Running up the coast

[saburke17]

Exciting times ahead, The trip that has been long in the making is now here. I'll be running her from St Pete Fl all the way to Hingham Ma, The plan will be to run across the Okeechobee waterway. Then up to Jacksonville, From there i'll run all the way up to southport NC. I was planning on Ducking into the Intracoastal there and go all the way up to Norfolk as i'm slightly hesitant about going around Hatteras this early in the spring. Has anyone run up or down the intracoastal in their 31? I bought the 2019 ICW waterway map book, It's pretty cool. Shows each section of the ICW along with bridges, fuel, food and area's to watch out for, Some personal experiences would also be nice.

Sean

[Tommy]

Sean,

When Capt. Pat and Bruce completed the re-power of Island Girl years ago, my brothers and I ran her back to Morehead City, NC. The trip went something like this:

*utside from Sailfish Marina (Palm Beach area) to Port Canaveral the first leg (half day). From there outside to St. Simons Island, GA; next day outside to

[algillen]

I made the trip three times, but not on a B31 - was on my father's 53' Ocean. A couple thoughts. Jacksonville to Southport is really long of a run unless you are planning to idle back and move along at low speed through the night. Note that the straight line between ports in that part of the country takes you considerably far offshore (50 miles or more), possibly farther offshore than you might want to be with a boat that was recently repowered - in case a bug pops up. Another consideration is that there are abandoned towers (formerly oil rigs?) offshore of Alabama or SC... I recall seeing those go by as we were heading north the first trip. something to pay particular attention if running in the dark.

We stopped off at Charleston each trip as a midpoint between NC and Florida. A little bit out of the way, but a great port to visit. Also, if you go in at Southport, take the ICW north, then pop back out at Wrightsville beach, and it's a straight shot to Morehead City. We fished our way around Hatteras one spring, but that was in May, not April. (Caught some really big mahi mahi.) Other trips we went behind Hatteras - easy ride and mostly open waters in Pamlico Sound, so for the most part, you don't have to deal with boat traffic and all the slow down/speed up getting around trawlers and sailboats, except when you are north of Currituck.

[Tommy]

****Sorry for the mis-fire post earlier*****

Sean,

When Capt. Pat and Bruce completed the re-power of Island Girl years ago, my brothers and I ran her from Singer Island, FL, back to Morehead City, NC. The trip went something like this:

* Outside from Sailfish Marina (Palm Beach area) to Port Canaveral, FL, the first leg (half day) 112 nautical miles in 4.5 hours.
* From there outside to St. Simons Island, GA (full day) 172 NM in 8.25 hours (we had a little weather to deal with).
* Next day INSIDE ICW to Georgetown, SC due to high NE winds. This was a longer travel distance due to the winding waterway, but this was the most enjoyable leg of the trip due to the beautiful scenery (full day) 194 NM in 10.5 hours.
* Next day Georgetown, SC, to Carolina Beach by ICW where we exited the ICW via Snows Cut back to the ocean where we completed our run to Morehead City, NC (3/4 day) 162 NM in 6.5 hours.

Instead of taking our time and enjoying the journey a little longer, I treated the trip like a freight-run and ran as far as daylight would allow each leg. If I had it to do over again I would not try to cover so much ground each day; rather, I would shoot for a 4:00 PM arrival at my overnight port so I could more leisurely clean up, fuel up, and enjoy whatever restaurants and sights at the waterfront community.

I've done the Okeechobee Waterway twice and it is an enjoyable trip; just don't plan any afternoon swims to cool off as there are tons of big gators. There are three locks between Ft. Meyers and Lake Okeechobee and two locks between the lake and Stuart. We stopped at Roland Martin's Marina in Clewiston and had a good cheeseburger; there used to be a dockhand there named "Little Man" who was very entertaining. On your west to east transit it is 14 statute miles from Ft. Meyers to the WP Franklin Lock, and then another 117 miles to the ICW at Stuart.

