was in order.
Chapter 4
February 14, 2017
Kemah Bay, Texas
That first day, they busied themselves preparing the boat. The forty-five foot trawler was really more like a floating two-bedroom, two-bath condo. Boxer had been Wyatt’s pride and joy. After much debate, the family decided to name their new craft in honor of a great-uncle who once served as a naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Boxer. Wyatt had always been close to the man and thought the name matched the boxy shape of the vessel as well.
Like returning to a vacation home that hadn’t been occupied in some time, all sorts of small tasks needed to be done before the couple occupied the space full time. Water tanks needed to be flushed and refilled. The septic system required similar attention. While Morgan and Sage busied themselves with dusting, wiping and washing, Wyatt performed maintenance on the numerous onboard systems.
There were three diesel motors in the engine room. Two were for propulsion, the third being a 14- kilowatt generator to power the hotel. All of them required oil and fluid checks. Boxer was also equipped with an extensive battery system. Besides the normal, deep-cycle starting batteries for the engines, she carried a bank of reserve cells connected to an inverter. If the family wanted to enjoy a quiet evening without the humming of the generator, Boxer could power all of her appliances using battery only – for a while.
Wyatt checked the filters on the air conditioning and heating system as well as Boxer’s water maker. The latter device pulled seawater through a series of ceramic filters and produced fresh drinking water.
Morgan and Sage had two, full bathrooms to address. Each was fully equipped with head, shower, and vanity sink. Besides unpacking the significant amount of personal items carried from their home, the girls wanted to freshen the entire cabin, as it had not been ventilated for several weeks.
The trio worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, as a seemingly endless amount of work was required to make Boxer feel like home. They unpacked and stowed clothes, stored pantry items, and replenished their supply of ice.
Boxer was equipped with one household-size refrigerator and a small deep freezer in the galley. A half-size refrigerator on the deck kept cool drinks handy topside.
After starting the diesels, topping off the battery fluid, and double-checking the workings of the engine room, Wyatt advanced to the bridge and repeated a similar process there.
Boxer was really a three-story boat. Seafarers boarded her transom on the middle, or deck level. Four stairs headed downward into the cabin, or hotel area, while a ladder led up to the bridge.
In the center of the bridge was the helm, the nerve center of Boxer’s operation. A plush, comfortable, white, vinyl chair was bolted to the deck in front of a dash that wouldn’t have looked out of place in an airplane. Rows of gauges, digital readouts, meters, and large monitors surrounded the stainless steel steering wheel.
Each of Boxer’s three engines required its own set of monitoring instruments. Equipped with the equivalent of four separate electrical power systems as well, Boxer could run off shore power just like a house. She could also generate her own AC power from either the battery or generator. The fourth system was DC, powered from the large battery bank in the engine room. Each of these options demanded its own panel of gauges and meters on the helm.
Wyatt smiled as he remembered having to learn how to operate the vessel some years ago. He had studied all of Chapman’s books regarding piloting and seamanship over and over again – almost memorizing the information those nautical standards contained.
In reality, Boxer was a combination house and recreational vehicle. As long as her fuel tanks held diesel and the galley were stocked, she was quite self-sufficient. She was mobile, able to handle all but the worst weather conditions
Chapter 4
February 14, 2017
Kemah Bay, Texas
That first day, they busied themselves preparing the boat. The forty-five foot trawler was really more like a floating two-bedroom, two-bath condo. Boxer had been Wyatt’s pride and joy. After much debate, the family decided to name their new craft in honor of a great-uncle who once served as a naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Boxer. Wyatt had always been close to the man and thought the name matched the boxy shape of the vessel as well.
Like returning to a vacation home that hadn’t been occupied in some time, all sorts of small tasks needed to be done before the couple occupied the space full time. Water tanks needed to be flushed and refilled. The septic system required similar attention. While Morgan and Sage busied themselves with dusting, wiping and washing, Wyatt performed maintenance on the numerous onboard systems.
There were three diesel motors in the engine room. Two were for propulsion, the third being a 14- kilowatt generator to power the hotel. All of them required oil and fluid checks. Boxer was also equipped with an extensive battery system. Besides the normal, deep-cycle starting batteries for the engines, she carried a bank of reserve cells connected to an inverter. If the family wanted to enjoy a quiet evening without the humming of the generator, Boxer could power all of her appliances using battery only – for a while.
Wyatt checked the filters on the air conditioning and heating system as well as Boxer’s water maker. The latter device pulled seawater through a series of ceramic filters and produced fresh drinking water.
Morgan and Sage had two, full bathrooms to address. Each was fully equipped with head, shower, and vanity sink. Besides unpacking the significant amount of personal items carried from their home, the girls wanted to freshen the entire cabin, as it had not been ventilated for several weeks.
The trio worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, as a seemingly endless amount of work was required to make Boxer feel like home. They unpacked and stowed clothes, stored pantry items, and replenished their supply of ice.
Boxer was equipped with one household-size refrigerator and a small deep freezer in the galley. A half-size refrigerator on the deck kept cool drinks handy topside.
After starting the diesels, topping off the battery fluid, and double-checking the workings of the engine room, Wyatt advanced to the bridge and repeated a similar process there.
Boxer was really a three-story boat. Seafarers boarded her transom on the middle, or deck level. Four stairs headed downward into the cabin, or hotel area, while a ladder led up to the bridge.
In the center of the bridge was the helm, the nerve center of Boxer’s operation. A plush, comfortable, white, vinyl chair was bolted to the deck in front of a dash that wouldn’t have looked out of place in an airplane. Rows of gauges, digital readouts, meters, and large monitors surrounded the stainless steel steering wheel.
Each of Boxer’s three engines required its own set of monitoring instruments. Equipped with the equivalent of four separate electrical power systems as well, Boxer could run off shore power just like a house. She could also generate her own AC power from either the battery or generator. The fourth system was DC, powered from the large battery bank in the engine room. Each of these options demanded its own panel of gauges and meters on the helm.
Wyatt smiled as he remembered having to learn how to operate the vessel some years ago. He had studied all of Chapman’s books regarding piloting and seamanship over and over again – almost memorizing the information those nautical standards contained.
In reality, Boxer was a combination house and recreational vehicle. As long as her fuel tanks held diesel and the galley were stocked, she was quite self-sufficient. She was mobile, able to handle all but the worst weather conditions
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