Ft. Pierce FL to Houston TX

[swabbmob]

I am considering moving my 46ft sailboat (6 1/2 ft draft) from Ft. Pierce to Houston. I'd love some examples of strategies to get there. Appreciate your experience!

[AnchorageGuy]

We did Marathon, FL to Houston and Houston to South Carolina with a 6 foot draft and yours would not present any problems using our route, which was all coastal. If you go to our Sea Trek blog and click on the cruising category, there is lots of info. Of course you can do lots or all offshore runs, it depends on what your comfortable with. Chuck

[swabbmob]

So, going from Fort Pierce to Marathon - How best to avoid Gulf Stream? Can one skip across toward the Bahamas? How close to the Fl coast can we sail to stay out of the stream?

[Canibul]

When we crossed from Lake Worth to Grand Bahama a couple months ago, the near edge of the Gulf Stream was 18 miles offshore. Plenty of room between the stream and the beach.

[djmarchand]

From Ft Pierce, sail down the coast about 3 miles offshore and you will be out of the Gulf Stream. You can day hop by ducking in at Lake Worth Inlet and Miami if you want. Then around the keys but outside in the Hawk Channel. Anchor behind Rodriguez Key, Marathon, Key West for day hopping. Then set sail for Galveston. The rumb line should avoid the stream but check before you go.

Your draft will be a bit of a problem, so check the charts carefully, particularly around Rodriquz Key. And it will possibly be a problem in Clear Lake if that is where you are going to keep the boat. Kemah Boardwalk Marina is one of the best for good depth.

David

[swabbmob]

Thanks! Very helpful. Glad to know there is enough buffer zone from the stream along there. Sounds like a great sail south to Marathon as long as no cold fronts whack me.

[Canibul]

I'm glad you asked about this, cause we're kinda interested in it, too. But more interested in sailing from the Caicos Islands to the Houston area. (family in Houston/Cypress/Katy). We're thinking of sailing up next summer and putting the boat on the hard at a yard somewhere in that vicinity. Then sailing it back in November. Are there good yards for storage through hurricane season?

Our present plan is to sail it up to around Ft. Lauderdale in July, then back to the TCI in November, but sailing to someplace in Texas would be a good option to consider. Save us the two way drive Ft.L to Houston and back.

This is all because the airlines won't take the dog as baggage in the summer.

[swabbmob]

I haven't researched the yards in Houston yet. Will be nice to get my boat out of the yard in Ft. Pierce that is for sure. I'm sure there will be some excellent recommendations from this forum.

[Cheechako]

It's a great sail south to as far as Biscayne... even just a half mile off the beach in most places. I did it with 6'5" draft... watch your charts and DS. The stream was no issue. However it can be quite close to Florida down Biscayne way. I thnk you will have to pass on going inside the Keys. Others have more experience with that though.... I would travel early on the east coast, as typical weather often seems to include thunderstorms dveloping out of almost nothing after 3pm....

[djmarchand]

Seabrook Shipyard would be a good choice to leave the boat on the hard for a while.

David

[ka4wja]

Swab,
In addition to my offshore sailing, I've sailed along the coast of FL, and to/from the Bahamas, since the 1960's.....and it isn't an issue staying out of the main axis of the Stream at al;, and/or using the Stream to your advantage!!!
(I currently sail out of the St. Lucie Inlet, just 20 miles south of you in Ft. Pierce....and my most recent trip to the Keys, in May, I found the Stream closer to shore than it is now...)
DJMarchand gave you some good info, but perhap I can clarify a bit....

Originally Posted by swabbmob

So, going from Fort Pierce to Marathon - How best to avoid Gulf Stream? Can one skip across toward the Bahamas? How close to the Fl coast can we sail to stay out of the stream?

Along the SE FL coast, the Stream does usually run almost due North, but it DOES move back and forth a bit hovering near (and just east of) 80*W.
So, here are some details that should help you out....


