The transformation is almost complete!

Mar 28, 2017
48
American Tug 395 Newport
Gotta say...thus far the dark side is not all that dark!
This is different than being on our sailboat, no question, it is not all bad though...
Bruce
 

Hagar

.
Jan 22, 2008
45
Catalina 42 Olympia Washington
We think about a Transition from time to time. I think maybe we should consider it the "Light Side" considering the additional viewing area. We cruise Puget Sound and BC from Olympia.
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
My wife Dorsey is the drone pilot!
From where was she piloting?

I got my Mavic Pro last December. We are finishing the refurbishment of our new boat, and I cannot wait to get pictures sailing!
 
Mar 28, 2017
48
American Tug 395 Newport
We were ashore for that video. We would've liked to have been aboard but owners are not allowed to participate in "sea trials"...so we simply watched from town (and by drone) as she cruised by...
 

SFS

.
Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
^ Owners aren't allowed to participate in sea trials?!?!?! Do they have a corporate policy that also says boat manufacturers aren't allowed to cash buyers' checks?

Seriously, how can you be reasonably informed upon final acceptance of the boat, if you haven't been allowed on board during sea trials? Am I missing something here?
 
Feb 14, 2017
29
Mainecat 38 Anacortes
That doesn't make any sense to me either. I thought Sea Trials are to determine and ensure that the boat being delivered to the owner meets the owner's expectations...
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Maybe there are sea trials and then there are acceptance rides?
 
Feb 14, 2017
29
Mainecat 38 Anacortes
I suppose a builder could want to run things a bit before they hand off to the owner... I can see initial sea trials' vs 'acceptance trials'.
 
Feb 11, 2017
108
Gulfstar 47 NC
Builders sea trials and owner sea trials can be separate. I understand the builders position. When they present the boat to the owner, they want it to be perfect.
 
Mar 28, 2017
48
American Tug 395 Newport
We had plenty of opportunity to do our own sea trials!
The manufacturer simply wants to verify that everything is correct before handing the boat over to the customer and the process is not a pleasant "cruise through the bay"...
The boat is driven pretty hard and literally "shaken out" to make sure baseline performance is established and that there are no problems. This did not bother us in the least. We then spent the next month cruising on the boat and using it in the waters of the PNW. We brought it back to the factory with a small punch list. This list has been addressed and the boat is now being readied for shipping home.
The people at Tomco/American Tug have been incredible to work with. I am not always easy to please and I'd say that they did an awesome job with this build...
Bruce
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I would not like any builder handing me the keys for an acceptance "trial." Acceptance implies ready for handoff. Trial implies that follow-on trials may be possible. Let the builder go through trials. I would accept it when he has succeeded.
And then I would lift my drone off and pilot it right from my new boat!
 
Mar 28, 2017
48
American Tug 395 Newport
I would not like any builder handing me the keys for an acceptance "trial." Acceptance implies ready for handoff. Trial implies that follow-on trials may be possible. Let the builder go through trials. I would accept it when he has succeeded.
And then I would lift my drone off and pilot it right from my new boat!
Exactly!
We would have flown the drone from the boat while in the PNW but for the incessant rainy weather. Esmeralde is leaving the factory on a truck tomorrow at 10 am Pacific time and will begin her journey home. Sometime in the next 10 days she should arrive here and begin her east coast life. Stand by for drone footage from the boat, it's coming!
Bruce
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Exactly!
We would have flown the drone from the boat while in the PNW but for the incessant rainy weather. Esmeralde is leaving the factory on a truck tomorrow at 10 am Pacific time and will begin her journey home. Sometime in the next 10 days she should arrive here and begin her east coast life. Stand by for drone footage from the boat, it's coming!
Bruce
I would DOUBLE LIKE this! Where will she be based?
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
We will keep her at New England Boatworks.
Soon, very soon!
Bruce
Congratulations! She is a fine looking vessel. I can tell you will cherish her and take great pride in her.
 
Feb 11, 2017
122
former Tartan 30 New London, CT area
Ah yes, sea trials - what fun. With the boats we built, the buyer (and his crew) operated the boat during sea trials and a series of pre-agreed tests were performed by the builder (buyer witness) to verify performance and calibrate various equipment (ie: knotmeter). The buyer didn't feel we were fully qualified to operate the nuclear power plant that the buyer provided for the submarines we built. The key is to get agreement between builder and buyer as to what is going to happen when. Certainly the boat doesn't leave the builder until the buyer is happy, and there must be some warranty period where latent defects will be corrected. In our case, there was a period about 6 months from delivery when the boat would be made available for warranty work at the builders facility - usually minor stuff but not always.