bahamas and keys water depth

[txtowman]

"the 5'11" draft on my 1981 C&C34 is to deep for florida and the bahamas"
So does that mean I am very likely to go aground with my catalina 22?
anyone know how to tell how deep your draft is with a swing keel, without diving with a tape measure?
If I understand correctly a grounding in the keys or everglades is a big fine if you get caught.
does liability ins. cover that?

 

[seadaddler]

No Problem

You will have no problems in the keys or the Bahamas with your 22 catalina's draft,I did the Keys with my 4'11'' daft and never had any problems in the hawk channel.
Sorry but some others will help with more of your boat info.
Nick

 

[Sumner]

Sailing Texas.....

http://www.sailingtexas.com/cboats99catalina22.html

says it is 5 feet down....

Catalina 22 Specifications Length Overall 21'6"
Beam 7'8"
Length Waterline 19'4"
Sail area 205 sq.ft. Draft
Swing Keel Up 2'0"
Swing Keel Down 5'0"
Fin Keel 3'6"
Wing Keel 2'6"

I heard/read that you can't anchor in some restricted areas, but haven't heard anything about fines for grounding in general.

Since our boat is water ballast we can sail fairly well with the centerboard up. We have found this out by leaving anchor in the morning and forgetting to lower it . We have found that we can even tack with it up, we just don't gain much ground .

I've been spending a lot of time with the Florida charts as we want to go down next fall and I can't believe all of the shallow water compared to the glacier formed lakes we have been sailing in and Lake Powell which is over 500 feet deep at the dam. We get panicked when the dept finder goes under 20 feet. We are going to have to see that as deep water down there. I think the Mac is going to get us back into places a lot of boats can't go.

The Cat 22 should be a good boat for down there. Seems I've heard of a number of people who have sailed there with theirs. Have fun,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

 

[Ron20324]

I heard/read that you can't anchor in some restricted areas, but haven't heard anything about fines for grounding in general.

You can be pretty heavily fined if you anchor in coral or run aground and damage it.

 

[Sumner]

I heard/read that you can't anchor in some restricted areas, but haven't heard anything about fines for grounding in general.

You can be pretty heavily fined if you anchor in coral or run aground and damage it.

Yep that was the "restricted areas" I was talking about. Can you be fined in other areas such as in the Keys or Everglades in general? We need to know that also. I can see the restricted reef areas marked on the charts where they sometimes have mooring buoys.

Thanks,

Sum

 

[Bill1565]

When I had a swing keel boat whenever and wherever I ran aground, I raised the keel and presto, I was not aground. Very handy! Hawk channel is the South or Ocean side of the keys. 4-11 will not be a problem unless you want to go into a marina. There is a channel on the North side in Florida Bay. 4-11 will be a problem in some areas there.

 

[Chuckbear]

"the 5'11" draft on my 1981 C&C34 is to deep for florida and the bahamas"
So does that mean I am very likely to go aground with my catalina 22?
anyone know how to tell how deep your draft is with a swing keel, without diving with a tape measure?
If I understand correctly a grounding in the keys or everglades is a big fine if you get caught.
does liability ins. cover that?

I suppose that means our 10+ years cruising Florida and the Bahamas with our 6 foot draft was only a dream. Seriously though, the issue of grounding in the Keys is dependant on where you ground. If it is coral or sensative grass areas you will be fined, charged for removal of your vessel, repairs to the reef or grass area and monitoring of the area for some time and this total can run into tens of thousands of dollars depending on how much damage you do. Your insurance may very well not cover this, you need to read your policy, much like car insurance does not cover tickets or lawyers fees for fighting fines, etc. Talk with your insurance agent. Of course the real discussion is, are you able to navigate those areas without running aground? Chuck

 

[Sailm8]

We sailed a C22 for years in the keys and never had a problem. Like Bill said above, crank up and sail away. Now I ran aground in Boot Key in an IP380 right in front of the water patrol boat. He came over and warned us that we were in sea grass and would be fined if we we tried to motor off. We sat and waited for the tide to lift us off and away we went. I like to blame the grounding on the water patrol boat blocking the navigation mark while giving a ticket to another boat. That's my story and I'm sticking too it.

 

[Tom Monroe]

I often rent a cabin that comes with a C22 on the bay side. Water color will tell you when you're getting in trouble. Read the chart, watch the water, and have fun! Note: not sure I'd want to be going hull speed, healed over, and hit that swing keel hard, so I pretty routinely slow down when the water is getting shallow. That said, in weeks of sailing a C22 on the bay side, I have yet to even touch unexpectedly.

Tom

 

[MoonSailer]

In my experience water depth is rarely an issue unless you want to be in close to shore when you anchor. I am installing a fish finder un front of my keel to give a little more warning. The depth sounder is just a few feet forward of the companionway. I am playing with the ideal of installing the transducer at a forward looking angle...maybe 45 degrees to give a little more warning. It cold turn a hard grounding soft or a soft grounding to no grounding at all.

 

[Ron20324]

I am installing a fish finder un front of my keel to give a little more warning. I am playing with the ideal of installing the transducer at a forward looking angle...maybe 45 degrees to give a little more warning. It cold turn a hard grounding soft or a soft grounding to no grounding at all.

I think you'd have to be constantly watching the depth, then be able to react, then be able to turn the boat- all before hitting bottom? I don't think so. The depth transducer should have been in front of the keel to start with.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I sailed a 6.5' boat all over the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas, Hawk Channel, etc. There are times where you may have to wait for high tide, but generally it was not a problem. A Catalina 22 is a piece of cake.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

One more thing. I don't know if I would want to do a Gulf Stream crossing in a Catalina 22, though.

 

[MoonSailer]

The depth sounder was installed when I bought the boat. Most of my groundings have ocurred when I was going very slowly trying to get into an anchorage. My primary reason for installing a fish finder is actually to help me find fish and to look at the bottom structure to find fish!!! Grounding avoidance is secondary.

 

[Jimmy P]

Cruising the Florida Keys

"the 5'11" draft on my 1981 C&C34 is to deep for florida and the bahamas"
So does that mean I am very likely to go aground with my catalina 22?
anyone know how to tell how deep your draft is with a swing keel, without diving with a tape measure?
If I understand correctly a grounding in the keys or everglades is a big fine if you get caught.
does liability ins. cover that?

You can cruise the Florida Keys in your 5'11" draft but you must remain in Hawk Channel and pick your locations. I make this run every year (St. Augustine to Key West). Stay on the outside and beware of some of the Middle Keys. I like Islamorada to break-up the run from Miami to KW but I'm only pushing a 4'6" draft. It may be tight for you in many of these marinas. Your best bet would be an anchorage, if you can stand the heat and have a good dingy. The lower Keys are fine and many areas on the outside have deep water entries.
I agree with one post. I would take my larger boat across the stream. This year I'm cutting across from Islamorada (the return run) to Gun Cay then ride the islands up through Bimini. There is plenty of water there and a good jump-off for Providence Channel and the Grand Bahamas.
The short answer is your Catalina will take you anywhere in the Keys but your deep-draft is better for crossing. And yes, every grounding that requires a Tow-Boat US response will also include a call to the Florida Wildlife Commission. Any fines by FWC are a case-by-case basis. With that said, a grassy grounding may be OK but a coral grounding will certainly cost you a fine. If it's bad enough (restricted area or such) then look-out. Not sure on the insurance coverage since almost any grounding will be the fault of the owner/operator. Goodluck.