1) I usually sail south about 1.5 miles offshore, which keeps me east of most of the daytrippers, etc. and still west of the Stream....(but this all depends on where the Stream is when departing....)
As you can see from the Gulf Stream position data, it is usually only this 150 miles or so, from the St. Lucie Inlet down to Fowey Rocks, and then onto Marathon, that you need to hug the coastline to stay clear of the western wall of the Stream...


2) I have seen the western wall of the Stream as close as 1 mile off Fowey Rocks, Port Everglades, Lake Worth Inlet, and Jupiter Inlet...and as far as 10 - 20 miles off these locations....(with the central axis of the Stream usually just 5 - 10 miles further east...)
But, typically 5 - 8 miles off is the norm...


3) When heading to, or around, the Keys, once you pass the middle keys (Marathon, etc.) the Stream is still pushing from further south, so as you move past Marathon and Big Pine Key, you'll usually find the Stream to be further away and no issue at all....


4) The Gulf Stream position data (western wall and shoreside edge) is provided by the US Navy every few days, and is disseminated by the NWS/NOAA (both on-line and on the NOAA VHF Weather Radio Broadcasts in S. FL...)
Listen to the weather chanels on your VHF and you'll get this info all along you route from Ft. Pierce thru SW FL....
Ft. Pierce = WX ch. 4 (162.425mhz)
WPB = WX ch. 3 (162.475mhz)
Miami = WX ch. 1 (162.550mhz)
Biscayne = WX ch. 4 (162.425mhz)
Middel Keys = WX ch. 5 (162.450mhz)
Key West = WX Ch. 2 (162.400mhz)
Naples = WX ch. 7 (162.525mhz)



5) Here is this Friday's data....
THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE WEST WALL OF THE GULF STREAM FROM FRIDAY AUGUST 24TH...
18 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF FORT PIERCE INLET.
10 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF SAINT LUCIE INLET.
13 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF JUPITER INLET.
6 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF LAKE WORTH.
9 NAUTICAL MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF PORT EVERGLADES.
7 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF FOWEY ROCKS.


Due to this weekend's Hurricane warnings for the Keys, there wasn't any current Gulf Stream data for the Keys...but typical positions are about 4 - 8 miles off Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, etc....(typically about the same distance off as from Fowey Rocks...)
{As an example here are the locations from my most recent trip south, back in May, when the Stream was a bit closer....
24 NM SOUTH OF DRY TORTUGAS LIGHT...ON LOGGERHEAD KEY.
26 NM SOUTH OF COSGROVE SHOAL LIGHT...OFF THE MARQUESAS KEYS.
38 NM SOUTH OF SAND KEY LIGHT...OFF KEY WEST.
9 NM SOUTH OF LOOE KEY...OFF BIG PINE KEY.
7 NM SOUTH OF SOMBRERO KEY LIGHT...OFF MARATHON.
3 NM SOUTHEAST OF ALLIGATOR REEF LIGHT...OFF ISLAMORADA.
6 NM SOUTHEAST OF MOLASSES REEF LIGHT...OFF KEY LARGO.
4 NM EAST OF CARYSFORT REEF LIGHT...OFF OCEAN REEF.....}




I do hope this helps...

John
s/v Annie Laurie

[capn_billl]

I hope the OP didn't decide to go this week....

[swabbmob]

John, What a valuable lesson on the Stream! Much appreciated. This is all learnng/planning for a future trip. Rest assured, I'll do it after hurricane season.

Another friend of mine told me today that you can even get the benefit of a counter current when sailing closer to shore, in 30 to 50 ft water depth.

Thanks all!

[ka4wja]

Swab,
Yes, staying a mile, to mile and a half, offshore, will typically keep you in 30' to 50' of water, and this IS both what I do and what I recommend....

Originally Posted by swabbmob

Another friend of mine told me today that you can even get the benefit of a counter current when sailing closer to shore, in 30 to 50 ft water depth.

And, while I've heard the same thing, from so many "experts" over the years....in all these years (starting back as a kid in the early-mid 60's) of sailing/boating in SE FL, the Bahamas, etc....I've never found this "counter current"....
But heck, just staying OUT OF the Stream when heading south is what is important!!

So good luck and fair winds....

John
s/v Annie Laurie