I didn't want to ask my question in the original posting as I didn't want people to deviate from Richard Marble's initial question. I do however have a similar question to ask. I will be moving my Hunter 410 from Boston to Tampa Fla in early July. It will be pretty much a delivery cruise, much to my dismay, but I have to be in Fla by the 3rd week of July. So what I am looking for is the safest and fastest way to do the trip. As I understand the ICW is safer but may also be slower, so portions of the trip will be ocean legs. A definite ICW portion of the trip will be Cape Hatteras. Other than Cape Hatteras, are there any ocean legs that should be avoided? How close to the coast do I need to be to avoid the effect of the Gulf Stream? What are the prevailing winds in July? My mast is about 60' tall, are there any portions of the ICW the boat can't pass through? I figure I will be doing a lot of motorsailing or plain motoring. Any comments on this topic will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Gil
A question for all you east coasters version 2
- Thread starter gnarvaez17515
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You may want to consider...
...having the boat shipped. Especially if it is purely a delivery. You will also be against the prevailing wind. It may be cheaper in the long run.
...having the boat shipped. Especially if it is purely a delivery. You will also be against the prevailing wind. It may be cheaper in the long run.
You won't cut short across FL
Max height for the Okeechobbe Waterway is 49'. If you need infos from Stuart to Tampabay let me know 3 weeks for your tripp ? Tough schedulde. siggi
Max height for the Okeechobbe Waterway is 49'. If you need infos from Stuart to Tampabay let me know 3 weeks for your tripp ? Tough schedulde. siggi
The Keys
Siggi, Agree on the tough schedule. How far along the keys do I have to go before turning north towards Tampa? Marathon? Gil
Siggi, Agree on the tough schedule. How far along the keys do I have to go before turning north towards Tampa? Marathon? Gil
Boat shipped
Although I haven't checked, I was told by someone who did this before that the cost of transporting a sailboat from Boston to Tampa is prohibitive. Around $8000-10,000? Anyone know a company that will do this? Gil
Although I haven't checked, I was told by someone who did this before that the cost of transporting a sailboat from Boston to Tampa is prohibitive. Around $8000-10,000? Anyone know a company that will do this? Gil
might consider sailing
as far as Stuart and hit a yard and lay the mast down and motor the rest of the way across the waterway. beats the hell out of 8-10k for shipping and lot more fun.
as far as Stuart and hit a yard and lay the mast down and motor the rest of the way across the waterway. beats the hell out of 8-10k for shipping and lot more fun.
Check on NC Bridge clearances!
I am not at all certain, but I seem to recall some converstions that would lead me to believe that you may have a problem with one or two of our ICW bridges. I seem to recall hearing that folks with 60' masts preferred going around Hatteras. Don't trust my recollection, check on it. As to Hatteras, prevailing winds here are SW, so you would be typically dead on the nose when you turn down the coast. NE makes for a lee shore and is often accompanied by high winds. Other than that, it isn't nearly as bad as some would have you believe if you can time your weather window.
I am not at all certain, but I seem to recall some converstions that would lead me to believe that you may have a problem with one or two of our ICW bridges. I seem to recall hearing that folks with 60' masts preferred going around Hatteras. Don't trust my recollection, check on it. As to Hatteras, prevailing winds here are SW, so you would be typically dead on the nose when you turn down the coast. NE makes for a lee shore and is often accompanied by high winds. Other than that, it isn't nearly as bad as some would have you believe if you can time your weather window.
gnaravaez,
Did you buy your 410 new?? If so, who is your dealer?? The reason that I ask is that each dealer must truck the boats that they sell from Hunter's factory which is in Alachua, Florida, only about 130 miles from Tampa. Many, like Norton's in Deltaville, Va., have their own truck which makes the trip to the factory many times each year; deadheading on the trip down.... Getting the idea... maybe a Hunter dealer would be willing to truck your 410 down to Tampa (since their truck is going that way anyway) for far less than the typical boat shipper. Worth a few phone calls....
Did you buy your 410 new?? If so, who is your dealer?? The reason that I ask is that each dealer must truck the boats that they sell from Hunter's factory which is in Alachua, Florida, only about 130 miles from Tampa. Many, like Norton's in Deltaville, Va., have their own truck which makes the trip to the factory many times each year; deadheading on the trip down.... Getting the idea... maybe a Hunter dealer would be willing to truck your 410 down to Tampa (since their truck is going that way anyway) for far less than the typical boat shipper. Worth a few phone calls....
