Captain's Blog

This is the place for casual rants from your webmaster...

November, 2008

5th: After Ike finished off what was left of my old canvas, I was referred to Lee Shultz of "Yacht 2B Covered" for a canvas job. Lee did a nice job, so I wanted to put a plug here for him. He's listed under "Brokers/Services" to the left.

4th: Found out the hard way that the "underground" place I keep my runabout jacked their rates by about 10% effective December 1st. The fact that I had a reservation, had been quoted a price, and already paid the 1st month's rent didn't make a difference; I still got hit with the increase. I wish I had known in time to make other arrangements.

1st: It was a great day on the water with the fall colors at their best! Fuel was reported to be $2.45 upriver on the Indiana side. What a difference a few months makes! I'm still enjoying the $4.35 stuff that I last added.

Have you checked your batteries lately? Here is a picture of one that exploded while cranking a Crusader 454 block at Rose Island today. The owner reported that it was a lead/acid type battery that was hooked up to a converter system. He planned to top off the water levels later that day, and planned to replace the ship's batteries next spring, as he was not complelely sure of the age of the batteries when he purchased the vessel. Fortunately, the explosion was contained within the battery box and nobody was injured.

October, 2008

15th: I came across a great article written by Rob, the webmaster of Palm Beach Boating called "Why Boat?" See the Features link to the left...

12th: The site has seen an average of 500 unique visitors each month this summer...not a bad start! I have doubled the number of businesses listed under "Brokers/Services," and put an asterisk next to my favorites. This is not a rating system or paid advertising, but rather an indication of good customer service that I have experienced.

11th: The meltdown on Wall Street wasn't the end of the world after all, as was indicated by a multitude of boats on the water this weekend. We had a good time out, and were glad to see so many people enjoying the water.

Sometimes you wonder why the river gets a bad rap, then there are the times it doesn't take too much imagination. Below are two pictures taken at a downtown restaurant today. The water was as nice as we've seen it--that is, with the exception of the debris field at the docks at the restaurant--yuck!

September, 2008

27th: We anchored out at Mile 584. It was a little cool out today, so the delivery pizza from River's Edge Marina was a hit. The kids had fun with binoculars trying to spot the "pizza boat," and Bob showed up in his jet-boat with hot pizzas right on schedule. Bob wanted me to pass on that they are very close to getting approval to sell alcohol, and they plan to offer beers and local wines. Also, you'll be glad to know that they plan to stay open for the winter months.

26th: Details are firming up for the OUPV (6-Pack) Course in Louisville, see the "Home" link for more information.

22nd: Now we know what happens when a warm air mass, a cold air mass, and the remnants of hurricane IKE mix together. Locally, the max wind was 50 kts. steady with a 74 kt. gust. At least five boats sank on the Ohio River as a result of the waves from the winds swamping moored boats, and there is a lot of bent stainless and ripped canvas that will require repairs. The Fleur de Lis Regatta for sailors was cancelled on Sunday morning, and I got a first hand account from a sailor who had the pleasure of returning in 40 kt. winds. He reported that the wind was making spray off the top of the waves. Meanwhile, our marina filled with boaters whose homes were without power.

Below is a chart showing the winds on Sunday the 14th:

2nd: Saw tons of boats out there for the Labor Day weekend. Hope everybody had a great time! If you are reading this, you're a serious river boater, and will be glad to see all the extra boats from the lakes get winterized next week. Just kidding.

On a more serious note, several salts out there agree with me that there has been a pretty good degree of craziness out there. The next Featured Article will focus on courtesy and how to work with your fellow boaters. Meanwhile, stay safe, and don't do anything that would invite a "Courtesy Inspection" from our friends in uniform.

Lake Cumberland saw a weekend fataility involving alcohol, a landmass and a fast-moving boat. Tragic.

August, 2008

18th: There was a drowning in "The Cove" by Six Mile Island this past weekend. This is very tragic, and our thoughts and prayers will be with the families involved.

15th: I got to meet the Conrads, who purchased River's Edge Marina (Mile 584.6). They have a nice store set up with their fuel dock with everything from groceries, snacks, ice cream, pizza, hotdogs and hot wings to newspapers, marine supplies and bait. Their information is included under "Marinas & Fuel."

