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Old 01-03-2016, 17:46   #1
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6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

My Morgan 462 draws 6'6" I'm bringing her up the east coast this spring and summer to the Great Lakes using the ICW, The Hudson and the Erie Canal.
Am I going to encounter and "no go" issues? I look forward to any and all feedback.

Thanks Joe
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Old 01-03-2016, 18:11   #2
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Mast height? You can probably make it by using tides if you can get under the bridges (waiting for heigh and low tide gets old really fast).

That said, it's easier to run outside at least far as Morehead City NC and run the ditch from there... No draft issues at 6'6" from there if you can clear the 64' Wilkerson bridge


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Old 01-03-2016, 18:13   #3
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Hudson & canal - no worries
ICW - well.... Have you towboat policy paid up.

What's your mast height?

Also, where are you coming from? Northbound is generally a significantly easier trip on the outside as opposed to southbound. The stream is now working for you.

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Old 02-03-2016, 00:15   #4
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Doable if you watch the tides and stick to the channel like glue.

Wouldn't be my prefered boat but if that's what you have...
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Old 02-03-2016, 02:36   #5
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Thanks folks! My air draft is 58' so I should be OK if I'm really conscious of sticking inside the buoys and day marks. As to going "outside" my crew the admiral is a bit anxious but a few short easy passages may resolve that.

I'm going northbound so the GS should be a plus!
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Old 02-03-2016, 08:06   #6
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Outside at least to Beaufort. Can stop in at Hilton Head and Wrightsville on the way to break it up.
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Old 02-03-2016, 08:13   #7
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

ICW - btwn the SC/NC border and Morehead City you'll find yourself in some real iffy situations. And a 6'6 draft may undo the 'wait for the tide' option. There's a spot just north of the Figure-8 Island swing bridge where you have about 1.5 boat widths of channel between a pier and a for-sure grounding, and the barrel markers like to drift. On the flip side, in the summer, Charleston or Winyah Bay to Beaufort Inlet is a real nice sail.
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Old 02-03-2016, 08:30   #8
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

I did it with 6'6 mono many years ago. I bopped up and down off the sandy bottom numerous times, learned to follow any kind of dual prop ship (we called them a Bahamian dredge) rivers crossing ICW influence depth, and I learned to kedge with dinghy and anchor, to use the boom with my pal on it as a lever, that a depth sounder is best mounted as far forward as possible and accurate, if you can get a power boat to run around you and make a wake it can be useful, I even had a Canadian fellow with a dual Cat powered boat drag me from one side of the ditch to the other, he throttled on hard in a puff of black smoke when I thought he would just ease me off, I came free and he didnt let off for a moment, I thought he was going to pull my stern cleats off as I kited through the water, stern to into the other bank, I am lucky it didnt tear off my rudder so be careful with help. If you watch the tides and wind, yes wind changes water depth its doable. If I were to do it again deep draft, I would travel outside when you can, less stressful. I live on the NC ICW now and my Gemini 3000 has a 12" draft.
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Old 02-03-2016, 08:37   #9
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

I did it from Wrightville south with about a foot less draft than you. There were some problems. I plowed a lot of the ICW. Ran aground hard twice and hit something very hard once. etc
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Old 02-03-2016, 08:53   #10
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

I've run Miami to Norfolk several times with a 5'0" draft and air draft of 61 ft plus 3 ft for antenna. The shoals north of Charleston at Breech Inlet have been dredged and are at 8-10 ft. at low tide. There is a 7 to 8 ft. tidal range in SC and NC. Several spots in NC that are shallow , but they have been dredged recently and may be passable.

In Georgia, Hell's gate is always a challenge and you will have to wait out the tides.
Field's Cut north of Savannah River at border with SC is always a challenge, but I've read part of it has been dredged.

I agree with another post, if you can run outside through GA, SC and NC it would be better.....a lot of fixed 65 ft. bridges. Good Luck
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:03   #11
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

The other reason to go outside through Georgia/SC is that the ICW gets really winding and slow there. I've done it once, and will go outside next time.
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:19   #12
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mainstreet View Post
My Morgan 462 draws 6'6" I'm bringing her up the east coast this spring and summer to the Great Lakes using the ICW, The Hudson and the Erie Canal.
Am I going to encounter and "no go" issues? I look forward to any and all feedback.

Thanks Joe
Have run Norfolk to Keys a few times in my Irwin43, 5ft draft and 60ft air draft. Always manage to run aground in the Carolina's with low tide, always bypassed Georgia.
Have navigated from Great Lakes, Oswego. Erie Canal, Hudson River. You'll need to unstep mast for the Canal.
I left a heavy duty mast trestle in a Marina on the Hudson for a $150 storage charge and never returned for it. Yours if interested. PM me and I'll look up name of Marina.
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:19   #13
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

South of Key Largo the controlling depth is 5" On the Intercostal itself you might like to use Navionics Platinum with contour. You'll see up-to-date bottom configurations with great accuracy.
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:25   #14
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
I did it from Wrightville south with about a foot less draft than you. There were some problems. I plowed a lot of the ICW. Ran aground hard twice and hit something very hard once. etc
CORRECTION! Sorry, I wasn't awake... my draft was 6-5 almost like yours.
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:42   #15
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Re: 6'6" draft on the ICW it that an issue?

There are a few spots where you will have to wait for a rising tide to get through without hitting bottom. Active Captain and/or cruising guides are your best bet to know where these spots are.

It would be difficult to make a list from memory and these trouble spots change with time and dredging.
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