hurdle
The marina was bustling as we arrived back, with boats coming off the water, people walking to and from restaurants, a band playing classic rock at a tent down the shore. We tied up to a pier and watched the sunset before taking on the formidable task of loading the boat back on the trailer.
To be blunt, our trailer has seen better days. Brett’s made many improvements as we’ve learned its quirks, like how the rollers fall out of alignment, and this time it only took two tries to get it properly into place.
I thought we were in the clear until it became evident the new winch wasn’t tightening correctly and the boat bow loosened each time we pulled out of the water. Tighten winch. Pull trailer forward. Fear boat is tipping over. Repeat. I can only imagine what was going through the heads of passersby as we tried again and again to wrangle the boat on the trailer.
Finally, at 10 p.m. we pulled into the parking lot as the band and an accompanying crowd belted out Bon Jovi’s “Have a Nice Day.” 24 hours after pulling in, we drove up the hill away from the marina and toward home – exhausted, frustrated, and hooked on our new favorite pastime.
Maiden voyage video highlights
Lessons learned
In the words of our new friend and Carver Santa Cruz mentor, Phil: “You know the only thing that works on an old boat… is the owner!”
Little by little we’re seeing that truth. We love our boat, but she comes with a long list of maintenance and endless opportunities for improvements. Here are some of the takeaways from this experience.
Backup motors can save the day
Twice now we’ve seen the value in having more than one motor. There are few feelings more helpless than being stranded in the water with no engine. The kicker cost almost three times as much as the boat itself, but is already proving its worth.
Off-hours can reduce pressure
My natural rhythm is early-to-bed, early-to-rise, so it throws me off when we travel and, in this case, troubleshoot, late into the night. But it sure helped to have less vehicle and foot traffic around us during the challenges we encountered, and in hindsight the timing worked out perfectly.
Make a list and check it twice
I left this part out earlier, but in our rushing to get on the road we forgot the fishing rod holders and a few other items that were on the list. From now on we’ll run through the list before pulling out of the driveway to avoid turning around in the next town over – further delaying our plans.
To-do’s before the next voyage
Here are our areas of focus before our next boat trip:
- Fix main engine gas line
- Replace trailer rubber V stop with a roller
- Repair cabin door hatch
- Extend Lowrance transducer cable
- Add extra cushions to boat bed
Needless to say, we’re still working out the kinks and learning much as we go. Our next excursion will likely be to Sheboygan, Wisconsin – a place we’re more familiar with and should allow us to test the waters for a full weekend – and hopefully stock our freezer with salmon or rainbow trout in the process.
Have suggestions, ideas, or words of wisdom?
Please share in the comments below!
Excellent report, Carrie, and an enjoyable read, too. Have fun!
So nice to hear from you, Ted! Thank you for reading. Your words mean a lot coming from a seasoned writer.