I'm getting very excited! A week from this coming Saturday, we will depart for our first long trip in our new-to-us 530. We will be traveling down the Ohio from Aurora, IN (near Cincinnati, OH) to Kentucky Lake and then back. We've planned 5 days going down, 4 days there to enjoy the lake over the Fourth of July weekend, and 6 days to return. That gives us a two day buffer for any issues, about 900 miles round trip.

We've been shaking down the boat since getting in the water this spring and think we've got everything resolved (knocking on wood here). Fresh full service on motors (TAMD74P), transmissions and gennie. I've got a huge tote of replacement filters, spare coolant and oil, spare impellers, two large 27" ball fenders for the locks, a large tool set, paper charts, rum, wine and music. What else would you suggest that I'm overlooking?

It'll be me and my admiral, and my long time Carver-owning parents on the boat. A capable crew, and good help.

Did I mention I'm excited?!! Haha