ICW with 7 1/2 Foot Keel - Piece of Cake

[a64pilot]

Not trying to be cute, but I've only mostly run the western side of Fl., and have bumped way more than twice.
By pure luck though I have yet to call for a tow.
Closest to harm for me was just south of that key outside of Tarpon springs Anclote Key I think its called, I bumped a few times with enough seas that I'm afraid she would have been damaged if I ran aground, and the chart showed much deeper than actual, lot of shoaling around there.
Just looked chart shows 9.8 ft, I draw 5 and was bumping.

Then coming out of Marathon, we ran for miles with one or two feet under the keel, made me a nervous wreck, I had all of about four or five days experience in a Sailboat.
However I ran into a cruiser in the mooring field in Key West, that said he drew 9 feet, I have no idea how he got in, by Braille I guess. So some can do it.

[TJ D]

Hey, this thread makes me grateful to have a 10' draft!

We have no ICW issues whatsoever...

[Jim Cate]

Folk wisdom can be misleading...

When we were trying to sell our previous boat in the Brisbane (Australia) area, we were told by many prospective customers that her 7'2" draft made her impossible to sail in Moreton Bay. We would point out that we had been doing so for over a decade at that point. Their universal reaction was disbelief, for they KNEW it was impossible without constant grounding. She eventually sold to a Dutchman who had not been briefed on these truths.

And FWIW, Insatiable II (with the same draft) still plies these waters as we traverse the area, and I-one, in the hands of yet another owner, is home based in Manly and actively sailed. But, the "impossible" attitude still prevails in the area.

Jim

[puffcard]

I hit going down the ditch with 4' 2", good job. But I don't pay attention all the time, little ADD.

[carstenb]

So we exited at Norfolk and have had no problems.

In total 465 st. miles from Charleston SC. Some on here claim that that is only a small piece of the ICW, or the easiest part. The reaction we had from dockmasters at the marinas we stayed in ranged from

"How did you get that thing in here?"
to

"I'm seriously impressed"

Actually the only really difficult part was finding a pace to stay ar night . anchorages are few and far between when you ahve 7.5 feet and the marians that can take us are also few - we stood on the keel a couple of times during low tide.

So we do think it was a piec of cake. WE'll be going the other way in the fall and go all the way to Ft. Lauderdale - I'll let you all know how that went after we di.

And if any of you feel I've shamed you - well I apologize.

[JPA Cate]

Good on ya, Carsten and Vini, keep up the good work.

Ann & Jim

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Folk wisdom can be misleading...

When we were trying to sell our previous boat in the Brisbane (Australia) area, we were told by many prospective customers that her 7'2" draft made her impossible to sail in Moreton Bay. We would point out that we had been doing so for over a decade at that point. Their universal reaction was disbelief, for they KNEW it was impossible without constant grounding. She eventually sold to a Dutchman who had not been briefed on these truths.

And FWIW, Insatiable II (with the same draft) still plies these waters as we traverse the area, and I-one, in the hands of yet another owner, is home based in Manly and actively sailed. But, the "impossible" attitude still prevails in the area.

Jim

Funny, but in Bundaberg after the port to port rally, I spent quite a bit of time trying to convince monohull owners they could get down the Sandy straits. The alternative is a long sail north to get round breaksea spit, before they even start sailing south.

Being from the area I was asked to give advice on the GSS.

I pointed out the +3 metre tides, and that the straits never dry out, so there's a guaranteed +3 m of water all the way, and the fact that the only two shallow bits are close together so easy to clear on one tide.

None of them had more than 2.5 m draught.

Some of them still went round Fraser.

[BandB]

Let's back up a bit to the title and the first post in the thread. Piece of Cake implies to me that it's easy and no worry. I don't think that was the case at all. I believe an experienced boater like the OP was able to do it and suffer no damage doing so from Charleston to Norfolk. However, in the first post he indicates he touched twice in Jeremy Creek.

