Spirit Song now in Jacksonville and looks great. Few items on a Punch List needing to be finished or corrected.
Operational proficiency and system knowledge underway; to begin Great Loop in April 2018.
Get ready for the adventure of your lifetime! We are hoping to follow in your footsteps but are still a couple of years behind you so are eagerly looking forward to your upcoming blog entries about your trip and your experience with your TT-35.
If your loop plans take you through the Trent Severn canal system (highly recommended!) I'd suggest that sometime before you leave on your trip you discuss with the folks at Great Harbor the best way they would suggest your TT-35 ride the very unique Big Chute marine railway. If you are not aware of the B/C, there are numerous pictures and other sources of info about it on the web.
We watched numerous sail and motor boats get carried on it this past summer(and rode it several times ourselves in our RIB dinghy). While watching the boats get carried on the railway and thinking about the uniqueness of your boat, I thought I'd pass on an observation to the person "blazing the trail" with the first TT-35.
Without any other input from you, the lockmaster would probably support the aft end of your boat with a strap (actually a pair of straps) and let the bow simply rest on the rail car platform. I'm thinking resting a TT-35 bow down like that might cause an issue with your bow thruster door-- thus the recommendation to bounce this by Great Harbor for their input.
Other support options on the railway exist, fore and aft straps similar to a travel lift for example, so you may want to be in a position to request a specific support method from the lockmaster before you ride the railway.
From our own observations and reading numerous Great Loop blogs, the T/S canal system is a jewel of the loop-- lots of cute small walk-able towns usually each with their own small lock. We feel we could spend a summer there, worthy of as much time as you can afford on your trip.
We are looking forward to being able to peek over your shoulder via your blog as you start this adventure!
Get ready for the adventure of your lifetime! We are hoping to follow in your footsteps but are still a couple of years behind you so are eagerly looking forward to your upcoming blog entries about your trip and your experience with your TT-35.
ReplyDeleteIf your loop plans take you through the Trent Severn canal system (highly recommended!) I'd suggest that sometime before you leave on your trip you discuss with the folks at Great Harbor the best way they would suggest your TT-35 ride the very unique Big Chute marine railway. If you are not aware of the B/C, there are numerous pictures and other sources of info about it on the web.
We watched numerous sail and motor boats get carried on it this past summer(and rode it several times ourselves in our RIB dinghy). While watching the boats get carried on the railway and thinking about the uniqueness of your boat, I thought I'd pass on an observation to the person "blazing the trail" with the first TT-35.
Without any other input from you, the lockmaster would probably support the aft end of your boat with a strap (actually a pair of straps) and let the bow simply rest on the rail car platform. I'm thinking resting a TT-35 bow down like that might cause an issue with your bow thruster door-- thus the recommendation to bounce this by Great Harbor for their input.
Other support options on the railway exist, fore and aft straps similar to a travel lift for example, so you may want to be in a position to request a specific support method from the lockmaster before you ride the railway.
From our own observations and reading numerous Great Loop blogs, the T/S canal system is a jewel of the loop-- lots of cute small walk-able towns usually each with their own small lock. We feel we could spend a summer there, worthy of as much time as you can afford on your trip.
We are looking forward to being able to peek over your shoulder via your blog as you start this adventure!
Congratulations and wish you luck with your beta testing cruising.
ReplyDeleteLooks to be qaa wonderful boat for you.