20 Mar 2012

Pedaling the Potomac

Escapade on the Potomac

I bought my Escapade in the spring of 2001 as a 50th birthday present to myself. I named my pedal boat RiverSong, and now—as my 12th boating season begins—I still love it as much as ever.

I lease a slip near the Pentagon from April through October and pedal the Potomac within view of the Washington Monument and Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. I usually take my first ride of the year while the cherry trees are still in bloom and my last as flocks of geese are migrating south overhead. Sometimes I pedal past the Kennedy Center and ride as far as Georgetown.

Because I have a demanding job in DC, I don’t get out on the river every day, but I try to take at least one evening ride and one weekend ride each week. People are always commenting on my boat, and tourists ask where they can rent one.  The cleverest remark from a passerby was: “Oh, a two-stroke engine!”

Like most boaters, I appreciate the beauty of the water and sky at least as much as what’s on shore. The scenery is perpetually changing, as is the play of sunlight on water. Occasionally I have trailered my boat to state parks and enjoyed pedaling on gorgeous lakes. As my husband Don likes to say, “The purpose of a boat is to take all the water up there… and put it back there.”

Sometimes Don comes along for a ride, but usually our dog is my only passenger. Our cairn terrier Boscoe accompanied me to Michigan when I bought the boat to give it his “paw of approval.” Boscoe passed away six years ago, but our young dog Skruffy enjoys boating even more than Boscoe did. He thinks we own the Potomac.  

 

Trish

Alexandria, VA

8 Dec 2011

Questions about Options

Nauticraft often gets asked about what is “needed” as far as options go, and we’ll be taking a look at those over the next few months.

Relating to the Christmas gifts which are being offered, customers ask if they need a Storage Cradle to store the boats on while out of the water.  The Storage Cradle was designed specifically for the Escapade pedal boat to accommodate the deep narrow keel of the boat.  The Escapade can’t sit on its keel as many flat bottom boats do, so when taken out of the water it lays on its side which may over time affect the shape of the hull.  The storage cradle is designed to fit the keel and also to hold the “belly” of the boat while keeping the boat upright.  It is also very useful during shipping, as supports are needed to keep the boat upright during the shipping process.  The Encore models do not need any sort of a storage cradle as it will set on the double keels and the bow of the boat without issues.

One thing about using a storage cradle is the challenge of getting the boat onto it.  The Escapade weights about 325 lbs, and is awkward to lift even with 4 people doing so.   Using a pulley system is a good bet when lifting the boat up onto the cradle.  For more specific instructions or for questions you may have contact Nauticraft directly at the factory.

27 Sep 2011

Winterizing your Encore Pedal Boat

As Michiganders, we are used to cold and ice…brrrr…feeling it already!  The coldness won’t harm the hull, it’s made of durable polyethylene so it won’t become brittle like other materials exposed to the elements.  Even so, there are things to do to ensure your boat is protected.  The first thing is to take it out of the water if you know it will freeze.  There are all sorts of reasons to do this including damage ice can do the pedal drive system, protecting the seats and other manufactured parts from snow, ice, sleet, etc. and stopping the hull from becoming misshapen by moving ice flows.  These are also good reasons to keep it covered.  If you leave it outdoors, use a support to keep the cover well above the windshield to protect it from the weight of snow accumulation.

  • ENCORE
    • Raise the bow end of the boat; set it on a large block of Styrofoam (12″ x 12″ x 12″)which is placed somewhere between the bow and the front compartment.  This will allow water within the channels and the drive shafts to run out.
    •  Remove the drain plugs to allow any water which may have accumulated within the hull to drain out.  There shouldn’t be much, if any.  MAKE SURE TO REPLACE THE DRAIN PLUGS AFTER THIS PROCESS!
    • Remove the battery if it has one.  Store it in a garage or something like it, off of the concrete.  You can put it on a trickle charger periodically during the cold season to protect it from becoming too depleted.

    Contact Nauticraft by email or phone at (888) 709-7097 with any specific questions you may have concerning this subject.