14th: The "Ask the Captains" section has been updated to reflect the questions we've been getting in. Send us your questions and we'll see what we can find out...

12th: George East put together a great set of tips for operating at night. Check it out under "Featured Articles "

9th: I stopped for fuel at a Fast-Pay pump on the river recently, and had the pump shut off after $75. I needed about 100 gallons, so I swiped the card every time I reached the 17 gallon limit. It worked for the first 5 times, then the pump froze. The work-around at a normal gas station would be to have an attendent swipe the card inside (or pay cash), which eliminates the limit. The guy in the boat next to us was complaining about the $75 limit, also. Following are some tidbits I have learned about this issue...

• The $75 is a standard credit card limit, and is equal to the amount a bank will pay a retailer for fraud. I was lucky to get five hits off the card before it froze (pump limit), as some banks freeze the cards after two hits as an anti-fraud measure.
• Heather's (Mile 589.9) has 24-hour pumps and is attended 10am-dusk, and an attendent can override the limit. You'll need to get their attention if they are launching boats from their lot.
• Another fuel option is Juniper Beach (Mile 597.0) at the entrance to Goose Creek. I spoke to Andy down there today, who told me that they are affiliated with BP and have much higher limits for boaters.

7th: Thanks to the two young men who ran over to help us dock at Heather's today! They appeared from nowhere, helped us tie off in the gusty wind, then disappeared. It was much appreciated. A cold front from the north rushed in some cool, dry air, making for a great night on the hook.

July, 2008

31st: I just received a copy of Jerry Hay's "Ohio River Guide Book," which was updated for 2008. If you plan to do any traveling, I would highly recommend it as an addition to the government charts. Jerry has cruised the river many times, and has provided exactly the kind of information one would need for planning a trip. See "Links/Resources" to the left. If you don't know Jerry, he lives locally and worked for years on the Delta Queen.

31st: See "Local Knowledge" for updated information on "The Cove" at Six Mile Island.

29th: Check out the new "Events" link located to the left. It's pretty myopic as of today, but I plan to grow the section as I learn of upcoming events.

28th: We enjoyed a few pizzas at the dock tonight from "Snappy Tomato" in Prospect. The driver said they deliver to the Louisville Yacht Club, Rose Island Yacht Club and Tartan's Landing. Send me your favorite delivery restaurant and I'll put it up here.

24th: Both the House and Senate passed S. 2766, "The Clean Boating Act of 2008." This restores a long-standing exemption for recreational boats from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. (Update: this was signed into law on the 30th.)

10th: We tried Cutter's Wharf (next to Rose Island and Heather's) last night. Grilled Salmon was yummy!

5th: Are you familiar with the Federal Emergency Mooring Buoys as depicted on the charts at Six Mile Island? Two weekends in a row now, houseboats on the island have been very close to mooring barges, and in one case, a houseboat was forced to relocate. Thirty years of houseboats using the island, and now this... See the "Local Knowledge" link to the left for more information.

June, 2008

15th: Father's Day--we went boating, of course. While parallel parking, I had a breeze off the dock that necessitated a missed-approach--I'm still ruined from driving the Axius-equipped Sundancer last week! A person on the bow would have saved us, but we didn't plan for the breeze.

9th: I spent a day at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. After eating a few crabcakes at Phillips, I spent $9 for an all day pass for the water taxi. They run until 11 p.m., and will take you all over the harbor. While riding to Fell's Point, I ran into a friend of a friend who was taking their kids for the same boat ride--small world. If you're down there, I'd recommend the Aquarium, Fell's Point and Fort McHenry for an afternoon of sightseeing.

I got to test drive a new Axius-equipped Sea Ray 330 Sundancer. See my report under "Ask the Captains" (link to left). Absolutely amazing technology!

Harrod's Creek Marine Supply has moved to a great location on River Road in Prospect. See "Resources."

May, 2008

29th: I helped sell a boat today--that is, I drove across town to see a little ski boat that I was interested in. There was already somebody there to see it, so when I got out my flashlight to look around, the other guy freaked-out and made an offer on the thing. Next...

