ICW or Offshore? - SeaKnots2024-03-28T18:14:14Zhttp://seaknots.ning.com/forum/topics/icw-or-offshore?commentId=900123%3AComment%3A44362&feed=yes&xn_auth=noReggie, see Mary's reply to m…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-26:900123:Comment:1262982010-02-26T19:24:47.802ZDouglas Jordanhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DouglasJordan
Reggie, see Mary's reply to my post one page back. I think that pretty much would apply to your draft as well.
Reggie, see Mary's reply to my post one page back. I think that pretty much would apply to your draft as well. Thanks for your good advice,…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-26:900123:Comment:1262962010-02-26T19:22:51.598ZDouglas Jordanhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DouglasJordan
Thanks for your good advice, Mary. That's all pretty much what my thinking was, as well.
Thanks for your good advice, Mary. That's all pretty much what my thinking was, as well. Your draft should not be a pr…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1262382010-02-25T21:09:39.500ZMary Fhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/MaryF
Your draft should not be a problem on the ICW, but do stay within the channel. The flow from small inlets can sometimes silt up the channel so watch the charts and be careful when you come to these. If you haven't done the ICW, it's worth doing once. There are lots of interesting places to stop.<br />
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I, personally, truly dislike the ICW. As stated in the original post, I don't like power boats that deliberiately wake sailboats. With our 7' draft and tall mast, it's a lot of work doing the…
Your draft should not be a problem on the ICW, but do stay within the channel. The flow from small inlets can sometimes silt up the channel so watch the charts and be careful when you come to these. If you haven't done the ICW, it's worth doing once. There are lots of interesting places to stop.<br />
<br />
I, personally, truly dislike the ICW. As stated in the original post, I don't like power boats that deliberiately wake sailboats. With our 7' draft and tall mast, it's a lot of work doing the ditch.<br />
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On the other hand, I wouldn't go offshore without radar and autopilot. A good autopilot can handle pretty rough conditions that would exhaust the helmsman on a 3 or 4 hour watch. And I sure wish we could afford to add AIS.<br />
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If you're moseying along enjoying the scenery, the ICW is for you. If you are heading from point A to point B, offshore is the ticket.<br />
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And we've found that a 2 night passage is better than a single night passage. Here's what happens to us (keep in mind that we're retired old farts). We pull into a port after a single night at sea. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours to get there once you've entered the entrance channel. We're too tired to leave the next day so there's at least one lay day. Then there's the long slog back out the channel before we finally get back on course to where we're going.<br />
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What happens is that on the first day out, we don't get adequate sleep. If we stay out for a second day, we're able to get good rest during our off-watch hours so that we're in good shape when we arrive at our destination on the third day. And we haven't wasted all that time going in and out the inlet channels. I think we could do a passage of several days with just the two of us with no problems.<br />
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I know our method won't work for everyone, but it works for us. I love being at sea - especially at night. Not everyone feels that way. Our mast is 63.5' plus antenn…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1262292010-02-25T20:48:46.188ZMary Fhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/MaryF
Our mast is 63.5' plus antennas.Our draft is nominally 6.7" but the boat is our home so we're pretty heavily loaded and our actual draft is more like 7'. We've occasionally scraped antennae passing under the Wilkerson Bridge. We to the ditch only from Norfolk to Morehead City. Our ulterior motive is avoiding Cape Hatteras.
Our mast is 63.5' plus antennas.Our draft is nominally 6.7" but the boat is our home so we're pretty heavily loaded and our actual draft is more like 7'. We've occasionally scraped antennae passing under the Wilkerson Bridge. We to the ditch only from Norfolk to Morehead City. Our ulterior motive is avoiding Cape Hatteras. will be interest3ed in respon…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1261982010-02-25T16:45:30.431ZReggiehttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/Reggie
will be interest3ed in responses to this since we draft 5'8" and will be headed up this spring. would alos like to link up with others headed north around 4/1. Also, any observations about going north in April? should only start on April first since it is a fools errand?
will be interest3ed in responses to this since we draft 5'8" and will be headed up this spring. would alos like to link up with others headed north around 4/1. Also, any observations about going north in April? should only start on April first since it is a fools errand? With a trimaran drawing just…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1261922010-02-25T15:34:27.348ZDouglas Jordanhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DouglasJordan
With a trimaran drawing just over a foot (with the board up), you must have been able to go pretty much anywhere you wanted to, huh? I mean, providing there was horizontal clearance. Sounds cool.<br />
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Anybody have advice concerning a 5.5' draft in the ICW?
