We spoke to yacht delivery Captain, Dave Block, After
the 2016 Annapolis Boat Show in October Dave was tasked to deliver a new Nautitech 46 into the Horizon Charter fleet
in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. A trip undertaken many times before. But this time the Owner was his crew.
Q. We know you have made this trip many times. On this
occasion was there anything that made this delivery standout?
There was a tropical Low to our South, and even
though it never developed into a named storm it presented many challenges
to avoidance. It gave us a 20-30 knot headwind and good sized seas for 5 days,
then the lingering calm after it passes. You get few navigation options as with
an anti-clockwise rotation the wind is East, South is towards its center, going
west takes you towards the Gulf Stream and North the Gulf Stream off Cape
Hatteras. And of course there is the inevitable vertex (buttonhook) of the
system to the Northeast to consider.
Q. You had the client and his daughter on board as crew.
Even though they were not the direct client, what changes or allowances did you
make if any?
You always make an effort to ensure their comfort while
being conscious not to be patronizing. It is important to give them the
autonomy to stand their own watches and enjoy the satisfaction and
accomplishment of offshore sailing.
Q. How important is it to have support providing weather and
technical help?
They are both critical components. I get weather from multiple
sources which invariably are dissimilar and at times contradictory. It
is important to have a 'feel' for it which only comes with experience. Tech
support in this era is indispensable. There are so many complex and interfaced
systems it is not possible to be familiar with all makes, components and the
like. It is essential to know how to properly operate them not only for safety
but as we do so many new boats for warranty purposes as well.
Q. What are the features about the Open 46 that you
particularly liked?
I have always been a fan of the flybridge. The view is
unparalleled. The sail are easy to read, weather and traffic are unobstructed
and the night sky is breathtaking. The self-tacking jib is so convenient and
very high aspect for excellent performance as well. She also
sports the deepest keeps in her class making sailing upwind more enjoyable.
Q. What have you learnt from this delivery that you can take
forward
I learned I can cook Vegan! Also it was a reminder to
locate obscure but important pieces of equipment. A malfunctioning
autopilot and GPS are often caused by a fouled fluxgate compass. Such was the
case on this trip. No one knew where it was mounted and 3 people could not find
it. On one occasion I had assisted commissioning a new boat that would not
steer. Even the factory service manager could not find the compass. We ended up
putting in another one as we had to make a Boat Show.
About Captain Dave Block
Dave has completed over 90 US-Caribbean
deliveries, 6 Trans-Atlantic (3 West, 3 East) and 3 Trans-Pacific (2 West, 1
East) crossings. He has also completed multiple North and South American
Coastal, Intra-Caribbean, Intra-Coastal Waterway, and Great Lakes passages on
over 200 different vessels. The miles he has accumulated underway are
equivalent to over 11 circumnavigations. His experience extends to all types of
vessels, Sail and Power, Mono- and Multi-hull, and at all levels from
Manufacturers to Agents/Brokers to Private individuals
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