No problems in NC
We brought our 376 up from Charleston last April up the ICW to Virginia...no problems with the clearances..63' all the way. Our mast is 60 (61' with ant) but there were a few bridges that I thought we were not going to make it. ...Larry...
We brought our 376 up from Charleston last April up the ICW to Virginia...no problems with the clearances..63' all the way. Our mast is 60 (61' with ant) but there were a few bridges that I thought we were not going to make it. ...Larry...
Trucking/Sailing
I can tell you, it cost me $3200 to ship a Catalina 34 from Sarasota FL, to Marion MA. How much more could a 41 footer cost? Also, I read somewhere recently that boats with tall masts can make it through Okechobee because there's someone there who will heal your boat over to get under the offending bridge with some sort of apparatus that is pretty foolproof. I read this in Cruising World or maybe Soundings. Best of luck! Chuck
I can tell you, it cost me $3200 to ship a Catalina 34 from Sarasota FL, to Marion MA. How much more could a 41 footer cost? Also, I read somewhere recently that boats with tall masts can make it through Okechobee because there's someone there who will heal your boat over to get under the offending bridge with some sort of apparatus that is pretty foolproof. I read this in Cruising World or maybe Soundings. Best of luck! Chuck
Responses
Hi all: Thanks for al the responses. As for crossing the Okeechobee waterway after unstepping the mast, that was plan B if running out of time when I get to that part of Fla. I also read about the bridge clearance issues in NC in this forum some time ago but Larry knows first hand that this is not so and review of the bridge clearances in a list of bridges indicates that the minimum is 63'. One problem could be if a bridge is being fixed and the clearance is temporarily decreased. About Hatteras... I've heard and read so many stories I'd rather avoid doing it on the ocean. As to the prevailing winds... I thought I would have that problem... Be my damn luck. Bucks' idea is excellent... and if it works out he will have saved me a lot of aggravation and perhaps money. The boat is a 2002 Hunter 410 and was purchased Long Island Yacht Sales. I will call my dealer and throw this idea at him. He might be able to help. Bermuda...I have a mental block with Bermuda since it is so way out there... whereas motorsailing the coast feels much "safer". Thanks for all the ideas and comments. Gil
Hi all: Thanks for al the responses. As for crossing the Okeechobee waterway after unstepping the mast, that was plan B if running out of time when I get to that part of Fla. I also read about the bridge clearance issues in NC in this forum some time ago but Larry knows first hand that this is not so and review of the bridge clearances in a list of bridges indicates that the minimum is 63'. One problem could be if a bridge is being fixed and the clearance is temporarily decreased. About Hatteras... I've heard and read so many stories I'd rather avoid doing it on the ocean. As to the prevailing winds... I thought I would have that problem... Be my damn luck. Bucks' idea is excellent... and if it works out he will have saved me a lot of aggravation and perhaps money. The boat is a 2002 Hunter 410 and was purchased Long Island Yacht Sales. I will call my dealer and throw this idea at him. He might be able to help. Bermuda...I have a mental block with Bermuda since it is so way out there... whereas motorsailing the coast feels much "safer". Thanks for all the ideas and comments. Gil
Gil, here's a few other thoughts...
Bridge heights on the ICW will not be a problem for you at 60'...but you don't have the time for the ICW. You're timing is lucky since you'll be working with maximum daylight, and you stand a chance (never any promises from Mother Nature...) of enjoying much stable wx. Your primary wx concern will be convective activity. You must run down Hawk's Channel from Miami to Vaca Key and Marathon to transit the 7 Mile Bridge and cross into Florida Bay. Prevailing winds up into the Carolinas from Florida are SE but in the summer are light; along the coast, you'll be more affected by the day/night cycle - inland heating and onshore breezes in the afternoon, inland cooling and offshore winds at night. Any distance offshore, these effects will be minimal but you'll notice this e.g. if hugging the FL coast to avoid the Stream. Personally, I think the run sounds like good fun...but regrettably not possible in your 3 weeks. I too thought of grabbing a deadhead run back to Alachua (and Hunter wouldn't be your only option; Island Packet, Catalina, Searay all have huge FL mfg. operations) but...you could consider using that plan as a fallback and seeing how far you can move the boat in the time window you have, trucking it the balance of the distance. And don't forget Plan C: cover the distance you can and, if you get into FL, run the boat incrementally over some extended weekends to finish up the trip. The 48' RR bridge near Port Mayaca's Lock on the Okeechobee is too narrow for you to have the Indiantown Marina boys lean you over, I think...and that's a lot of