Get new 2 me Sailboat south
- Thread starter jmczzz
- Start date
Parley Revival says it best. “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than the things you did. So what are you waiting for!”
You could play it safe, save some money and truck the boat home, but when you are talking with friends in a few years and say, oh yea when I trucked my boat from NJ to LA we got into this traffic in Virginia… you should have seen it, red taillights for miles… Not much of an adventure to relive there. Hell even if something goes wrong on the transit on the ICW it’s a more interesting story. Some would even say the adventure starts when things go wrong. So live life to the fullest and go have some fun!
You could play it safe, save some money and truck the boat home, but when you are talking with friends in a few years and say, oh yea when I trucked my boat from NJ to LA we got into this traffic in Virginia… you should have seen it, red taillights for miles… Not much of an adventure to relive there. Hell even if something goes wrong on the transit on the ICW it’s a more interesting story. Some would even say the adventure starts when things go wrong. So live life to the fullest and go have some fun!
I notice there is a direct correlation between the commentator's boat size and the negativity of the comment on my little 26CB voyage. So be it, but i am gonna do it anyway. I do really appreciate every comment + or -. You guys all are gentlemen as well as seasoned sailors. Thank you for each and every word.
Based on all the education ya'll have given me plus some other inputs i have decided to stay mostly in the ICW and head south. The boat is now in the water at the yard dock just north of Atlantic City. I have settled on a rather crappy pressure wash and my own bottom paint job. The bottom looked pretty good until i got to the center of the hull under the cockpit where the yard guy obviously washed at a distance. But i did the best i could with the bottom paint and got it all covered. I swapped out the older Suzuki 9.8 for my newer Tohatsu 9.8 long shaft, ES, PL, with remote controls. I still have some issues with the remote linkage. it is an exacting job to get the remote linkage just right so she shifts correctly and has a positive throttle response. Based on input from my other thread, " Hank on or Furler" i have decided to go with the installed roller Furler. As i have never sailed with a roller furl headsail l have already started learning about it.
The modified cast of date now is the first half of May. I am still open and interested in receiving any and all comments and advice. Again it has been a pleasure to receive all your posts and i hope to get more input. Regards, jimmy mc
Based on all the education ya'll have given me plus some other inputs i have decided to stay mostly in the ICW and head south. The boat is now in the water at the yard dock just north of Atlantic City. I have settled on a rather crappy pressure wash and my own bottom paint job. The bottom looked pretty good until i got to the center of the hull under the cockpit where the yard guy obviously washed at a distance. But i did the best i could with the bottom paint and got it all covered. I swapped out the older Suzuki 9.8 for my newer Tohatsu 9.8 long shaft, ES, PL, with remote controls. I still have some issues with the remote linkage. it is an exacting job to get the remote linkage just right so she shifts correctly and has a positive throttle response. Based on input from my other thread, " Hank on or Furler" i have decided to go with the installed roller Furler. As i have never sailed with a roller furl headsail l have already started learning about it.
The modified cast of date now is the first half of May. I am still open and interested in receiving any and all comments and advice. Again it has been a pleasure to receive all your posts and i hope to get more input. Regards, jimmy mc
On your way south, go through the Dismal Swamp Canal, it is a beautiful section and has no commercial traffic.
We'll be heading north from somewhere south on the ICW beginning the middle of May. We'll keep an eye out for you.
We'll be heading north from somewhere south on the ICW beginning the middle of May. We'll keep an eye out for you.
Fill in some of the details .... you say you are just north of Atlantic City. Which inlet is closest to you? Are you inside Barnegat, Little Egg or Absecon Inlet? If you are close to A.C., how did you get the boat from Toms River to A.C.? How are you liking the weather? I drove through snow on my way home tonight. We've had a few warm days but a lot of cold weather so far. Winds have been very strong and not favorable necessarily for traveling south. Are you making modifications before leaving or waiting on a weather window. Is your plan to sail outside from A.C.to Cape May?