Let me know if you plan to lay overnight in the Morehead City, NC, area; and if you do I recommend the Beaufort Town docks (252) 728-2503. Give me a heads up of your plans and I'll meet you at the dock and treat you and your crew to dinner. My cell # is (919) eight eight zero- 0832, so call anytime with questions. I've also done around Cape Hatteras by ocean as well as ICW transiting the entirety of the NC coast.

[Rawleigh]

I should be picking up a 36 Luhrs with a friend on Friday in Manteo, NC and running back up the IC to Norfolk, then up the Bay to the Rappahannock River. I hope to be home Saturday afternoon at the latest. If the weather is good and we can get another boat to go with us for safety, we may run up the outside. I will let you know if I see anything of note on the way.

[Bruce]

I've done the trip from key west as far north as Montauk a couple dozen times some with Pat' others alone, although not recently and not in anything faster than a 18 knot cruise so a lot of stops along the way.
Only issue I found was the increase in slow speed intercoastal runs because of homes. Some places If you don't a shotgun blast will cross your bow, happened to Pat and I.

Any Intercoastal runs especially after a storm brings lots of debris. 1/2 dozen or so trips had to stop and clean of tarps and such. 1 trip stuck in Coinjock for 4 days to fix a prop. The sounds in NC had to dodge crab traps many times even inside markers. Okay if the boat handles in following seas, tough it does not. I tried to run outside as much as I could coming in for fuel stops as little as possible.

NY harbor is awesome going by SOL, Rikers and Manhattan.

Follow up on notams. Once held up a rocket launch off Virginia when I forgot to turn on radio after a night in Norfolk. Good luck.

[Rawleigh]

Well, we got our travel passes from NC. Now if the weather only holds!

[Tony Meola]

Given this whole virus issue, you should check with the ports you are going to lay over in if they will let you in. Figure Delaware is stopping out of state cars, I would think they may think kindly to out of state boats either.

[Carl]

Given this whole virus issue, you should check with the ports you are going to lay over in if they will let you in. Figure Delaware is stopping out of state cars, I would think they may think kindly to out of state boats either.

At the very least, make sure you can get fuel. In my area NY fuel docks are closed...but I hear a short ride to NJ you can get fuel.

[Rawleigh]

We are good on the gas. Truck delivery at dock and also we have checked with the marina in Coinjock and they are open to transits.

[Tommy]

Rawleigh, check to see if the restaurant is open for takeout at the marina in Coinjock, as they have great steaks and prime rib.

Sean, I saw this 2-minute video on the Bertram Yacht website; it's a "quick look" at traversing the Okeechobee Waterway from Stuart to Ft. Meyers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5NWEX9 ... JGTxJ8D5MB

[1962 31]

I ran mine home to NJ from Wrightsville beach all intercoastal dismal swap canal was interesting
it took me 5 days to get home we only ran in the daylight
we didn't really have a plan kinda just winged it fun trip

[Carl]

I ran mine home to NJ from Wrightsville beach all intercoastal dismal swap canal was interesting
it took me 5 days to get home we only ran in the daylight
we didn't really have a plan kinda just winged it fun trip

That's a bit of a hike for a "new to you" boat...and I believe gas at the time too.

[saburke17]

Guys this is great info thank you, Bruce was it buck shot or rock salt out of the shotgun?

[1962 31]

carl
yes it was a hike I put gas on different card and cash to mix it all up and never asked for a recite so ill never know how much it cost
we lost steering in va beach high water alarm at the 50 bridge bilge failures 3 out of 3 wasn't to bad haha learned a lot about the boat on the trip

[Carl]

carl
yes it was a hike I put gas on different card and cash to mix it all up and never asked for a recite

I hear that...last few years I just sign refusing to look at the bill for fuel.

so ill never know how much it cost
we lost steering in va beach high water alarm at the 50 bridge bilge failures 3 out of 3 wasn't to bad haha learned a lot about the boat on the trip

Learned alot about the boat on that trip....that is one way to look at it in a good light.