ICW or Offshore?

[Mary F]

Those of you who go up and down the east coast: ICW or offshore? Why?

I hope we get some interesting opinions here.

My preference is offshore for a number of reasons – a big one being that we have a 7’ draft. In ’06 we traveled the ICW from Norfolk to Lake Worth. It was interesting and I’m glad we did it but I don’t ever want to do it again. These days we use the ditch only between Norfolk and Morehead City because we want to avoid Cape Hatteras. But I think that with a good weather window I’d rather be outside for that area too.

I don’t like the bridges; I don’t like the few jerks who love to wake sailboats; I don’t like the short travel days in the fall; and I don’t like hitting bottom.

I like being able to go from Morehead City to Charleston in one overnight passage. I like being on the ocean.

So what’s your preference????

Mary

[Douglas Jordan]

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.

Anybody have advice concerning a 5.5' draft in the ICW?

[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?

[Douglas Jordan]

Reggie, see Mary's reply to my post one page back. I think that pretty much would apply to your draft as well.