I'd like to find a captain like that up here in SC. Hope your captain is able to come back for a second day so y'all can get out on the water. And I hear you about the kneeeeees. I feel like I'm on a stairmaster all day when on the boat. I just remind myself that many cruisers are retirees in their 60s and 70s. If they can do it, I can do it and maybe I'll be in as good as shape as them in 20 years. At least that's what I keep telling myself.
We went through a 4-day charter course before we bought the boat (more about that in a moment) but did not really learn about handling a single-screw-with-no-bow-thruster...especially backing her into a slip. And yep, she is a 1983 Grand Banks 36 Classic. We are getting there. Husband, Woody, and I have determined that we work best together by having me at the helm and him handling the lines. He's able to man-handle Ten Ton Tessy when she gets caught in a breeze or current while docking or anchoring.
We do stay in a marina, and I bragged about it on this forum before we brought the boat up from Johns Island, SC. Georgetown Landing Marina is our home slip and full of fantastic people. As Steve91T pointed out, it's an unprotected location at the mouth of Pee Dee River and Winyah Bay. They tell you when you sign the dockslip contract that you have to evacuate any time there is a threat of TS. Dorian came about 2 weeks after we tied up there - so we got to know our boat family very quickly. Everyone helped out with ferrying boats to protected creeks or other marinas. It's all part of the boat ownership process when living in this region, right? And I heard the seawall rumor too that Steve91T mentioned (6 years in the making and starting installation later this month, fingers crossed).
This is a long post so I will just end with this. Woody and I made the mistake of signing up for Trawler School Charters in Dania Beach this past June. We should have done better research, lesson
painfully learned! Forum member, Trawler Dreamers, has a thorough blog about this horrible Capt Bob:
Trawler School Charters: Caveat Emptor
I'm still processing the experience and what I can do to stop this terrible human from taking peoples money. Enough about that for now.
Cheers to you and your family! Hope you get to crank her up and take her out this weekend. - Michelle
Now how much chain do you have? 
because it got late but I learned a lot about wind and tides. We went over most of the engine room and exterior. The Capt. Didn't charge us because we didn't go out and he wouldn't except any money after repeated tries by me. He spent 4hrs aboard!
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