A Sale Gone Awry. The importance of Trim
We bought our little 21’ aluminum Starcraft mini-cruiser in 1966. My wife, Margaret, and I were 55 years old at the time. During the next four years, in addition to running around the upper and middle Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore rivers, we ran the Trent-Severn Canal, round trip, in Ontario; the 1000 Islands area of the St. Lawrence River; and the 1,300-1,400 miles from Marathon on the Florida Keys, up the Gulf of Mexico, across Florida and up the Intra-costal to Kent Island, Maryland.
The Duckling was a poor rough water boat and a problem in wind above 15 knots or so. Despite its Bimini top and side curtains, it was uncomfortable on a hot or rainy day. On a summer night, sometimes sleeping in our little cuddy cabin was pretty miserable. Otherwise we loved the boat, and took good care of it. It was a great boat on fairly calm water, but not the most suited for our way of boating.
So in 1969 we put it up for sale and bought a 1965 Chris Craft Constellation, 37’ long, twin screw, fly bridge. We added air conditioning and all the electronics available at the time. Margaret died suddenly in 1975, but for 10 years, in the two boats, we had enjoyable, adventurous times as we cruised and explored the Chesapeake, both coasts of Florida and the Bahamas. I’m glad she lived those years to share these times together.
But getting back to the sale of the Duckling.
We advertised it, but there was not a whole lot of interest. Finally we got the break we were waiting for. A teenage boy wanted a boat, and his father agreed to look at the Duckling. They asked to have an in-water demonstration, so we hauled it to Norristown and launched it in the Schuylkill River.
As I prepared to demonstrate it, the father said he wanted an “expert” to ride along. Out of the car came a behemoth, at least 300 pounds. Not even asking permission to board, he plopped down on the port transom seat, and the stern sank. The poor light aluminum shallow draft boat could no way overcome that excessive weight literally alongside the propeller. One of the basic lessons about any ship or boat is the proper distribution of weight. A boat stern heavy or bow heavy, or with a port or starboard list is a poor performer. This was my boat. I was in charge. The Duckling easily took four passengers. I knew the importance of correct trim. Why did I let this 300-350 guy sit where he did? Why didn’t I throw him the heck off the boat? I did neither. The poor boat slogged along like a scow. It was a disaster.
I am now 95 years old, but it still dogs me that I didn’t give this “expert” a lesson on trim. Had I seated everyone properly, or taken the kid out by himself and let him have the thrill of running it, he would probably have become the owner of a fast and nimble boat, one beautifully equipped and well maintained. And I would have made a sale.
A Sale Gone Awry. Even an ocean going freighter must be properly loaded!