Sailing to Key west from Miami vis Hank Channel

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

Thanks for the input ref Angelfish. Cannot cross even at high tide? What would be the southest possible place to cross then? Thank

I will not try it with a 6'
5' is a maximum

[Krogensailor]

If memory serves me, that would be channel 5 at long key. I would go down the inside to 5 and then go outside to Marathon and then to KW

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

If memory serves me, that would be channel 5 at long key. I would go down the inside to 5 and then go outside to Marathon and then to KW

Better go hawk channel with a 6' from miami
You cannot go through tavernier and islamorada with a 6'
Already quite difficult with a 5'

[MartinBoyer]

Can I make it inside on the Intercoastal up to channel 5 with 50 feet mast and 6 feet draft and cross to Hawk channel?

Thanks again for this info it is very usefull

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

Can I make it inside on the Intercoastal up to channel 5 with 50 feet mast and 6 feet draft and cross to Hawk channel? Thanks again for this info it is very usefull

Just what I was saying in my preceding post, you can't.
There is shallow of less than 5' deep between tavernier and islamorada
Get out to hawk channel at miami
It´s a nice ride with no problem
One day to rodriguez, second up to marathon and third to kw

[ShaktiGurl]

That draft might be tough at times. We didn't have a lot of extra water with a 4.5 draft. Channel 5 entrance is no problem but others are pretty shallow at entrances. Bridges along intercoastal route are 65' so not a problem.

[bloodline]

I left key largo around 0830 and tied up in key west at dark thirty. On the way back north, we left kW at 0700 and passed ft. Lauderdale at 0130. So, I guess it was about 17 hours to Miami. Unfortunately, most of it was under power. Bene 37. No wind except in squalls. TS Andrea was forming on top of us.

Hawk channel is very easy and depending on the season, it may or may not be riddled with lobster pots. All the pots were on the hill last June.

Once north of key largo, the reef deepens a bit and the subsequent shelter from ocean waves inside hawk channel lessens a good bit. Keep that in mind if it's rough and particularly if it's rough and dark. There are a few lit channels and all the lights from Miami added to it can make that area interesting at midnight with good viz.

With a 6' draft, you will need to carefully plan any stops along the keys.

[MartinBoyer]

Thanks this is very good input.

Can we use the white park bouay to anker over night like the ones around the under water Christ or I am better of to anker behind Rodriguez island?

In Marathon is using the Habor bouay the only option with 6 feet draft or there is other options to anker?

Thanks

[MartinBoyer]

In Key west where were you recommend to anker?

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

SNIP

How is it to sail the Hank channel at or throught the night? (Traffic, ability to see the bouay etc..)
SNIP

Been there, done that. There are more places to anchor than you may think, and a lot depends on the direction of the wind.

Hawks Channel is covered in lobster/crab pots. Until you have been there you may have trouble understanding this. I sailed from Boot Key to Rodrigurez tacking maybe 5 times with little problem with the auto pilot, but had to keep pausing it way too often to dodge lobster pots. Coming back it was with a following wind and my AP is much better pointing than with a following wind, but same problem with lobster pots.

You may or may not be able to use Newfound Harbor, sailboats are suppose to keep out but some go in. Loggerhead Key (also known as Lois Key) can provide protection for anchoring with some wind directions. There is also a blimp you can use to find Loggerhead. There are also a few other places to anchor. Key West is not the best place to anchor, little protection anywhere but in a marina. Again you will have to be careful of lobster pots.

When returning from Ft Jefferson I had to motor from about Key West to Boot Key because I was headed directly into maybe a 3-5 kn wind. I hit a bad current once I reached the Seven Mile Bridge and it really knocked my speed down. I monitored CH2 every day and was not happy with how many times the weather report was wrong about the speed and direction of the wind. I was suppose to have 10-15 kn winds on a close reach instead of 3-5 kn winds on the nose.

Standard advice for any time a boat leaves port is make sure you have a Plan B.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

In Key west where were you recommend to anker?

Just make sure you don't anchor off Wisteria.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

Thanks this is very good input.

Can we use the white park bouay to anker over night like the ones around the under water Christ or I am better of to anker behind Rodriguez island?

In Marathon is using the Habor bouay the only option with 6 feet draft or there is other options to anker?

Thanks

Boot Key is the only place you can anchor with complete protection. The white balls in the many marine parks bordering Hawks Channel are first come first serve. But the last time I was at Rodriguez the charter dive boats were not going out to Christ of the Deep because of the weather. I am not sure you would want to tie up there under those conditions.

I am going to repeat my self, always have a Plan B.

You can anchor well before the City Marian balls no problem with depth. Problem is if you want to go ashore there is no place to tie up a tender easily.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by tomfl

.....You can anchor well before the City Marian balls no problem with depth. .....

I'm guessing that tomfl is referring to Marathon. Ther is no city of Marian in the Florida Keys. Also, many do successfully anchor around Wisteria Key, but it is crowded and you might not find suitale space. There is suitable protected anchoring available passing from Hawks Channel under the bridge at Channel Five between Long Key and Lower Matecumbe and selecting a place on the Bayside for the night.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I'm guessing that tomfl is referring to Marathon. Ther is no city of Marian in the Florida Keys. Also, many do successfully anchor around Wisteria Key, but it is crowded and you might not find suitale space. There is suitable protected anchoring available passing from Hawks Channel under the bridge at Channel Five between Long Key and Lower Matecumbe and selecting a place on the Bayside for the night.

I think it is a typo and wanted to say City Marina

[larryklaas]

Skipper have you had any training in navigation/pilotage? Stuff like reaching charts, plotting courses and distances, calculating D=ST, etc? If not, I strongly suggest you consider doing so before your departure. It kinda helps.