leaning. Otherwise the O. Waterway would save you a great deal of time. If you were moving the boat on weekends near the end of the run, unstepping the mast in Indiantown would be a good plan; restep at Glades on Ft. Myer's Calooshahatchee but mind your crossing of the Lake with the spar on deck; it can be very choppy in wind. I make the logical offshore run, with legs into/out of all-weather ports, at roughly 1800-2000 NM (depending on how many stops and how far off the rhumb line you need to go, e.g. when crossing Royal Sound into Hilton Head and back out). The legs are defined by all-wx harbors like Atlantic City, Ocean City, Little River, Beaufort NC, Cape Fear River, Charleston, Hilton Head, St. Mary's River, etc. Fetch some small scale charts and you can break down the run into obvious legs. (I appreciate your concern about Hatteras but I'd wait to see what the f'cast looked like when sitting at a marina just inside the C. Bay entrance at Little Creek. Leaving Little Creek for Beaufort NC, outside will save you a great deal of time). Having said all this, I think you need to do the following to move the boat on her own bottom: 1. Get a good cook as crew who can stay with you for the run, handle the provisioning on those brief stops (you'll be tending the engine and boat's needs). 2. Tell you boss, Mate, whomever that you're sorry, you wish it weren't so, blah blah blah but you need more time for this major relocation effort and that's just the way it has to be. Offer routine check-ins by cell. 3. Cover the distance you can and then arrange for the final delivery based on what makes sense from the location the boat has reached...and revel in doing something unique, challenging and fun. Or...truck it the whole way and miss out on a great adventure. Jack
Bridge heights on the ICW will not be a problem for you at 60'...but you don't have the time for the ICW. You're timing is lucky since you'll be working with maximum daylight, and you stand a chance (never any promises from Mother Nature...) of enjoying much stable wx. Your primary wx concern will be convective activity. You must run down Hawk's Channel from Miami to Vaca Key and Marathon to transit the 7 Mile Bridge and cross into Florida Bay. Prevailing winds up into the Carolinas from Florida are SE but in the summer are light; along the coast, you'll be more affected by the day/night cycle - inland heating and onshore breezes in the afternoon, inland cooling and offshore winds at night. Any distance offshore, these effects will be minimal but you'll notice this e.g. if hugging the FL coast to avoid the Stream. Personally, I think the run sounds like good fun...but regrettably not possible in your 3 weeks. I too thought of grabbing a deadhead run back to Alachua (and Hunter wouldn't be your only option; Island Packet, Catalina, Searay all have huge FL mfg. operations) but...you could consider using that plan as a fallback and seeing how far you can move the boat in the time window you have, trucking it the balance of the distance. And don't forget Plan C: cover the distance you can and, if you get into FL, run the boat incrementally over some extended weekends to finish up the trip. The 48' RR bridge near Port Mayaca's Lock on the Okeechobee is too narrow for you to have the Indiantown Marina boys lean you over, I think...and that's a lot of leaning. Otherwise the O. Waterway would save you a great deal of time. If you were moving the boat on weekends near the end of the run, unstepping the mast in Indiantown would be a good plan; restep at Glades on Ft. Myer's Calooshahatchee but mind your crossing of the Lake with the spar on deck; it can be very choppy in wind. I make the logical offshore run, with legs into/out of all-weather ports, at roughly 1800-2000 NM (depending on how many stops and how far off the rhumb line you need to go, e.g. when crossing Royal Sound into Hilton Head and back out). The legs are defined by all-wx harbors like Atlantic City, Ocean City, Little River, Beaufort NC, Cape Fear River, Charleston, Hilton Head, St. Mary's River, etc. Fetch some small scale charts and you can break down the run into obvious legs. (I appreciate your concern about Hatteras but I'd wait to see what the f'cast looked like when sitting at a marina just inside the C. Bay entrance at Little Creek. Leaving Little Creek for Beaufort NC, outside will save you a great deal of time). Having said all this, I think you need to do the following to move the boat on her own bottom: 1. Get a good cook as crew who can stay with you for the run, handle the provisioning on those brief stops (you'll be tending the engine and boat's needs). 2. Tell you boss, Mate, whomever that you're sorry, you wish it weren't so, blah blah blah but you need more time for this major relocation effort and that's just the way it has to be. Offer routine check-ins by cell. 3. Cover the distance you can and then arrange for the final delivery based on what makes sense from the location the boat has reached...and revel in doing something unique, challenging and fun. Or...truck it the whole way and miss out on a great adventure. Jack
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