Special Events

Thanksgiving Week on the James River.

An often-overlooked aspect in trailerable houseboating is the extended stay. We decided this year that since our kids were off in different directions for the holiday, we would put the boat to the test. Many new options have been added since we first drove a demo boat out into Tampa Bay the summer of 1999, and we were interested to see how the "quality of life" aboard has changed.

Well, boy has it ever!

We hitched up the trailer Monday morning and headed for Hopewell, Virginia with a new Adventure Craft equipped with a full complement of options including stainless steel counter top, Origo ref/freezer, hot water heater, and a/c - heat plant. We already knew the boat pulled well, but this was the heaviest Adventure Craft yet, and we were pleased with the improved gas mileage boost we received from a recent change to full synthetic oil in our Silverado's crankcase.

We had been informed by a client in the area that there was the new Anchor Point Marina facility just up the Appomattox River from Hopewell, with Mr. & Mrs. Coy Tuck as hosts. They were most gracious with my endless questions on tides, directions, and marina facilities.

Many people wouldn't believe how much of the traffic on the James is tow barges, huge bulk haulers, and other large working ships. The James is also very windy in the fall. Anchor Point was a welcome "hurricane hole" -- naturally sheltered from wind and wakes by its location.

The first couple of days were rainy and cold. We left the boat tied up and packed off in the pickup for some exploring through Shirley, Berkley, Edgewood, Evelynton, and Sherwood Forest Plantations. The tours, gift shops, and grounds were magnificent. We were surprised at how many of these wonderful old estates were still in private hands.

A non-boat aside here: Having the truck allowed us to extend our reach to some inland plantations in Surrey County, all the way to some in Richmond city.

And speaking of extending your reach -- we met friends at Wagstaffs Restaurant in Colonial Heights. Go there. The waiter rolls around a cart with a whole beef tenderloin, and a whole rib eye resting quietly, just waiting for you to tell him where to cut your piece. Thank you Ken for a lovely dinner.

Meanwhile, back in the marina, temps dropped into the mid TWENTIES! The dock water lines froze, and we were grateful for the on-board fresh water tank.

We were in the marina with some big dogs [one was a 47 foot Hatteras], and by the second day, the regulars in the ships store realized they hadn't seen us dragging our towels up the dock to the very nice shower facilities [you have a WHAT on board!]. The on-board HOT WATER HEATER did spur a bit of discussion.

Thursday -- Thanksgiving -- we had brunch in Richmond aboard the Annabel Lee riverboat as we cruised down the James from Richmond. Wonderful time. Bright sunshine was most welcome after the crummy weather of Tuesday and Wednesday. Dashed down to Williamsburg Pottery for some fun shopping, then down the road to Jamestown and the Jamestown Ferry at sunset. These are some serious ferryboats run by the state of Virginia and the passage is free. I would think little kids would really get a charge out of this.

Friday – Met Peter and Beth for a demo ride at the Jordan Point Marina, right under the Benjamin Harrison Bridge. Weather was nice but chilly. Sun streaming in the Adventure Craft’s ample tinted windows gave us an unobstructed view of the plantations from the water. Peter was the expert at picking out the sights, while Beth worked out some interior ideas involving placement of storage containers and food supplies. They had traveled some distance to meet us for their Adventure Craft demonstration, and they seemed to enjoy themselves on the water. The James is very shallow in many spots, and especially above the Harrison Bridge. The shallow draft and available shallow water package saves a lot of heartache when we got WAY out of the channel – the captain was really asleep at the switch as we grounded in MID river. The Honda 130 moved us off smartly, though.

Saturday – We headed back to Surrey County [across from Jamestown] to visit Chippokes, and Bacon’s Castle plantations. Even the light rain didn’t dampen our spirits as the heater in the Chevy got a workout.

Sunday – We pulled out about midday to head back to Maryland, and reflected on what worked well, and what did not.

In the WORKING WELL DEPARTMENT, the hot water heater was a smash hit. We never ran out of hot water, and it was a joy not to have to wear the robe and fuzzy slippers for a walk up to the shower room in twenty-eight degree rainy weather. Call me spoiled.

The Origo Refrigerator/Freezer always is a treat, and it will even keep a pint of ice cream frozen just like the Amana back home.

Storage and packing were done beautifully. The Adventure Craft can stay packed most of the time, just add perishables, fresh linens, and go. Preflight before leaving took less than an hour.

We brought a lot of leftovers from home, and only ate dinner out twice. This helped the pocket book as well.

A 110-volt electric heater augmented cabin Heat. This was most valuable below thirty degrees when starting with a cold cabin. Above thirty degrees it was optional. We also brought a dual control electric blanket. We use one at home, and it just made sense to use it on the boat.

Towing went smoothly with our used 1994 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 2wd, with tow fuel economy hovering in the mid eights. The Honda 130 outboard averaged an amazing 2.97 gph burn rate, but some of that was idling on the ramp, etc.

In the NEEDS WORK DEPARTMENT, the onboard water storage could have been better, and if you are planning to go to the Florida Keys, you will definitely be stopping every second day for fuel, so getting water too isn't that big a deal. If you are holed up in a marina somewhere refilling every third day is ok, but an additional water bladder [available from West Marine] would be nice.

We also forgot they have fuel and water in Virginia, civilized folks that they are. I ended up towing 420 pounds of fuel and 160 pounds of water, for a total of 580 pounds of dead weight. We read about this in Trailer Boat Magazine, but not in time to save the extra towing cost.

In review, we were both pleased with the amount of planning, calling ahead, and preparation we did. It wasn`t very much, but there were always a couple of indoors activities we could do if the weather fell apart -- as it did. We stayed flexible so as to take advantage of the opportunities that pop up [like the Jamestown Ferry] and extra time talking with guides, docents, or fellow water rats in the Ship’s Store. We left the TV at home – a very good choice.