Member Spotlight: Casey Keller

Meet the lifelong Ohioan and overnighter who keeps a dedicated folder just for his weather apps.

Name: Casey Keller

Boat Name: Seadog Model: 2003 Sea Ray 260

Favorite Destination: Kelleys Island on Lake Erie

Favorite Activities: Overnighting, Pleasure Cruising

Favorite Boating Playlist: No Shoes Radio on Sirius XM

Tell us about yourself and your boating community.

I live in Norwalk, Ohio and grew up not far from where I live now. I’ve been on a lot of boats, as far back as I can remember.

Weather permitting, my girlfriend and I like to hang out on our boat with friends. There are several islands off the northern coast of Ohio that we just refer to as “The Islands.” Kelleys Island is our favorite—it’s quiet and serene without as much of a bar scene as some of the other islands nearby.

What place does your boat have in your life?

Almost everybody we know who likes to overnight and pleasure cruise has a Sea Ray, so we bought ours from a friend who was upgrading. It was our first serious big pleasure boat; the day we took possession of it, I took off work just to spend time on the water. I remember just sitting there thinking, “Wow. Is this real?”

I also own a 16-foot bass boat that I like to fish from, but we like to keep our Sea Ray nice and clean. It’s where we entertain.

What are your top tips for overnighting and pleasure cruising?

Weather apps are your best friend.
We always check the wind in the forecast with the understanding that it could change, so I use a lot of different apps to stay on top of it. Dark Sky is kind of like my basic go-to, but I don't like to get all my information from just one source. I also recently downloaded the Sea Ray+ app, which is great. (Pro tip for other Sea Ray owners: You can learn more about the Sea Ray+ app and download it here.)

So are appliances that can do it all.
We pretty much never leave the boat. We sleep on there; shower there; we cook and eat—you name it. I love my Blackstone griddle because you can cook up a full breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast, then use it to grill. We keep the refrigerator fully stocked.

And don’t be afraid to bring the whole family.
Some friends of ours have a five-month-old and I tell them all the time to bring him out on the boat; you gotta start them young, and it’s the best place for kids to nap!

There’s no reason to leave the dogs at home, either. Our lab loves to swim, fetch, and retrieve from the boat.

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Breakfast in bed, on the boat? Yes, please! We love getting to know our Ripl members! Have a story to share about boating? Tell us here, and you could be featured in an upcoming Member Spotlight.