It was quite a first month on Amazing Grace. We brought her from Newport to Mattapoisett on July 14 with Captain Tom at the helm. Once we arrived, Maritmo sent in Bibbo Yacht Detailers to bring her up to Boat Show condition.
We hosted the Maritimo team for dinner and finally took the keys a week later.
Our first trip was to Sandwich with Paula, Peter, and our little dog, Daisy.
Everything went great, but sadly, we nicked a rock returning to Brandt Cove, and then life got interesting.
In all my decades of boating, I only nicked a rock one other time and never in a marked channel. In 2015, we had just taken delivery of Tenacity, and another boat crowded me out of the channel heading out of Red Brook. It was no big deal, and Mattapoisett Boatyard got the prop repaired in two days.
We weren’t quite as fortunate this time. It turns out our boat had Veem props that are very expensive and difficult to repair. In addition, Amazing Grace is under warranty with Maritimo, so they needed to review and consult on the repairs.
With an eye towards returning everything to new condition, we decided to bring her to Safe Harbor Plymouth, which was near New England Propeller, who would be repairing the propeller.
Making Lemonade in Plymouth
Those of you who own boats understand the old adage, “When life sends you lemons, you make lemonade.” As people who cruise, we do it all the time due to weather, breakdowns, or, in our case, a close encounter with something that wasn’t supposed to be there!
As we entered Plymouth Harbor, we passed our old friends Jim and Ann Marie. They were also in town for some repairs on their Sabre 42.
We had planned this trip at the last minute, so we were on a town mooring instead of docking at Safe Harbor.
Mrs. Horne was not happy when we discovered a poacher on our mooring, but we were both impressed when the Plymouth Harbormaster appeared almost immediately and removed the unauthorized boat.
Going to Plymouth may have slowed things down, but it brought along a few blessings we’re grateful for.
To begin with, we had a very enjoyable weekend aboard Amazing Grace in one of our favorite ports.
I loved the way Tavern On The Wharf does Nachos. It’s layered with shredded cheddar melted throughout. Great taste and less mess!
In addition to seeing Jim and Ann Marie in port, I also got a text from Safe Harbor resident Dave Hogan welcoming us to Plymouth.
After a quick conversation, Mrs. Horne and I decided to host a little cocktail party aboard Amazing Grace Sunday Afternoon.
Sunday morning, we took the Maverick Launch into town for lunch at the New World Tavern and to pick up provisions for the cocktail party.
I was too busy with the party to remember to take photos, but after the party, Jim and Ann Marie joined us for dinner at Salt.
Not only did our unplanned weekend in Plymouth turn out to be a blessing, but the entire incident brought us to Safe Harbor, which so far has been great.
Amazing Grace’s New Home
Mattapoisett Boatyard has been like family for decades, but sadly, the slip at their Marina wasn’t going to work for Amazing Grace. I reached out to a friend at Safe Harbor and told him our story, and he found an excellent slip for us at Safe Harbor Onset Bay.
It’s a single slip with a 100’ straight dock on one side and a 40’ finger pier on the other. SH Onset is a full-service Marina, so I can hail Zack, Travis, or Tommy when we’re coming in, and they help Mrs. Horne with all the lines.
It’s on their D Dock, which finally opened after 15 years of permitting and construction. They had another slip available for a 60’ boat a few weeks ago, so if you’re interested, contact Alyssa.
It turned out that we were in Plymouth longer than we hoped, but as a result, we made new friends with Lauren – the GM, Dave – the Assistant GM, and the entire crew. We signed up for winter storage there, and it’s nice to know they have a 75-ton lift if a hurricane heads our way.
Safe Harbor Membership
Membership in a full-service Marina along the southeast coast of Massachusetts isn’t cheap, but for people like us, who cruise extensively, the perks make it very affordable!
I have already booked $3,000 worth of free dockage, and with her 1200-gallon fuel tank, buying Amazing Grace diesel at cost will save thousands.
Our first month on Amazing Grace certainly didn’t end up as planned, but as Sinatra said, “That’s Life…”
Sad to hear you found an unknown rock on your first outing on Amazing Grace. Very disappointing for sure. I remember barely nicking a rock in my center console some years ago, thought I had no damage to my outboards but discovered I needed two new lower units. Very expensive — the rock I nicked is named Memory
Rock and believe me it it was permanently planted in my memory after that.
Boats are so aggravating when there is a repair issue. My current boat has been on the hard all August waiting for a part to arrive. Oddly, the part is not shown as out of stock or back-ordered, my boat yard has no idea why it wasn’t shipped weeks ago. Boats!
Can’t wait to hear more about the new boat.
“Glad to hear that Amazing Grace is back in the water and ready for action! As John said, boat repairs can be quite aggravating. I can definitely relate to that from my own experiences dealing with rocks in Red Brook.
Christine and I have taken Precious Time to Plymouth half a dozen times this season. We absolutely love the folks at Safe Harbor Plymouth. Additionally, we’ve found great enjoyment in utilizing the moorings controlled by the Plymouth Yacht Club (of which we are members). Opting for the mooring choice when staging PT for a trip north has proven to provide greater flexibility with regards to the weather and the canal. This, in turn, makes the voyage to Boston a much smoother experience.
Best of luck with Amazing Grace’s new home!”