Even the "easy" area between Charleston and Norfolk isn't easy for a less experienced boater who isn't as good at using tides and depth sounder and observation in shallower areas.

But then that brings us the rest of the ICW. It can be done in SC south of Charleston and in GA, but the stretch from Charleston into Florida presents far more challenges than the stretch the OP covered, but could be done using the extreme tide changes. Similarly, running the ICW in New Jersey with that draft would be extremely difficult, but you don't have the extreme tides to help as much. Then that doesn't even get to the Gulf ICW where 7 1/2 ft would face far more challenges.

I'd rather think of the topic as "How I successfully ran the ICW from Charleston to Norfolk" with a 7 1/2' draft and as a map into how it can be done, not into calling it easy or a piece of cake.

Now, I'm equally bothered by those who tell us all what can or can't be done without experience in the applicable area. We were told by many that we wouldn't be able to find dock space doing the Great Loop with a 69' boat but we never had a problem. We were also warned about our 5' draft. We've heard many warn against the Bahamas with over a 5' draft but we go regularly with a 6'6" draft. We were told we'd never be able to get places on the west coast of FL due to boat size.

As to the ICW, the deepest draft we've cruised it with is 6' 6". However, we greatly prefer to run outside with that and primarily only cover short stretches of ICW with it. We've gone into Brunswick Landing, Brunswick, GA with it with no problem. However, unless we absolutely had to we would not choose to go from Brunswick south to Fernandina or Brunswick north to Savannah via ICW.

The area the OP covered is all possible. We have sonar in addition to depth sounders and know some of the area well. He made it with minimal trouble, but I'd still advise less experienced boaters to be extremely careful in taking on the task. The area he touched in Jeremy Creek has shoaling that is changing regularly. Much of the area changed with Hurricane Matthew. We choose to run from Charleston to Georgetown outside. Inside, there are regularly boats running aground with less draft than the OP.

So, I think the posts are good and it's helpful to show what can be done and how, but don't think it's easy and all should do it.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Funny, but in Bundaberg after the port to port rally, I spent quite a bit of time trying to convince monohull owners they could get down the Sandy straits. The alternative is a long sail north to get round breaksea spit, before they even start sailing south.

Being from the area I was asked to give advice on the GSS.

I pointed out the +3 metre tides, and that the straits never dry out, so there's a guaranteed +3 m of water all the way, and the fact that the only two shallow bits are close together so easy to clear on one tide.

None of them had more than 2.5 m draught.

Some of them still went round Fraser.

Well, whaddya expect,44? No self respecting mono sailor will take advice from a catamaran skipper!! But in our case, it was advice from an honest half boat owner...

Seriously, I've had the same reaction to advice about traversing the Broadwater into Moreton Bay. The old shoal area around Jacobs Well has been kept fairly well dredged for some years now, but some folks still won't dare that passage with even 6+ feet draft. For larger boats, the overhead high tension lines with advertised 20.3 meter clearance requires careful consideration. Getting that wrong can't be cured by calling SeaTow or the Jaobs Well VMR!

I don't think either of these passages have the challlenges that the ICW presents, but the attitudes can still be compared usefully.

Jim

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by BandB

Let's back up a bit to the title and the first post in the thread. Piece of Cake implies to me that it's easy and no worry. I don't think that was the case at all. I believe an experienced boater like the OP was able to do it and suffer no damage doing so from Charleston to Norfolk. However, in the first post he indicates he touched twice in Jeremy Creek.

Even the "easy" area between Charleston and Norfolk isn't easy for a less experienced boater who isn't as good at using tides and depth sounder and observation in shallower areas.

But then that brings us the rest of the ICW. It can be done in SC south of Charleston and in GA, but the stretch from Charleston into Florida presents far more challenges than the stretch the OP covered, but could be done using the extreme tide changes. Similarly, running the ICW in New Jersey with that draft would be extremely difficult, but you don't have the extreme tides to help as much. Then that doesn't even get to the Gulf ICW where 7 1/2 ft would face far more challenges.

