Our First Boat

by Dominick Pisano
2009 Sea Ray 230 Sundancer
















In July, my better half (Lenore) and I went on vacation to Cape Cod, during our stay, we took a ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard. As we walked off the ferry, we saw a sight unfamiliar to us. There were a number of private boats from small to large, all tied to one another with the closest tied to the pier. I stood there looking in amazement as these people were sitting in their bathing suits on the decks of their boats, enjoying refreshments and conversation with the people in the boats next to them. I looked at Lenore and simply said, “We are doing something wrong, they are enjoying themselves more than we are”.

Upon our return to the Lehigh Valley, I decided that we were missing a good thing and so we decided to buy a boat. As newcomers to boating, we had no idea what to look for or how to find it; thank God for the internet. My search found this place called Peters Marine. Finding their web site most informative, I sent an e-mail to their address, congratulating them on the information offered through their web site. Low and behold, I get a response from Ted Shelson thanking me for my email and advising that if I need help just give him a call.

During the month of August we visited Peters Marine, looked at their showroom boats, and then searched different boating places in and around Bethlehem and Allentown. The third week in August we decided to go back to Peters Marine and see Ted. He responded to our every question and went out of his way to make our dream of owning a boat come true. Needless to say: we bought a 2009 Sea Ray 230 Sundancer and with the help from Ted, towed it to Lake Wallenpaupack. He was also able to obtain use of a slip for the month of September and the first two weeks in October. Now one thing I must mention is that Lenore was apprehensive about all of this because she is not a swimmer and her first question was “Where are the lifejackets and how do I put it on”.

Well for a person with apprehension, she took to boating like a fish to water and we both found a world of pure enjoyment. With the assistance of Ray Ely from the Service Department, we launched our boat the first week in September. It was a rainy day but we got her off the trailer and into the water. Ray opened the Bimini top and then proceeded to give me instruction in maneuvering the boat out of the slip, down the alley and into open water. Prior to all this I took the PA Boater Safety Course and obtained my blue card certificate. After driving the boat with Ray at my side, we went back to the slip and Ray left us on our own. We enjoyed lunch in our cabin and afterward, we decided it was time to chance it and take her out by ourselves.

The thrill of taking our boat out for the first time, maneuvering out of the slip and down the alley was exhilarating to say the least. There were boats on both sides of us and all I could think of was “I must not hit anyone else’s boat”. This was the first time in my life that I had ever done such a thing and it certainly got my adrenaline running. Once we cleared the alley (without a miss-hap) and were in open water, I felt nothing but joy standing at the helm of my own boat, going along Lake Wallenpaupack, seeing the other boats; both our hearts were pounding: some due to joy and some due to nerves. At the end of the day, I was able to maneuver into the alley and back into the slip. We tied to the slip, cleaned her up and put on the cover; what a day.

Well by the end of the second week in October, we had already logged ten hours on the engine. My First Mate and I are really looking forward to next summer when we could enjoy our boat for a longer season but we still talk about the fun and enjoyment we had on our boat for 2009.


It certainly appears as though Dominick and Lenore have truly 'Discovered' Boating! Have You?

Share your boating stories or tidbits of helpful boating information with other fellow boaters. Forward them to ted@petersmarine.com and we will publish them here.