Key Biscayne Bay tips

[smj]

Originally Posted by ricoblanco

hehe the 37+ (in my opinion anyway are fast fun sleek and sexy

At least you will look good while aground waiting on a tow! But seriously, as others have said shallow draft will open you up to some of the best cruising grounds in the US.

[ricoblanco]

Originally Posted by smj

At least you will look good while aground waiting on a tow! But seriously, as others have said shallow draft will open you up to some of the best cruising grounds in the US.

lol being towed with fashion ; )

[jkishel]

The bay between the Rickenbacker Causeway and the Featherbeds is fine for daysailing with a 7'6" draft, but there is a lot more to South Florida sailing than that. South of the Featherbeds your options and margin for error will be reduced substantially. Places like Boca Chita, Cutter Banks, Card Sound, Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound and Angelfish Creek will be difficult or impossible. Even on the outside in Hawk's Channel you will be limited in your ability to anchor at places like Rodriguez and Long Key. Likewise in the Bahamas, especially Abacos and the Exhumas, you will likely find yourself wishing for a shallower draft.

[captstu]

I sailed the bay in a 36 Pearson with a 4 foot draft plus center board for years. It is possible to sail without difficulty. However I wanted to go into interesting places and explore so I always let my center board down to serve as the ultimate depth finder. After a few years of not being able to go where I wanted to go, I sold her and bought a catamaran.

18 inches with a 3 foot center board. I went anywhere I wanted to go. If you want to sail back-and-forth in the bay you may be OK, but if you wanna be an explorer in the bay you need much less draft.

[ricoblanco]

I'm sooo thankful for all your feedback guys... I guess this is why we call it a community : )

[KBDick]

A 5 ft draft is ideal for Biscayne Bay and the Bahamas based on my 42 years of sailing on the Bay. I have been on the Crandon marina wait list for 4 years and still more than years away from a slip. Many good 5 ft draft sailboats available
So why get a deep draft? I have a Sigma 41 with a cb and draft of 5.5 ft which
works well on the Bay or offshore. Welcome to Bay!

[ricoblanco]

Originally Posted by KBDick

A 5 ft draft is ideal for Biscayne Bay and the Bahamas based on my 42 years of sailing on the Bay. I have been on the Crandon marina wait list for 4 years and still more than years away from a slip. Many good 5 ft draft sailboats available
So why get a deep draft? I have a Sigma 41 with a cb and draft of 5.5 ft which
works well on the Bay or offshore. Welcome to Bay!

Yes I am now trying to look for other options

Eric ; )

[Belezar]

Anything in that area and the ICW over 6 ft is iffy. Plenty of places to go, but plenty of places you can’t go, including some of the cuts to the outside. Understand grounding rules in Fl is important. Once you get south of Biscayne Bay grounding can be big deal. Huge fines and big waits if you need help. Tow companies have to get permission to move you. DAMHIK

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by ricoblanco

hehe the 37+ (in my opinion anyway are fast fun sleek and sexy

You didn't mention your budget. For me the best boat for that area would be an F-boat (Ian Farrier) trimaran if you want fast with no draft issues. While not really a live aboard, they do have enough space for a couple to do over niters in relative comfort and they can be trailered inland during hurricane season fairly easily and cheaply - can't do that with a C&C. Given your proximity to the Keys and Bahamas, sooner or later you'll learn to hate that deep draft.

[floydmiami1]

Nope don’t buy it, take it from a former Quebecer who’s spent the last 35 years in and around key Biscayne.It can be done but why? You have Biscayne bay and all it’s islands, the keys at your doorstep and 42 nautical miles across the Gulf Stream the first islands of the Bahamas all which are so much easier with max 6’ draft preferably under 5’ the best boats I’ve owned in that area were center boarders with less than 4’ with the board up.

[garychurch]

You will be unhappily limited in access to many locations on the ICW as well as in the Keys and Bahamas.

As mentioned access becomes less constraining the less your draft. I would look for a shoal draft of 5’ or less. May be hard to find but gas its rewards.

[cottonsail]

I owned a 37+ C & C. Fast, sexy but poorly built. Backstay chainplate failures are common. Tableing between the bulkheads and the hull are spotty at best. The connection was a 2 or 3" piece of fiberglass, then a space of a foot or so then another piece of glass. It should be completely glassed in. I would not own one again.

[Ken Z]

That is a big draft for fl.. Not to say its not doable, I wouldn t buy any boat over a 5’ draft for fl, and less is best.

[sophiedaisey]

Was just sailing there for a few days with a 5’4”draft and even that was limiting. Would choose something else for the bay and eventual Bahamas and Keys.

[cottonsail]

I need to add that my 37+ had a centerboard. Board up draft was 4'10", board down draft was 8'3".