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Old 19-05-2019, 01:32   #16
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

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Originally Posted by Pearson10M View Post
Hello All! Owning a sailing yacht has been a dream of mine for some years now. I watched every site that sold sailboats, read about them, priced sailing schools. I was getting ready...

Now I have done it. I bought a 1975 Pearson 10M, I have zero sailing experience, and need to fast track it The first hurdle is moving her to a new harbor.

The boat is currently on the Colorado River, 15 miles from the ICW. It is roughly 115 nautical miles to her new home in Kemah. If pressed, I think I can muddle my way through motoring down the ICW and finding my slip. Lots of concerns and questions, even with the easy route. Where is the channel deep enough for my 6' draft? How do I communicate with the locks? Are the bridges tall enough?
First congrats on the new toy! Pearson 10’s are fun boats.

I would suggest you leverage this into a learning experience.

First, but PAPER charts for the move. Why paper, because when you don’t know a lot about an area, they are the easiest way to learn a lot. Things like depth, channel markers, bridge clearances... and you can write notes on them. And they will have easy to find notes on how those locks work.

Second, you will need a deck hand at the locks.

Third, if the boat does not have one, buy a handheld VHF. If something happens to the main radio, it gives you a backup. It also lets you monitor two frequencies.

Fourth, make sure there is either a 12VDC plug or a USB plug.

Fifth, if you have a tablet put nav software on it.

Have fun sounds like an interesting trip.
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Old 19-05-2019, 09:15   #17
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

I have no advice about sailing in your location, but I can tell you that Pearson's of that era are great boats! You're gonna have a ball!
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Old 19-05-2019, 11:05   #18
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

Keep an anchor handy for kedging off. You'll need a dinghy to do that in water over your head. The first rule of the inter coastal is you will go aground, it's just a question of how many times. Kedging off is usually no big deal but you need to be able to do it.

Go to BoatUS and buy a tow policy. Should be around 150. Going any distance in an unknown boat can be difficult and one boat tow will cost you $500, BTDT.

With a decent weather forecast going outside even if you have to power the whole way is a whole lot less demanding.
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Old 19-05-2019, 11:37   #19
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

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Originally Posted by roverhi View Post
Keep an anchor handy for kedging off. You'll need a dinghy to do that in water over your head. The first rule of the inter coastal is you will go aground, it's just a question of how many times. Kedging off is usually no big deal but you need to be able to do it.

Go to BoatUS and buy a tow policy. Should be around 150. Going any distance in an unknown boat can be difficult and one boat tow will cost you $500, BTDT.
Truth to what roverhi said. Full time liveaboard and coastal cruiser here. Splurge for the the BoatUS Gold policy (Has paid for itself many times over in my case).

Bridges and Locks: VHF Ch. 13 in your area. A Google search for bridge and lock schedules will provide you with all the information that you need.

Pre-voyage maintenance (as laika stated): fuel, filters, oil, etc. Add to that a spare cooling pump impeller.

Tools onboard for any repairs? Battery(ies) condition? All safety gear onboard? Reliable bilge pumps? Nav lights operational? Enough dock lines and fenders? Food and beer? (you know, the important stuff).
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Old 19-05-2019, 13:06   #20
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

Sign up for Active Captain. If you have tablet, buy MXMariner, $5+ I think. It overlays the Active Captain stuff. As far as I can see, you will have to contact the East Colorado River lock and then the Galveston Island RR bridge. Check the chartplotter, does it show the ICW? There are some crazy turns that could be easy to miss.
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Old 19-05-2019, 13:07   #21
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

With a six foot draft, what marine are going into?
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Old 19-05-2019, 14:34   #22
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In Over My Head in Houston

When I bought our Boat, it had a chart plotter, but I never checked how far the chip covered, found out it ended about 5 miles south of Daytona, so I had to navigate and bring her around Fl to the Panhandle with a few paper charts and an iPhone.
Make sure you have tools and a few extra fuel filters, especially if it’s sat for a few years.
I had bugs in my fuel that repeatedly clogged the fuel line at the top of the tank in the elbow, never made it to the filter. Plan on having to motor the entire distance.

Even a slightly dirty bottom will slow you down tremendously, make it a pig.
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Old 20-05-2019, 10:30   #23
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

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Originally Posted by Snore View Post
First congrats on the new toy! Pearson 10’s are fun boats.

I would suggest you leverage this into a learning experience.

First, but PAPER charts for the move. Why paper, because when you don’t know a lot about an area, they are the easiest way to learn a lot. Things like depth, channel markers, bridge clearances... and you can write notes on them. And they will have easy to find notes on how those locks work.

Second, you will need a deck hand at the locks.

Third, if the boat does not have one, buy a handheld VHF. If something happens to the main radio, it gives you a backup. It also lets you monitor two frequencies.

Fourth, make sure there is either a 12VDC plug or a USB plug.

Fifth, if you have a tablet put nav software on it.

Have fun sounds like an interesting trip.
Paper charts are an interesting prospect...had not considered it.

Got a hand.

Bought a handheld since the primary radio on the boat is currently in-op.

