Deep Draft - Tall rig, Ft Lauderdale to Tampa Route and Anchorages

[JL-SWFL]

My girl and I just purchased a 47 ft sailboat, it's a deep draft drawing 7'6". We have a small window of time where we can get it from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa. Being that this is the maiden voyage - shake down cruise, we plan on taking it slow and playing it safe.

We're scheduled to leave Tue am the 30th and we're looking for suggestions and or input on deep anchoring and route suggestions for the trip south to the keys and back up the west coast of Fl to Tampa.

[skipmac]

Hi JL and welcome to the forum.

First question, how tall is the mast. The Julia Tuttle bridge in Miami is only 56' so to go inside the ICW you have to clear that. Otherwise the standard clearance is supposed to be 65' min and usually is.

You say you have a short window of time but you plan to take it slow. Seems somewhat contradictory. Maybe some more details. Do you plan on day sails only or will you do any overnights.

[JL-SWFL]

Thanks for the reply SkipMac

The mast is 72' so we had planned on exiting Ft Lauderdale at Port everglade, staying outside the ICW and rounding KW and heading back North. We only plan to daysail it and hopefully find some decent anchorages early each afternoon

I should have clarified that "the short window of time' a little better, it was just a reference to how little time we had to get ready prior to leaving and to make sure the boat was solid before we heading out. We just got the boat on a short sale from the bank and we literally had a week (this tue) to get it off the dock in Ft Lauderdale.

At this point, I'm more familiar with the boat than I am with the waters around the keys and or/ deep water anchorages on either coast. Given the draft we have I'm more than sure our options will be limited.

[Muaddib1116]

Sorry, I don't have any help to give, just spectating. What boat did you buy?

[LoudMusic]

Doing day passages only with that draft and air draft might make it difficult, but I think you can do it.

First stop maybe Marine Stadium in Miami? You can get in without any bridges at all. Anchor near the mouth of the area as it gets shallow the further in you go. You could leave the way you came in or go south under a 76' bridge.

Second stop I'd make is Marathon. Enter and exit with no bridges. Check depths, though! Or anchor outside to the south/west of the key. It's deeper water but super exposed.

Key West has no bridges to be concerned about. You can anchor west or east of Fleming Key. East side of Fleming Key also has a large mooring field operated by the city marina.

Those are the three places we spent several nights at with our catamaran. Though we are only a 4' draft so I wasn't watching for the same depths you are.

Regardless of your anchorages, watch for crab pot floats along that route! They are EVERYWHERE. Tens of thousands of them.

[skipmac]

Yep 72' will keep you outside most of the trip. Haven't make the trip in a while nor looked at the charts for draft that deep but pretty sure 7'6 will limit you to Hawk Channel as well.

It has been a few years since I made the trip from Key West up to Ft Lauderdale and draft was under 6' but I recall I really had to search to find places to anchor. The problem is in the normal east trade winds and accompanying waves that predominate in that area so the string of keys, especially on the north end before the chain starts curving west, is all a lee shore so no protection for anchoring.

South from Lauderdale Miami for anchoring could be a problem. Charts show 7' in several places going to the Marine Stadium anchorage. Active Captain shows a deeper anchorage closer to the inlet at Fisher's Island. Grassy bottom and reversing currents so hopefully the boat comes with a new gen anchor.

South from Miami the options are slim. First possible stops I recall would be halfway down Key Largo behind Rodriquez or Tavernier Keys. Either gives a slight lee but both are open to the NE. After that you have a few more options but still most fairly open.

Once you round Key West that is unknown to me until you reach Marco Island and north. One option that I've done a number of times, in settled weather and the normal east winds just pull up as close as reasonable to the beach and anchor.

[tkeithlu]

When you get on the west side of the Keys, you'll have to swing wide, with your next good inlets being Sanibel Island and then Tampa.

General comment: This sounds like a very ambitious shake down cruise. You don't say anything about your prior boats or experience, or about the condition of this new purchase. You've got a bunch of stuff working against you - against the Gulf Stream, limited ports to stop and regroup, a long distance and you say a limited window, and hurricane season. Shake down cruises usually involve very limited goals and lots of opportunites to stop and make repairs. Are you up for this?

Good luck with it.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

When you get on the west side of the Keys, you'll have to swing wide, with your next good inlets being Sanibel Island and then Tampa.

