Day One-Ketchikan, Alaska

 I’m glad it was raining and slightly chilly when I stepped off the plane in Ketchikan, Alaska to join the fleet of Grand Banks' making their way north. For more than a month, I was anticipating this cruise and for an east coaster like me, the topography, overcast skies, and smell of wilderness and sea were different enough to stir an inner child-like excitement. Ah, we’re on an adventure I thought, while taking the ferry from the airport to the mainland.

“Hot dogs! Get your all beef dogs here!”

“Soda soda! Beer here!”

Who needs coffee? There’s no need for a morning coffee wake-up when you tag along with Fountain Powerboats founder Reggie Fountain. It’s no secret that Fountain boats are known for their speed. When I tested the new 38 Open with triple 275 hp Mercury Verado outboards early one spring morning, we reached an exhilarating 73.5 mph. Unlike other boats that can run fast yet feel unstable at speed, making me want to reach for the throttles, the 38 Open blistered along like it was riding on rails.

Needing a boost for your dead car battery is one thing—needing a boost for a dead starting battery aboard your boat is quite another. Battery switches—if wired correctly—are one way to ensure that all the electronic gear on today’s boats doesn’t drain your battery. But they only work if you remember to switch them. Now, is one the house or was it two? 

Understanding rudders usage is an important skill.

My first wife was a fantastic cook and one of her specialties was a tasty leg of lamb she made every Easter. On our second Easter together, I noticed that she was cutting the bottom of the leg off right at the knee. ?"What the heck are you doing," I asked. "Why are you cutting one of the best pieces of the lamb off?"

Boy I need to do this more often," sighed Steve Creel. We were two days into our voyage from the Virgin Islands to Ft. Lauderdale, and Steve was discovering the joys of a long ocean passage. For me, the anxiety that usually accompanies the first day at sea dissipates as I ease into a routine. Obligations fade, and my mind becomes clutter-free.