Baltimore to St. Michaels in a Day?

[Amish Pirate]

Going to be chartering on the Chesapeake for 3 days next month. Our current plan is to head north out of Rock Hall day 1 and cruise up to Baltimore with a reservation at Inner Harbor East marina.

Day 2 we plan to shove off fairly early and start running down the bay. If we get lucky and get a nice steady wind from the north or northwest that allows us to run without much tacking is it reasonable to make St Michaels by mid afternoon (say 3pm) ?

Our plan is flexible, we figure we'll see what time we get to the bay bridge and if we aren't making great time we'll head into Annapolis and grab a ball for the night, if we are making good time we'll call down to St Micahels and make sure some slips are available at one of the Marinas.

Day 3 will be heading back to Rock Hall so if we don't make St Michaels the night before it's really not an option to head there from Annapolis and then just turn around and head back to Rock Hall.

[2divers]

It would be a pretty long day to make St Michaels from Baltimore. Not so say you can't, but it would probably be considered 'work' if you were on vacation. plan about 4 knots average speed and check your distances. It may be a longer day than you want.

From St Micheals to Annapolis is a nice easy run.

2divers

[gs41escapade]

You will have to get up really early to make St Mike's from Inner Harbor East (my home marina). The big issue is the distance to and from the bay from IHE.

RH to IHE is no sweat. IHE to Annapolis is no sweat. You could even consider going further south to the West river, etc. if you want some eastern shore like quiet. Or, if the day to St Mike's gets too long and you are going through piney narrows which is not much to look at but has some nice restaurants nearby, just stop there.

[sneuman]

you can cut some time by going via Kent Narrows, but it's going to be a long slog either way. If the wind is on the nose, Eastern Bay will be a tortuous beat (I did it a few weeks ago).

[speciald@ocens.]

How big (fast) will the boat be? I like the Inner Harbor Marine Center better tha Harbor East. New floating docks, nice heads, easy walk to attractions but further away from Italian Village.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Amish Pirate

Going to be chartering on the Chesapeake for 3 days next month. Our current plan is to head north out of Rock Hall day 1 and cruise up to Baltimore with a reservation at Inner Harbor East marina.

Day 2 we plan to shove off fairly early and start running down the bay. If we get lucky and get a nice steady wind from the north or northwest that allows us to run without much tacking is it reasonable to make St Michaels by mid afternoon (say 3pm) ?

Our plan is flexible, we figure we'll see what time we get to the bay bridge and if we aren't making great time we'll head into Annapolis and grab a ball for the night, if we are making good time we'll call down to St Micahels and make sure some slips are available at one of the Marinas.

Day 3 will be heading back to Rock Hall so if we don't make St Michaels the night before it's really not an option to head there from Annapolis and then just turn around and head back to Rock Hall.

Then Annaplois, then RH.

[Djesterdc]

I plan on sailing from Rock Hall to ST Mike’s in a day leaving by 10 am. Mast is too high for Narrows shortcut. Boat is a Catalina 345. How long should it take us? Give me best and worse case scenario! Thanks!!

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by Djesterdc

I plan on sailing from Rock Hall to ST Mike’s in a day leaving by 10 am. Mast is too high for Narrows shortcut. Boat is a Catalina 345. How long should it take us? Give me best and worse case scenario! Thanks!!

kent narrows has a vertical clearance of 65' you must have the extra tall rig Catalina... the 5' 7" draft especially on the northern entra of the narrows is what would worry me



per the markers through KN its only 23 NM even with no wind should be an easy 4 hour motor.


having to go around KI almost 37 NM per the marks would make for a very long day, especially if the wind is against



If you have a nice wind out of the west, maybe 7-8 hours depends on what speed you can average.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Djesterdc

I plan on sailing from Rock Hall to ST Mike’s in a day leaving by 10 am. Mast is too high for Narrows shortcut. Boat is a Catalina 345. How long should it take us? Give me best and worse case scenario! Thanks!!