Lots of 12v and they work!

No tablet, but has a Garmin chart plotter that works pretty well.
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Old 20-05-2019, 10:33   #24
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

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Originally Posted by roverhi View Post
Keep an anchor handy for kedging off. You'll need a dinghy to do that in water over your head. The first rule of the inter coastal is you will go aground, it's just a question of how many times. Kedging off is usually no big deal but you need to be able to do it.

Go to BoatUS and buy a tow policy. Should be around 150. Going any distance in an unknown boat can be difficult and one boat tow will cost you $500, BTDT.

With a decent weather forecast going outside even if you have to power the whole way is a whole lot less demanding.
No dinghy But we are not going the ICW route any longer.

Tow policy is a definite.

Weather is looking good later this week!
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Old 20-05-2019, 10:35   #25
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

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With a six foot draft, what marine are going into?
Watergate Marina has at least 20 boats I saw with deeper drafts (up to 7'2"!). They warned me about north winds, especially in winter time. If it proves to be a problem, I will just move elsewhere when the lease is up.
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Old 20-05-2019, 10:38   #26
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

-Get a waterway guide if there is one for that area. It will note bridge openings and heights etc.
-Make sure the VHF is working to open bridges. The guide will show what channel each bridge will monitor, they are not the same necessarily.
-Watch behind the boat, when you are near minimum depth the prop will churn up a stream of mud.
-Watch for your track drifting between channel markers, it happens fast... wind and current.
-Take binoculars.
-Make sure your depth sounder is working well, watch the trend... if it keep shallowing take another look.. are you in the mid channel? You may have to clean the face of the depth sender underwater before leaving. You may have to hunt around for depth as the waterways silt up and charts are not accurate forever.
-Buy towing insurance! Buy the top plan, the low cost plans are useless!
-Don't linger too close to bridges waiting for openings. The current gets fast under there and you lose control!
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Old 20-05-2019, 10:46   #27
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

I have decided against trying to navigate the ICW in favor of waiting for fair weather and sailing it in open water. The former owner has decided he can make the trip and wants to go. All it took was a visit to clean the boat and shake out the sails. As soon as we unfurled the jib, his eyes lit up. I think he wants one last trip and he certainly has the experience to do it as well as it can be done.

Just working on logistics now...
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Old 20-05-2019, 12:50   #28
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

The entrance of the Colorado is about 6'. I would hit it a high tide. I made this trip last year and the year before from Watergate to Freeport then down to Matagorda. I only draft 3.5 and it still worried me at times. We used both the gulf and ICW. With the combined trips we ran the ICW all the way and the gulf all the way.
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Old 21-05-2019, 17:03   #29
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

I'd rethink the Gulf. We are currently in Waterford. Our draft is 6'4". You are more than fine. The ICW is 15 feet. The only issues are the locks (you can call them for their status - as in "on the phone"), and the railroad bridge at Galveston. I've not made the trip recently, but I THINK it's fine. Unless there is high water on the river, or the locks are being repaired, you should be fine. We have a whole group of friends going to Offuts Bayou this weekend, and I've not heard of any problems for the railroad bridge. But you should check both.



The Houston Ship Channel is another issue: Stay on the right side of the channel, where the depth is 15' +/-. Don't play in the deep water where the ships are.



Have a good anchor and know how to use it, and a Sea Tow or Boats US towing policy. You will be just fine.
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Old 03-06-2019, 06:46   #30
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Re: In Over My Head in Houston

Many of us became cruising boat owners from a starting point of almost zero knowledge. My wife and I crossed the Gulf of Mexico from Kemah to Isla Mujeres with only a few day sails and one overnight sail under our belts. I would not recommend that, but for us it made more sense than growing old in Kemah.

For your route, if the depths and bridge heights are okay, you also need to be concerned about other traffic. Especially barges. I can't remember exactly where, but someplace close to Offat's Bayou (spelling? but it is near Galveston Island) the channel narrows and in effect becomes one-way. You should monitor the radio and announce your intention to go through the narrow channel to avoid a conflict with an oncoming barge. In general, get used to talking to barge skippers. Most are helpful, friendly, and a little bored. They also use the 1-whistle/2-whistle code for passing other boats, usually by radio (as in "pass you on the one" or "pass you on the two whistle", etc.).

When you get to Galveston Bay, stay far to the right of the ship channel. That way you are in water too shallow for barges and ships but still deep enough for you.

If you do go aground along the way (odds are you will) don't sweat it too much. Most of the bottom is soft. Just power off. If that doesn't work and conditions allow, unfurl your jenny to heel the boat a bit and then power off. If that doesn't work, try to kedge off and/or call for tow. And of course wait for the right tide, though tidal range is small in the GIWW.

You should be able to sail parts of the waterway--many stretches are dead straight, and if the wind is favorable there is no reason not to sail, provided you can control the boat at all times.

If you can find someone who has done it before to help out, it might reduce your anxiety load.

Last thought: If conditions are right, you can pop offshore for all or part of this trip. Beats motoring most of the way.

Enjoy it!
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