We are on our first real cruise. We are anchored and beach camping at Cape Romano, FL. Had quite the adventures getting here. More to follow.
Adventures of Second Wind
- Thread starter Hollyweirdos
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Can't wait for details.............have fun,
Sum
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Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
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Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][/FONT]
If you'd quit drinking that stuff, you could stand up straight.
But... wish I were there. Take lots of pix and keep us posted.
But... wish I were there. Take lots of pix and keep us posted.
"Second Wind." Great name for the boat! (Wait...that is the name of the boat...right? 
)
And yes, please: we need a narrative of that adventurous voyage to the campsite. :dance:
Arrrrr...'tis green with envy I be , lads! Arrrr......
VBR,
Pat
)And yes, please: we need a narrative of that adventurous voyage to the campsite. :dance:
Arrrrr...'tis green with envy I be , lads! Arrrr......
VBR,
Pat
This is the short version, I have to get to sleep for work.
Launched from Calussa Island marina in Goodland, fee is $15 to launch, $10 to park overnight. Nice safe place with good ramps, docks, bathhouse, store, gas, & deep water access. http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.as...pid.YN196x4147247&style=r&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP
We motored out of the channel and set the sails after that. Cape Romano is about a 10 mile flight for a pigeon or maybe a pheasant. We had wind of 15 to 20 kts all day, bay was kind of choppy. Enjoyed a 2-3 hour sail.
I learned of a design flaw in the location of my mast support pole. It must be directly under the mast. I changed the original design so that the companionway could open all the way by moving the mast forward about 6 inches. Unfortunatly, the mast post could not be centered under the stick. I used two pieces of thick teak as plates under thinking it would be enough. It wasnt. Check out the massive crack that presented itself to us about half way there. We got it stabilized and pressed on.
Second issue, when pulling the jib sheets out with the pvc furler, one must mind the furling line with the other hand. If not(as I soon learned) the line will wrap around the pvc below the spool and jam. Climbing on to that little bow in 3 foot waves was not fun.
http://www.wildphoto.us/wp-content/gallery/landscapes/cape-romano.jpg
Next up, as we got to the cape, there was an area of standing waves from the tide ripping that were around 4 ft high. They are always there. The boat did fine motoring through that but we did not find the expected calmer side to the west. The forcast was wrong, can you believe it? Anyway, coming back through the raging river our sit on top kayak dinghy decided to roll over kindly making a sea anchor in pretty much the worst spot. We cut her loose and had to go back for one more pass through. Followed by one more pass back out. It was fun, in the I dont want to do that any more way. Oh yeah, as we rounded the corner, we ran aground. Almost forgot that part. My friend jumped out, kayak tow line in hand and put the kayak on the beach. He was able to heel me and my ship enough to get free. So you see, that beer(s) I was drinking was well earned. After the usual anchoring in a tricky spot antics were done of course. Whew! Day two to follow. G-nite.
Launched from Calussa Island marina in Goodland, fee is $15 to launch, $10 to park overnight. Nice safe place with good ramps, docks, bathhouse, store, gas, & deep water access. http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.as...pid.YN196x4147247&style=r&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP
We motored out of the channel and set the sails after that. Cape Romano is about a 10 mile flight for a pigeon or maybe a pheasant. We had wind of 15 to 20 kts all day, bay was kind of choppy. Enjoyed a 2-3 hour sail.
I learned of a design flaw in the location of my mast support pole. It must be directly under the mast. I changed the original design so that the companionway could open all the way by moving the mast forward about 6 inches. Unfortunatly, the mast post could not be centered under the stick. I used two pieces of thick teak as plates under thinking it would be enough. It wasnt. Check out the massive crack that presented itself to us about half way there. We got it stabilized and pressed on.
Second issue, when pulling the jib sheets out with the pvc furler, one must mind the furling line with the other hand. If not(as I soon learned) the line will wrap around the pvc below the spool and jam. Climbing on to that little bow in 3 foot waves was not fun.
http://www.wildphoto.us/wp-content/gallery/landscapes/cape-romano.jpg
Next up, as we got to the cape, there was an area of standing waves from the tide ripping that were around 4 ft high. They are always there. The boat did fine motoring through that but we did not find the expected calmer side to the west. The forcast was wrong, can you believe it? Anyway, coming back through the raging river our sit on top kayak dinghy decided to roll over kindly making a sea anchor in pretty much the worst spot. We cut her loose and had to go back for one more pass through. Followed by one more pass back out. It was fun, in the I dont want to do that any more way. Oh yeah, as we rounded the corner, we ran aground. Almost forgot that part. My friend jumped out, kayak tow line in hand and put the kayak on the beach. He was able to heel me and my ship enough to get free. So you see, that beer(s) I was drinking was well earned. After the usual anchoring in a tricky spot antics were done of course. Whew! Day two to follow. G-nite.
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Ok Skip,
How did you get into cape Romano? by hugging the shore?
you stared south of coon key? then what? motor in with boards up? against the chop?
Did you cross to ocean side?
any markers over by the shore?
bugs bad?