A Catalina 345??? Guess I'm not familiar w/that model. Do you mean a 34 at measures 34.5'?
How tall is your mast height? The fixed bridge at Kent Narrows is 65' and the other bridge opens to let traffic through. https://www.waterwayguide.com/bridge...narrows-bridge

From RH going through KN would be the shortest route (~22nm), but would add in some time to wait for the bridge opening.

The longer route (~35nm) is under the Bay bridge and up Eastern Bay is a better sailing route.

Either should be easily done in a few hours from RH.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

kent narrows has a vertical clearance of 65' you must have the extra tall rig Catalina... the 5' 7" draft especially on the northern entra of the narrows is what would worry me



per the markers through KN its only 23 NM even with no wind should be an easy 4 hour motor.


having to go around KI almost 37 NM per the marks would make for a very long day, especially if the wind is against



If you have a nice wind out of the west, maybe 7-8 hours depends on what speed you can average.

Similar thinking, I like it! Agree, Eastern Bay if the wind is against you can make for a longer day. Good to look at the forecast before you go.


Edit: Looked a little further at the shoaling in the N part of the channel going into KN and it was reported to be only 4' earlier this year. https://www.waterwayguide.com/explor...&mode=navAlert
With this info., you may only have one choice.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by Bill O

A Catalina 345??? Guess I'm not familiar w/that model. Do you mean a 34 at measures 34.5'?

I assumed Djester had a MKII 34 which has a LOA 34.5

i figured 6 or so hours just motoring from RH to SM going around. maybe shave a little off if you started cutting corners...averaging 6 knots


if they have the shoal draft @ 4'8" might have some better luck on the north side, if at high tide....

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Amish Pirate

Going to be chartering on the Chesapeake for 3 days next month. Our current plan is to head north out of Rock Hall day 1 and cruise up to Baltimore with a reservation at Inner Harbor East marina.

Day 2 we plan to shove off fairly early and start running down the bay. If we get lucky and get a nice steady wind from the north or northwest that allows us to run without much tacking is it reasonable to make St Michaels by mid afternoon (say 3pm) ?

Our plan is flexible, we figure we'll see what time we get to the bay bridge and if we aren't making great time we'll head into Annapolis and grab a ball for the night, if we are making good time we'll call down to St Micahels and make sure some slips are available at one of the Marinas.

Day 3 will be heading back to Rock Hall so if we don't make St Michaels the night before it's really not an option to head there from Annapolis and then just turn around and head back to Rock Hall.

I think you could do it... but note I run a powerboat now and my sailing skills have always been a bit shakey...

That said, I don't think you should try. I think better to run from Rock Hall to Bal'mer, then from Bal'mer to Annapolis (if you must), then from Annapolis back to Rock Hall.

And while you're in Bal'mer and Annapolis, smell some coffee or something. I realize sailing itself is often "the destination" but those places can be decent destinations, too.

A separate trip might be Rock Hall to Annapolis, Annapolis to St. Michaels, then back to Rock Hall...

-Chris

[marcjsmith]

Chris. Hopefully it hasn’t taken akishpitate 12 years to get to SM

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

I assumed Djester had a MKII 34 which has a LOA 34.5

i figured 6 or so hours just motoring from RH to SM going around. maybe shave a little off if you started cutting corners...averaging 6 knots


if they have the shoal draft @ 4'8" might have some better luck on the north side, if at high tide....

They might make it through ok w/ a shoal draft if they hit the tide correctly, but if there are any powerboats rolling through (usually are a few), you'd hit bottom when they go flying by. Not a very pleasant experience in the very narrow channel.


While a longer route, we had a few good sails up Eastern Bay and usually caught fish while trolling.

[Djesterdc]

Sorry for my typo, the boat is a 2018 Catalina 425 (a bit bigger than 345 which doesn't exist) so that should clear up the mast height confusion.