07-06-2009
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 4,203
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On the 4th we ( my son Michael 12 years old, my attorney buddy Allen and myself) decided we would sail down to the New York Harbor to see the Macy fireworks. The last time I had gone down to the harbor for the fireworks was 8 years ago when my daughter Courtney was 15 and I swore I would never go back again. Due to the boat traffic and the Idiots driving them. But My son really wanted to see them in person, so being the over indulgent father that I am, we made plans to leave the dock at 4pm.
My son and I arrive at the marina a little after 3 pm. Before we get to our boat, one the boat club members stops on the dock and says, "you are not going out today are you?" I told him we were planing to go see the fireworks. He says, "Mike it is blowing and rough out there, I would not go out." It was blowing a bit, 15 to 20 knots, but not like the club member was trying to make it out.
Allen shows up shortly thereafter and we head out down the Hudson under a full jib and reefed main making 6 1/2+ kts toward the city. Our trip would be just over 62 km down and back.
We get to the harbor a little after 8pm and the harbor is very crowded. The USCG had the river blocked off about the 59th street boat basin.
The fireworks started at 9:20 pm and were spectacular. For those of you that have never seen them I would highly recommend that you do.
The fireworks were over at 10 pm and we started back North. By now the wind had died down so we were motoring at 6 kts. Being passed by every motor boat on the river heading North. I am talking hundreds if not thousands of boats. Boats with out navigation lights weaving in and out of other boats doing 20 to 30 knots. The Harbor was getting very rough with the wakes of all the boats.
There we were getting tossed about by all the wakes hitting us. Wakes hitting us from all sides and the stern. These wakes were building to 4 to 5 feet. This is why I had not been back for 8 years.
Allen my buddy, says to me that he is glad we are not on his boat because "we would be getting wet."
(This is the BFS part)
5 min's later, 2 large power boats are coming up us from behind. One on port and the other on starboard. They are moving along about 15 kts and throwing huge wakes. They pass us 10 yards to each side. I am behind the wheel and I yell to everyone to hang on. Their wakes meet behind our stern and are moving forward in a perfect V about 6 feet high. I feel the stern of our boat lift. I am not sure when it going to stop rising. Then all of the sudden the boat falls off to starboard. We hit the bottom of that trough with a thud and about at 30 to 45 degree angle. The next thing I saw was another 5 foot wake rolling in and coming over the lifeline and hitting Allen square from the neck down, as he was sitting on the starboard cockpit seat.
Now I am a compassionate man. But this was just to much! Knowing that the river temp is only 60 degrees or so. I could not help myself, I am laughing hysterically! He is cussing at the power boats and I am laughing harder! I had not laughed like that in almost 2 years.
While I am laughing at Allen, I notice that my soda was still sitting in it's koozie on the seat next to Allen. I say to Allen "what are you bitching about, I didn't even spill my soda." I then pick up my soda to add insult to injury and take a big gulp. I get nothing but a mouth full of Hudson river water and spit it out and spray it all over Allen.
Now Allen is madder than H, I am laughing even harder and my son is laughing at both of us. We were still laughing about it when we got back to the marina at 2:30 in the morning.
It was a 4th of July we will never forget.
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Last edited by bubb2; 07-06-2009 at 07:31 PM.
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