You just made my night. I ran aground at Longboat Pass in a rented 18' Bayliner only a week ago, been beating myself up about it ever since. It makes me feel a lot better to know that I'm not the only one.

It sounds like running a cat up and down the ICW should be doable. I'm considering a Seawind 1160, 38 feet, so nothing too hard to handle.

I guess one option would be to get a dinghy on the larger size that we can use as a runabout when we're home - or just get another boat!

I want to become a good sailor and that's not going to happen without a sailboat.

I look forward to picking your brain more about your travels! Thanks for the great info.

it is shallow for sure on either side of the ICW. We have a Catalina 350 which draws 4.5. If you are accustomed to charts and the ICW navigation aids, it should be no problem with either.. greater than 4.5... forget it. don't go in the ICW.. only out and around outside Keys except to get fuel etc .. We saw several cats on the ICW but motoring. If you are in Sarasota, you have to go back up north to get out of the ICW, and that cut at Longboat Pass is the most run aground location on the West Coast of Florida. If you go south, and stay in the ICW it is long... not so many bridges like the east coast, but kind of boring until you get below Cayo Costa...



for sure stop there overnight but further in than just the mouth.

we stayed in a marina at Marco Island.. the yacht club.. it was nice. the entrance to Marco Island is tricky... a switch back. there are so many things to relate to you. It is usually pleasant sailing all the way to Key West.

Hi there,

I'm new to boating, a little experience here and there but we are making the move from NJ to FL this year and would like to buy my first boat.

What do you think about having a sailboat for cruising the ICW? Will it be fun or foolish?

Sarasota bay is very shallow but I am definitely leaning toward a Cat so that is less of an issue.

PM me... I just did the west coast from Tampa to Keys, to Fort Lauderdale