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Nomad57 · 27-06-2011, 12:30

Our previous boat had a maximum draft of 3', and some of the boats we're considering have a draft of 6'3". The 'small craft route' is generally considered to have a minimum depth of 6', so 6'3" gets a little dicey.

Does anyone have any experience with that sort of draft on the small craft route? We don't want to be excluded from it.

Nomad

Dave the Canuck · 27-06-2011, 13:41

Hey Nomad

6'3'' will be very dicey. I'm almost certain that you won't be able to transit the narrows from the Collins Inlet to Beaverstone Bay. Did that last summer with a 4'2'' shoal draft and the pucker factor was pretty high. Getting into the Spanish marina might not be possible, either. Rogers Gut also comes to mind as a possible issue.

Good luck with your search!

WillJacocks · 27-06-2011, 13:42

Chances are you won't be able to reach docks/shores with the small craft route. Best to get the details on the route itself and maybe plan to have somebody shuttle you from anchor to the shore when you need to disembark. Cheers!

SabreKai · 27-06-2011, 14:36

I don't know if this is really applicable as I am not familiar with the small boat route, but the Grampian 26 I bought out of the Sound Boat Works in Perry Sound draws about 5'3" and it had a nice chunk about the size of my fist taken out of the botton corner of the leading edge of the fin. Solid cast iron, gone. Like a shark took a bite of it.

Lots of nasty granite out there, so you'll have to be very careful with a deeper draft.

Nomad57 · 27-06-2011, 15:53

Thanks for the replies, guys. I think we'll stick to the shoal draft. More's the pity. There's a nice boat up there that we would have liked to consider, but it's 6'3".

We've never run arock up there, even after they started moving/removing the markers, don't want to start now.

Nomad