9 Foot Draft in ICW ?

[capn_billl]

Back to the OP, more details please, WHy the ICW, Why the 9ft draft?

Is this a specific voyage? If you WANT to cruise the ICW, there are much more suitable boats to do it in.

[sailnautilus]

From practical experience, most cruisers avoid the ICW between Ft. Lauderdale through to Miami..... the number of bridges and the traffic is very dense.

You could do Norfolk to Miami in three offshore jumps; your biggest obstacle is the Gulf Stream. So you either stay real close to shore, or cross it and stay east of it. Many web sites have Gulf Stream information to aid you.
Fair Winds!!

[Lowcountry]

I would not even consider trying it.