General comment: This sounds like a very ambitious shake down cruise. You don't say anything about your prior boats or experience, or about the condition of this new purchase. You've got a bunch of stuff working against you - against the Gulf Stream, limited ports to stop and regroup, a long distance and you say a limited window, and hurricane season. Shake down cruises usually involve very limited goals and lots of opportunites to stop and make repairs. Are you up for this?

Good luck with it.

Agree. Recent history and use of the boat could be critical. If it has been sitting for a while and condition of the fuel tanks and the fuel in them could be a concern.

I would bring along at least half dozen filters for just in case unless that issue had been carefully addressed.

[dennismenace111]

With a boat that size, Id get a few more crew and do it non stop.. 2 days to Key West and 2 or 3 days up to Tampa.

Ive always done it the reverse order, from St. Pete To Ft Lauderdale in SORC races in January, in the cold and wet...

[CaptainMikeTEYC]

I would suggest some day sails and overnights on the hook around Mia/FLL to get s feel for reliability and real world checks. Maybe even have a local captain go with you to Key West then send him bk. Might make you sleep better

[s/v Moondancer]

I live overlooking the ICW in Biscayne Bay and have sailed Miami to Key West many times including with my Tayana 55, 76 ft mast and 7ft 9 draft.

Go outside and then down Hawke's Channel or between the 100 and 200ft line on the outside of the outer reef all the way to Key West. I prefer going outside the reef but close in where the northerly stream is weak, Hawke's Channel requires that you pay attention. Inside you can anchor anywhere but where there is reef or power boat traffic, nothing is particularly protected and getting close to land requires attention to detail, holding is usually bad to awful. I used to pick up the commercial dive boat moorings on the outer reef, 7pm to 7am.

I have no knowledge of Key West to Tampa

[CaptDHill]

I a have run that route a number of times from FTL to St Pete and often on to northern Gulf. We run a boat with 10’ draft and 100’ air draft. We go straight from FTL to Key West staying outside of Hawk Channel. It’s a short run. We then go from Key West to St Petersburg which is another short run.

If the city marina is reopened at KW Bight, depth is sufficient there. They don’t have room for our 124’ without calling ahead, but they usually have plenty of room including slips for boats under 50’. You can anchor as well with your draft. Enter the south channel, and you can easily leave through the north channel. Ships enter the south channel of course, and north channel has a draft mostly in the teens.

Many 47’ vessels can cut through at Marathon but not if you truly need 72’ clearance. The Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon has 65 clearance.

I’m curious what 47 foot boat has a 72’ mast. This is unusual unless you have antenna in addition. You might want to see if you can find your specific boat at SailBoatData.com. Look for your P dimension and figure the difference.

Personally, I would take a measurement myself if I was told the mast is 72’ on a 47’ boat. Although, it is certainly possible. It would be good to know for sure though. I ran a 53’ Nautor Swan which had about 72+/-. So 72’ on 47 is possible but not real common. I would still want to confirm though for certainty. Just something additional to consider.
A two legged route for that run is still what I would do though especially if you have a limited time window. Find an appropriate weather window. Weather could very well dictate your time, but only two legs will shorten the overall run.

[Scaramanga F25]

Ft Lauderdale inlet to Miami inlet anchor just inside, downtown.
Miami to Key West.
Key West to Tampa Bay inlet. Take the Ship Channel, watch the depth to your destination.

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Ft Lauderdale inlet to Miami inlet anchor just inside, downtown.
Miami to Key West.
Key West to Tampa Bay inlet. Take the Ship Channel, watch the depth to your destination.

Or you could "take it slow, play it safe" and enjoy it. -

Jim SV GAIA

[mokkerse]

I agree youll need to stay at least in the Hawk channel or outside until you reach Key West. Its a long enough trip that you will need to stop in say Rodriquez key to do it in the daylight hours.Key West to at least Marco Island will be about a 10 to 12 hour hard run. and I'd HIGHLY caution entering Marco Island in the dark or at any low tide. Stay well south of green marker #5 if you go in there as it has bad shoaling about a third into the channel. You can go in to Fort Myers Beach if you stay at a marina NORTH of the bridge to the mooring fields and not much to anchor in there with your draft. Next entrance is Boca Grand where you will have to Anchor. Venice may be your next opportunity to get in then pretty much a run to Tampa from there. We draw 6' in our Passport 41 and are very wary of the depths on the Gulf side. But our mast is 62' so we never have an issue with 65' bridges. Hope this helps.