By: Capt. Sue Nerud
My passion for boats on the water started at a young age. Growing up in Minnesota, my father was a big-time fisherman. We boated the Great Lakes and the lakes around our home town. He was also an avid Larson boat lover, which I am assuming is where my love for Larsons’ started!
I met “Alpha Mare” for the first time in Minnesota. I was hanging by the lake and saw this gorgeous 22-foot cabin cruiser fly by. She was for sale AND she was a Larson cuddy cabin. I hailed the owner over, discussed the boat and asked to drive her. I got behind the helm, and I knew within five minutes she was mine.
She had everything I was looking for: The deep V, the big 260 HP Merc Cruiser, and the cabin, including a closed in head. My connection with her was immediate, however, I was in the middle of selling my farm and I didn’t have cash. Hmmm….. So, after further discussions with the owner, I did my first and only barter. I swapped my skid steer tractor for the boat. He needed the skid steer, I needed the boat, it was a match made in heaven. Done deal.
I spent the next weekend with her at my local lake and that fall my life’s journey finally took me to Florida – that was 20 years ago. Everyone said “you can’t move to Florida, “you can’t take that boat to Florida, that’s a fresh water boat”. But I will tell you, this little boat has given me more enjoyment, more pleasure, and more fun than I ever thought possible.
I believe getting up close and personal with your boat, means spending as much time on the water as possible, so I found a marina on the river, packed my stuff in storage, and lived on her for six months. Yes, that was another thing that everybody said I couldn’t do!
Needless to say, I was a bit unprepared for some of my new adventures in Florida. To begin, no one told me that a single screw boat has a lot less maneuverability. Especially in the wind. My very first weekend at the marina, I was out and a storm came in quick, as they do down here. It was late, really windy and I needed to get her back. The wind had picked up big time and I simply could not get her into the slip, stern first. I tried several times, in a very enclosed, very full marina and in a tight spot. So, I had to go bow first and then hunker down for the storm. At that time, I did not know what a spring line was, nor do I think I tied her correctly. But, I was safe …. or so I thought.
In the middle of the night, I wake up to spewing water over my bow. During the night, my bow-pulpit had gotten underneath the dock and underneath the water spicket for my slip. Dang, not only did it break the water spicket off but my pulpit was severely damaged. It was at that point, I understood why everyone told me to go stern first into the slip. Lightbulb moment! So, what’s a girl to do?
I did the famous “walk of shame “ down the dock and tried to call the dockmaster. Quickly, my neighbors realize they have no water. Ultimately, the damage I did before forced them to shut off all the water at the marina, including the pool, showers and bathroom. News flew through the marina like wildfire, the whole marina was looking for the newbie women from MN who caused the issue. To this day, 20 years later, when I go to that marina, people remember that day and still laugh about it and now so do I. It was a very expensive learning experience.
My hope is you find my coming columns entertaining, funny and maybe, just maybe, you might learn something along the way. I leave you with my quote:
“If you don’t have tattoos on your boat, you’re not boating enough.”
To clean water, good seas, and blue skies!
Captain Sue and “Alpha Mare”