We had company in town for the Memorial Day weekend, and we had everybody out in the boat on Sunday. The weather was winds calm, 75 degrees, with a crystal clear sky. I got my first ride in a new 15' Zodiac rigid-bottom inflatable--everybody needs one! Rant on: Three boats drove right over our anchor line at the bow--thanks for not cutting the thing. Also, thanks to the big Carver that went by everybody 50' away at max wake attitude. That was especially fun, but we're glad you got back to your marina in a hurry. Rant off.

My Axius demo is scheduled for next month--Can't wait!

There was an OUPV class scheduled for May in Louisville, but it was cancelled. The biggest issue seemed to be scheduling issues for attendees this time of year. I'd like to help set up a class locally for January '09. Click on the Feedback link above if you'd like more information. Winter time should be a great opportunity to talk boats for a week, learn something new, and knock out the class! Here is a link to the school...

I removed some old electronics from the bridge, leaving an extra hole in the panel. Thanks to both Smokey and the folks at Marine Sales and Service for ideas on making it look right. I plan to install a nice little plaque from a trophy shop that will look like it just came from the factory. Followup--it turned out great!

Rumor has it that the restaurant at Heather's will be open in May. I'll see if I can get confirmation on that one. The new yellow paint indicates something is happening over there.

On the "Marinas" page, I had to remove the satellite images with the arrows. As an alternative, I have linked to TerraServer, where you can play with the zoom and cruise up and down the river. Check it out...

My new neighbor at the marina stays busy with the USCG Auxiliary, and will help provide us with some good information. Thanks Rick!

April, 2008

As part of this year's Derby celebration, we got to see the Steamboat Race. First, we motored downtown to hear some of the calliope music, then we moved up to Six Mile Island. From there, we could see the Delta Queen and Belle of Louisville turn around before they returned downtown for the finish. The Delta Queen was much faster, but the Belle of Louisville pulled ahead with an early turn at Six Mile Island. Pretty sneaky!

I got a few calls recently from friends asking how to remove oxidation. Sounded like a good article (see "Ask the Captains)...

15th: Took the shrinkwrap off the boat!

Thunder Update: Heard that only a small handful of boats anchored out. Hope everybody had a safe and enjoyable time!

What's the newest word on the cove by Six Mile Island? Check the "Local Knowledge" tab for the latest scoop.

George East is on-board with helping provide some good articles for the site. His first will be tips on locking through. George has a wealth of information to offer us. Thank you, George.

We had a day with the kids off school, so we visited the "Howard Steamboat Museum" in Jeffersonville. There was a lot of very interesting riverboat history over there, and I'd recommend it for an educational stop. It's been added under the "Links" tab.

I called over to the McAlpine Locks to ask about their Visitor's Center, and was told that the new one, with a great view inside the chambers, should be open the first part of '09. This is the last part of their construction project

NOTE: The site is still in its infancy, so there are a few loose ends to clean up. For example, once some more permissions roll in, I'll be changing the "Yacht Brokers" tab to read "Brokers/Services," and will have more local marine businesses listed. I'm also considering adding an "Events" tab, so send me your information on things coming up on the water.

1st of April: I got a letter from the marina today. A lengthy article, in fact, about the new joint CG/State Police alcohol policy, dockside boarding procedures, and tamper proof holding tank macerator shutoff seals that invoke heavy fines if moved. Then there was some note about a beaver yanking my leg or something. April Fool's Day, and they got me good.

March, 2008

After thinking about launching this site for over two years, I finally got serious and created the shell. The objective here is to provide the types of resources that I wished I could have found over the years as I started cruising the Louisville area of the Ohio River.

Over the past few years, I needed hydrologic and meteorlogical information to make safe boating decisions. New to the river here, I found it hard to find information on marinas and where they were located. It was even harder finding slips for lease. While I knew about the Captain's Quarters and Buckheads, I didn't really know what else was available for a dinner date on the water. Also, as I searched for the neverending "next boat," I wished that links to brokers were easier to find.

In November of 2006, I registered the PortKY.com domain name. No doubt, it's a little quirky, but it is short and easy to remember. Obviously, I wish I had done this sooner, but during the past few years I have learned a lot and met some really good people along the way. These people have contributed ideas to help make this site what it is today. This site is for you, the Louisville area boater, so I welcome your feedback, information, and suggestions for the future.