Crew Wanted: Tampa Bay to New Orleans... ASAP

[bbbbbguy]

I'm looking for experienced crew for a short trip from St. Petersburg Municipal Marina to New Orleans. The trip will begin as soon as I get 2 or 3 crew to make the trip.

Here's the catch... I am looking for sailors with some experience. I just brought the 44' Fountaine Pajot catamaran from Curacao to St Pete. In the trip, I managed to lose one of the engines and the other saildrive. Because of this, I will tow the boat out of the marina, then it's the 1600's all over again... all sail, no motor. I have to take the boat to NOLA because it's the closest place I have found to have the boat hauled for the repairs (DIY yard).

The boat just made the 1800 miles without any other issues. The boat is competent, as is the skipper. The stbd engine was pulled, and junked with the rod hanging out the side. The other saildrive was cracked when it sucked up a piece of floating debris. Ah... life afloat!

I want to leave as soon as the crew is assembled. I will assume all boat costs including food. You are responsible for anything outside of that. You are also responsible for your travel costs.

If you are interested, please shoot me an email. Please no drunkards, druggies, or convicts!

Thanks... Capt. Dave

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bbbbbguy

I'm looking for experienced crew for a short trip from St. Petersburg Municipal Marina to New Orleans. The trip will begin as soon as I get 2 or 3 crew to make the trip.

Here's the catch... I am looking for sailors with some experience. I just brought the 44' Fountaine Pajot catamaran from Curacao to St Pete. In the trip, I managed to lose one of the engines and the other saildrive. Because of this, I will tow the boat out of the marina, then it's the 1600's all over again... all sail, no motor. I have to take the boat to NOLA because it's the closest place I have found to have the boat hauled for the repairs (DIY yard).

The boat just made the 1800 miles without any other issues. The boat is competent, as is the skipper. The stbd engine was pulled, and junked with the rod hanging out the side. The other saildrive was cracked when it sucked up a piece of floating debris. Ah... life afloat!

I want to leave as soon as the crew is assembled. I will assume all boat costs including food. You are responsible for anything outside of that. You are also responsible for your travel costs.

If you are interested, please shoot me an email. Please no drunkards, druggies, or convicts!

Thanks... Capt. Dave

Aw gee -- I'm out on all three counts!

[UnExCorp]

Sorry,

But, the 3rd One got me too - "I'm out!"

[WillJacocks]

Oh man! Not experienced enough here! Good luck captain!

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by WillJacocks

Oh man! Not experienced enough here! Good luck captain!

That's my real reason (I could hide the needles and hide the bottles!) but I have no catamaran experience.

[FLLCatsailor]

This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen... There is so much traffic around the oil fields, an with no engine to charge the batteries you are going to be sitting in te dark waiting to get run down... I wouldn't skipper a boat on that trip in this condition even if it was 500 bucks a day...

[Target9000]

The Rigolettes will be unforgiving with no motor and the bridge there can be treacherous. Strong currents. It is also prone to failures in which you'll have to wait for it to open for long long periods. Be prepared to anchor if the bridge isn't working. There are several other bridges you'll have to wait for as well. Don't attempt to cross any of them during rush hour traffic. They all answer VHF.

Coming through the middle ground of the lake will also be problematic if the winds are not cooperative. You have about 30 ft on either side or you'll ground. When passing the middle ground try to hug the markers.

If you stay near the ICW on the approach we haven't found the rigs too bad if you do it during daylight, but I can't speak for much of the gulf.

I would seriously consider getting at least one functional engine before attempting to transit the bridges that lead into the lake.

[Target9000]

I suppose the alternative would be to traverse the ICW and transit the Industrial canal. The bridge is now open, however, that would be a very long haul under tow.

Hope this helps.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Target9000

The Rigolettes will be unforgiving with no motor and the bridge there can be treacherous. Strong currents. It is also prone to failures in which you'll have to wait for it to open for long long periods. Be prepared to anchor if the bridge isn't working. There are several other bridges you'll have to wait for as well. Don't attempt to cross any of them during rush hour traffic. They all answer VHF.

Coming through the middle ground of the lake will also be problematic if the winds are not cooperative. You have about 30 ft on either side or you'll ground. When passing the middle ground try to hug the markers.

If you stay near the ICW on the approach we haven't found the rigs too bad if you do it during daylight, but I can't speak for much of the gulf.

I would seriously consider getting at least one functional engine before attempting to transit the bridges that lead into the lake.

There's no way to do this work in the Tampa area?

[zeehag]

oops duplicated due to bad wifi signals

[zeehag]

the sailing part will be fun. very do able across the gom.
aim at pascagoula from tampa bay--that was our last course across, there is a good entrance to mississippi sound there, and good wind all the way to the sound. then short distance to rigolets.
rigolets will be a bitch without an engine--if possible, find an ob you could use for the kick thru there and bridges??

[bobconnie]

If your dingy has enough motor, you could make the bridges in Lake Ponchatrain ok, but thats not your only problem, the winds on the lake can be fluky, and often blow the wrong way for what ya want to do! And if your going up the ICW to your yard, then you really got a BIG problem. And why the heck are ya going all that way? theres at least 10 yards you could use long before ya ever even get close to NOLA. I sure would try moveing your boat with your dink before ya take off on this trip! The gulf and the approchs to the all the harbors along the way are a bunch trickier then sailing across open water !! just my 2 cents and Ive done sone Lake P sailing and used the canals your gonna have to use

[Murray Miller]

Whats the name of thr DIY yard in NOLA? Made several Gulf crossings. The fun starts when you get in MS Sound and try to run the ICW. You really need some type of power to make it thru the Rigolets into Lake Ponchatrain as well as the ICW. There is barge traffic to deal with. Good luck

[zeehag]

there are a few of them there--one in lake catherine, and another in slidell...more also but i am not sure where they are--all in shallow water with channels that twist and turn...
arent there do it yourself yards in florida?????

[bbbbbguy]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have a rigged 18hp outboard for propulsion, and a friend standing by with his 24 power boat.