-sorry to hear about the deck. little more glass and paint, an ain't no problem mon....
ps: sailing 420's wed at the lake... should be windy! we're trying to start some racing too. very short courses.
How did you get into cape Romano? by hugging the shore?
you stared south of coon key? then what? motor in with boards up? against the chop?
Did you cross to ocean side?
any markers over by the shore?
bugs bad?
-sorry to hear about the deck. little more glass and paint, an ain't no problem mon....
ps: sailing 420's wed at the lake... should be windy! we're trying to start some racing too. very short courses.
Attachments
Well we sailed out of Coon Key Pass to the south, we went east of the shoals in the middle of Gullivan Bay. As we arrived at the cape, we approached the shoals(unmarked) from the east/north east.
We had the CB down until we heard the first bump. Once we raised it, we didnt hit any more. The tide was at a high, high because of new moon. We motor-sailed (jib only because it was stuck) through the rip with the board up. Again, no markers. Once we were on the gulf side in deeper water and out of the breaking waves, I went forward and fixed the jib furler and then furled the jib. We didnt want to anchor on the west side because it was rougher on that side than on the east side.
Once we got back to the east side we anchored just out of the marked channel that hugs the island and heads north. There is a small cove that is out of the worst of the current just past the cape by a 1/4 mile.
No bugs at all due to a nice steady wind. We used a claw type anchor 11lbs and tied off to a tree on shore. It held tight all night. Used 300ft of line.
The next day we motored south past all the shoals about 2 miles and then sailed east/north east most of the way. Did great until the wind blew itself out. Jumped in for a swim and then motored back.
Lessons learned,
1. Think real hard when you change the design of the original.
2. Take two good anchors of different types. (ours held eventually, but it took several tries)
3. When you tow something, keep it close to the boat if its rough. (we had ours back about 20 ft when it flipped.)
4. 300 ft of line is the bare min. if you will be anchoring in a tricky spot. Get roller spools for each 100 ft. Have lockable shackes to attach lines to each other. Carribiners that lock would be ok, but non locking will not give you much relief. (they can come undone)
5. We had a color gps chart which was very important in water with so many shoals. Wish it was mounted.
6. Need to add more compartments and bins for stuff in the boat. It looked like a messy teenagers room in the cabin after the fit hit the shan and we had to get the tools fast.
7. A bimini should be required equipment in FL!
We had the CB down until we heard the first bump. Once we raised it, we didnt hit any more. The tide was at a high, high because of new moon. We motor-sailed (jib only because it was stuck) through the rip with the board up. Again, no markers. Once we were on the gulf side in deeper water and out of the breaking waves, I went forward and fixed the jib furler and then furled the jib. We didnt want to anchor on the west side because it was rougher on that side than on the east side.
Once we got back to the east side we anchored just out of the marked channel that hugs the island and heads north. There is a small cove that is out of the worst of the current just past the cape by a 1/4 mile.
No bugs at all due to a nice steady wind. We used a claw type anchor 11lbs and tied off to a tree on shore. It held tight all night. Used 300ft of line.
The next day we motored south past all the shoals about 2 miles and then sailed east/north east most of the way. Did great until the wind blew itself out. Jumped in for a swim and then motored back.
Lessons learned,
1. Think real hard when you change the design of the original.
2. Take two good anchors of different types. (ours held eventually, but it took several tries)
3. When you tow something, keep it close to the boat if its rough. (we had ours back about 20 ft when it flipped.)
4. 300 ft of line is the bare min. if you will be anchoring in a tricky spot. Get roller spools for each 100 ft. Have lockable shackes to attach lines to each other. Carribiners that lock would be ok, but non locking will not give you much relief. (they can come undone)
5. We had a color gps chart which was very important in water with so many shoals. Wish it was mounted.
6. Need to add more compartments and bins for stuff in the boat. It looked like a messy teenagers room in the cabin after the fit hit the shan and we had to get the tools fast.
7. A bimini should be required equipment in FL!
Thanks! It sounds like you need the tide to get in there.
Could you see the bottom, and the sandbars, or was it all brown and muddy?
looks like a lot of beach...
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=cape+...=0.058313,0.105314&hnear=Cape+Romano&t=h&z=14
Could you see the bottom, and the sandbars, or was it all brown and muddy?
looks like a lot of beach...
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=cape+...=0.058313,0.105314&hnear=Cape+Romano&t=h&z=14
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you guessed it, brown, angry, and muddy! High tide is a must unless you sneak through the channel along the east side of the island. Even at low tide, the area of the waves is still deep enough. The channel is about 4ft at low tide.
I'm guessing you know the area.... (?)
white horse is not too much further south, and has good beach on the inside.
Next one down I think is panther but never stayed there. I have been in picnic, and like that spot between picnic and tiger.
have you been to LuLu?
and do you plan to mostly tent camp or spend the night on the boat?
white horse is not too much further south, and has good beach on the inside.
Next one down I think is panther but never stayed there. I have been in picnic, and like that spot between picnic and tiger.
have you been to LuLu?
and do you plan to mostly tent camp or spend the night on the boat?
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