'It was a grueling, but fabulous trip,' said Glacier Bay 2680 owner Dennis Troseth, who recently captained a Glacier Bay 3470 diesel inboard 1,152 miles in eight days on a delivery mission from Dare Marina in Norfolk, Virg., to the Miami Boat Show. When Troseth and his pal Doug Pietig, departed, the thermometer read 17 degrees F., the deck was glazed with frozen saltwater and a small craft advisory warned of 30 mph winds and 6'– 10' seas. 

'It was a great trip, full of travail, turbulence and trials… Did I mention the cold?' observes Dennis, shortly after delivering the yacht just in time for the mid-February show.  'It was an incredible challenge because nothing was easy; the weather was horrible, most marinas and lodgings were closed and it was a huge ordeal just getting diesel fuel.'

By the end of the trip, Dennis and Doug ran the yacht 12 to 16 hours a day, 450 miles in the ocean and the remainder on the Intracoastal Waterway. Here are some of the highlights of the Troseth-Pietig delivery saga.

After arriving to find the 34 covered with ice, Dennis and Doug descended on West Marine with Glacier Bay President Larry Graf's credit card and blessing, where they purchased $800 worth of anti-gel additive and other supplies. It was a good thing Dennis brought his own Intracoastal Waterway chart book, because in the middle of winter the store's shelves were empty. Dennis and Doug credit Glacier Bay dealers Mike Hannah and Scott James with expediting their hasty sendoff in every way possible.

The guys departed the marina at 6 a.m. in hellacious, freezing weather. ''hat's up at the crack of stupid and out before light,' describes Dennis, a tough Minnesotan who lives half the year in Key Largo. 'We're not used to this dark and cold.'

The winter trip was fraught with problems, not the least of which were finding marinas that were open and finding diesel fuel for the twin 380 Cummins. They slept on board several nights, kept the furnace and Genset running non-stop for five days and nights, often skipped breakfast and ate dry cereal for lunch. 'There was lots of rain and freezing weather,' recalls Dennis. 'It was nasty, we were brave sons-of-bitches!'

What about the Glacier Bay 3470's performance?

'It was beautifully appointed with two 'comms,' or two marine radios', says Dennis, who operates Farm Boy as an Operational Facility for the USCG.

'This beautiful, $500,000 yacht was the only vessel out, it handled great and performed fabulously in big seas,' explains Dennis. 'We ran 29-30 mph the whole time in five-foot seas, but we were comfortable with the heater going.'

A veteran boater with more than 30 years experience, Doug Pietig was equally impressed with the 34-foot yacht. He remembers how when negotiating 40 mph winds and nasty, short choppy waves off its side quarter in Chesapeake Bay, the Ocean Runner handled all this to perfection, 'I see the 34-footer as a real workhorse because it runs flat and stable.'

'It was a super pleasure to drive,' continues the semi-retired concrete contractor, who divides his time between homes in Key Largo and Buffalo, Minnesota. 'I loved the Cummins diesels' exceptional performance and power range. I have never been on a boat with so much power, it's got way more than it needs.'

During the first rough days of the journey, the men only spotted a handful of workboats. However, by the time they reached the Carolinas the occasional motoryacht would appear. Doug recalls with considerable pleasure how when one of these big boys would pass in front of the 34, the skipper would inevitable turn around to see what kind of damage his wake caused. After so many years in construction, Doug likes to be gentle to his back and spine, so he relishes the big catamaran's ability to cruise comfortably over the biggest wakes.

'I also appreciate the Glacier Bay's great steering and handling that make it amazingly easy to moor in tight quarters,' adds Doug. 'One afternoon I parked it six times, fighting current and head winds, before we found an appropriate slip. I'm new at this and I put it in place perfectly!'  

Did they ever feel like they were in danger?

'No, the boat is built so solid, so good, we always felt confident on the water,' says Dennis. 'Due to the fact that we had to push, push to make the boat show, the biggest struggles related to finding fuel, going slow in NO WAKE zones and waiting for bridges.' 

Doug adds that he particularly appreciated the yacht's exceptional electronics set-up and  double helm seat, which made it easier for the pair to team up on navigation duties. Doug also finds that the Glacier Bay offers excellent visibility, making it easy to maintain cruise speed and easy to spot flotsam. In addition, he observes that even in 25 mph winds, not a drop of spray hits the windshield.

In the end, was the trip worth it?

'I would rate the trip as an A+ adventure,' says Doug. 'The boat handled beautifully, there were no major problems, it was very exciting and I'd do it again.'

'It was 1,152 miles of tedium and terror,' admits Dennis, who was thrilled to sight a northern right whale off Daytona, Flor. 'It was great fun and we are proud of ourselves.'

DENNIS TROSETH

A devoted, diehard Glacier Bay owner, Dennis Troseth is famous for setting his own personal records. At home in Minnesota and Key Largo, Farm Boy is Troseth's first and only boat. Since June 2000, he has logged 32,000 miles on the water and an additional 28,000 miles on the road.

Although Troseth admires the 34, he remains true to his first love. 'As a diver and fisherman, Farm Boy is the perfect boat for me,' says Troseth, who recently repowered and rebuilt the 26-footer's dash. 'I can trailer it anywhere and adventure solo or with seven friends!'