I'd rather think of the topic as "How I successfully ran the ICW from Charleston to Norfolk" with a 7 1/2' draft and as a map into how it can be done, not into calling it easy or a piece of cake.

Now, I'm equally bothered by those who tell us all what can or can't be done without experience in the applicable area. We were told by many that we wouldn't be able to find dock space doing the Great Loop with a 69' boat but we never had a problem. We were also warned about our 5' draft. We've heard many warn against the Bahamas with over a 5' draft but we go regularly with a 6'6" draft. We were told we'd never be able to get places on the west coast of FL due to boat size.

As to the ICW, the deepest draft we've cruised it with is 6' 6". However, we greatly prefer to run outside with that and primarily only cover short stretches of ICW with it. We've gone into Brunswick Landing, Brunswick, GA with it with no problem. However, unless we absolutely had to we would not choose to go from Brunswick south to Fernandina or Brunswick north to Savannah via ICW.

The area the OP covered is all possible. We have sonar in addition to depth sounders and know some of the area well. He made it with minimal trouble, but I'd still advise less experienced boaters to be extremely careful in taking on the task. The area he touched in Jeremy Creek has shoaling that is changing regularly. Much of the area changed with Hurricane Matthew. We choose to run from Charleston to Georgetown outside. Inside, there are regularly boats running aground with less draft than the OP.

So, I think the posts are good and it's helpful to show what can be done and how, but don't think it's easy and all should do it.

I wrote "piece of cake" because as noted we really didn't ahve any major problems - but also because like Jim CAte - I'm tired of reading that anything deeper than 5 feet will get hopelessly stuck , never to emerge.

We looked longingly at the Dismal Swamp cut, but we don't feel there is any way for us to do it. Even if we could get our 7.5 foot draft down it, our 60 foot air draft wouldn't get through - so that's an experience we'll have to only think about.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by carstenb

I wrote "piece of cake" because as noted we really didn't ahve any major problems - but also because like Jim CAte - I'm tired of reading that anything deeper than 5 feet will get hopelessly stuck , never to emerge.

We looked longingly at the Dismal Swamp cut, but we don't feel there is any way for us to do it. Even if we could get our 7.5 foot draft down it, our 60 foot air draft wouldn't get through - so that's an experience we'll have to only think about.

Let's toss out another area too. You're not yet to it. The NJ ICW. Shoaling reported by Waterway Guide at Miles 5, 17, 29.5, 31, 46, 53, 57, and 60 so pretty much everywhere and I know someone who just went from Cape May to Atlantic City by ICW and touched twice with a draft of 3' 6". Not I would attribute their touching to shoaling but also to lack of experience.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by BandB

Let's toss out another area too. You're not yet to it. The NJ ICW. Shoaling reported by Waterway Guide at Miles 5, 17, 29.5, 31, 46, 53, 57, and 60 so pretty much everywhere and I know someone who just went from Cape May to Atlantic City by ICW and touched twice with a draft of 3' 6". Not I would attribute their touching to shoaling but also to lack of experience.

I believe Carsten is heading outside to Sandy Hook. The ICW has been shallow forever in NJ.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, whaddya expect,44? No self respecting mono sailor will take advice from a catamaran skipper!!

Jim

I think there was a bit of that too. Tried telling them we'd done it quite a few times in our mono but...

[Cheechako]

I had 6'-5" draft and traveled south from Morehead City NC. I plowed a lot, you could see the mud/silt behind the boat. Every once in a while it would go "bump" and then go thru. Further south, I ran hard aground 3 times. Once needed a tow off. Get towing insurance and get the gold plan or better. The last time I ran aground, it was on hard sand instead of the usual mud. The tow-er said he would make one more attempt and after that it would be a "salvage" tow. He put line to the masthead as well, heeled us well over and dragged me off, bumping along the way.

[Jason Flare]

I was wondering, Carsten, if your speed slowed down a few times as your keel dragged through the soft mud.

And no, dragging through the mud would not be considered a grounding in my book.