With a trimaran drawing just over a foot (with the board up), you must have been able to go pretty much anywhere you wanted to, huh? I mean, providing there was horizontal clearance. Sounds cool.<br />
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Anybody have advice concerning a 5.5' draft in the ICW? what time of year did you go…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1261882010-02-25T14:28:40.849ZReggiehttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/Reggie
what time of year did you go up?
what time of year did you go up? During my 62 day round trip p…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-25:900123:Comment:1261792010-02-25T07:31:06.969ZMarlene A. Sassamanhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/MarleneASassaman
During my 62 day round trip passage I found the tranquility inviting, the bridges interesting, anchoring abounding, and sailing across the sounds exhilerating. But what did I have to compare it to? Most of my way between Palm Bay, Fl. and the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal brought north/northeasterlies so I was too scared to go outside. On the return, would you believe the winds were mostly out of the south/southeast? I know it's a hard concept.<br />
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Closer to home I finally went out at St. Mary's and…
During my 62 day round trip passage I found the tranquility inviting, the bridges interesting, anchoring abounding, and sailing across the sounds exhilerating. But what did I have to compare it to? Most of my way between Palm Bay, Fl. and the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal brought north/northeasterlies so I was too scared to go outside. On the return, would you believe the winds were mostly out of the south/southeast? I know it's a hard concept.<br />
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Closer to home I finally went out at St. Mary's and eventually spent three lovely nights about 30 miles offshore. Next time, I'll have radar and go the outside. Although I wouldn't trade the meandering flats of Georgia, the not so dismal swamp, and the averaging 15 knots along the Chesapeake for a full day's run, for any other adventure. Life is about experiences -- I did my trip on a Corsair F28 ac --- alone with my pup.<br />
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P.S. I think it was in Georgia where you will want to consider the tidal shifts; docking was plentiful thoughout the trip though I usually dropped the anchor within an hour of deciding I was done sailing for the day. This is a good discussion. I'…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2010-02-22:900123:Comment:1259302010-02-22T23:26:11.997ZDouglas Jordanhttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DouglasJordan
This is a good discussion. I'm a relative novice to cruising, and hope to take my Bristol 34 up to New England for the summer, then head south to the Bahamas in the fall.<br />
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My mast height is not a problem, of course, at around 46 feet. But I draw 5 1/2 feet, and I'm wondering how much trouble I'll have with depth issues. After reading all of these responses, I'm still unsure what to think.<br />
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This will be the first major trip I've done, so I was thinking it would be prudent to only go outside when…
This is a good discussion. I'm a relative novice to cruising, and hope to take my Bristol 34 up to New England for the summer, then head south to the Bahamas in the fall.<br />
<br />
My mast height is not a problem, of course, at around 46 feet. But I draw 5 1/2 feet, and I'm wondering how much trouble I'll have with depth issues. After reading all of these responses, I'm still unsure what to think.<br />
<br />
This will be the first major trip I've done, so I was thinking it would be prudent to only go outside when the weather (and wind) is favorable. We're not in a huge hurry, but I'd like to leave St. Augustine around June 1 and make it to New England at least in time to spend a couple months up there before heading south again.<br />
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Also, I'm not sure whether I'm going to be able to afford an autopilot by the time I leave. Couple that with my limited experience offshore and I think I need to stay in the ICW as much as possible.<br />
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All that said, I eventually want to make the trip strictly offshore, when I am ready.<br />
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So, do you folks think I will have problems in the ICW with my 5.5' draft?<br />
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Doug<br />
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S/V Ibis We watched this guy take an…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-09-03:900123:Comment:1046342009-09-03T01:17:33.393ZVerandahttp://seaknots.ning.com/profile/Veranda
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2472750306?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
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We watched this guy take an 80 foot mast under a 65 foot bridge. He did the inside all the way from Norfolk to Miami. Anythings possible......<br />
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Bill<br />
s/v Veranda
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2472750306?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
We watched this guy take an 80 foot mast under a 65 foot bridge. He did the inside all the way from Norfolk to Miami. Anythings possible......<br />
<br />
Bill<br />
s/v Veranda