@jmczzz I just have to warn you of a serious nautical tradition: Posting of pictures, and telling us all how the trip is going as much as possible gives you the best possible safe trip. Lack of posting pictures of any kind, means Neptune may eat your boat and you'll never make it to your destination.. Just a warning. Neptune doesn't mess around...
dj
dj
I see from the ad that the boat is in Tuckerton ... lots of marinas in there. I've not been through Little Egg Inlet (also known as "Tuckerton" Inlet by some). I was confused by your first location reference in Toms River, which is pretty far away. I think Little Egg Inlet might be a little tricky and with any breakers, you probably would not want to exit it. I've not passed through there and I really have no intention to anytime in the future.
My suggestion for a nice little shakedown cruise motoring the boat, take the intercoastal from Tuckerton to A.C./Absecon Inlet. If you time a favorable current, you can make that trip in 4 to 6 hours. The current can easily be 2 knots or a little more, so bucking the current will slow you considerably.
You can stay in a Marina at A.C. (it's Farley State Marina) with casino, but a good place to anchor is Rum Cove, which is directly across from A.C on the north side of the channel in Brigantine. The entrance is very narrow and shallow on the starboard side. Keep the sticks in the center of the opening on your starboard side. The water is very deep on the port side (northwest) even up against the sedge island (there are no markers on your left as you enter the opening). I've been in there twice and it is an excellent anchorage.
Most sailors avoid the ICW from A.C. to Cape May, but I suspect with your O'Day you may be able to do it. I think you'd have to check the bridge clearances, but you probably would not have any trouble with depth as long as you can lift your keel.
But the norm for sailors is to go out into the ocean. I suggest that you do a shakedown sail to Ocean City and go in at Great Egg Harbor Inlet. It would be a short trip of just 3 or 4 hours probably from Absecon Inlet to GEHI. It would be a great little leg to test your seafaring skills. I don't know the anchorages in there, but I'm sure you can find something or a marina for sure.
The leg from Ocean City to Cape May will be a bit longer, but not much. Be very careful to get the best local knowledge that you can for each of these inlets. They can be treacherous, particularly if you find yourself in the wrong place with shoaling. Don't do these inlets in the dark and make sure you plan your days so you enter inlets during daylight. If you want to see some actual film of these inlets, check out the You Tube channel "The Escape Artists" . For all their corniness, they have some relevant experiences to share.
My suggestion for a nice little shakedown cruise motoring the boat, take the intercoastal from Tuckerton to A.C./Absecon Inlet. If you time a favorable current, you can make that trip in 4 to 6 hours. The current can easily be 2 knots or a little more, so bucking the current will slow you considerably.
You can stay in a Marina at A.C. (it's Farley State Marina) with casino, but a good place to anchor is Rum Cove, which is directly across from A.C on the north side of the channel in Brigantine. The entrance is very narrow and shallow on the starboard side. Keep the sticks in the center of the opening on your starboard side. The water is very deep on the port side (northwest) even up against the sedge island (there are no markers on your left as you enter the opening). I've been in there twice and it is an excellent anchorage.
Most sailors avoid the ICW from A.C. to Cape May, but I suspect with your O'Day you may be able to do it. I think you'd have to check the bridge clearances, but you probably would not have any trouble with depth as long as you can lift your keel.
But the norm for sailors is to go out into the ocean. I suggest that you do a shakedown sail to Ocean City and go in at Great Egg Harbor Inlet. It would be a short trip of just 3 or 4 hours probably from Absecon Inlet to GEHI. It would be a great little leg to test your seafaring skills. I don't know the anchorages in there, but I'm sure you can find something or a marina for sure.
The leg from Ocean City to Cape May will be a bit longer, but not much. Be very careful to get the best local knowledge that you can for each of these inlets. They can be treacherous, particularly if you find yourself in the wrong place with shoaling. Don't do these inlets in the dark and make sure you plan your days so you enter inlets during daylight. If you want to see some actual film of these inlets, check out the You Tube channel "The Escape Artists" . For all their corniness, they have some relevant experiences to share.
In a quick check of Navionics I see at least one fixed bridge listed as 35’ just south of AC, which will be a little skinny for the O’Day 26’s 33.67’ mast height. I’d try to pass that one at low tide, and do double check the chart for any others. +1 for all of Scott’s other suggestions. I’d add that bringing bug spray for the green head flies is also advisable.
When I saw the forecast for the arctic blast I got my NOLA self back south. I bought the boat in Jan and have been astounded with all I did not know about sailboating up there. things I have learned so far. no one would even talk to me about splashing her in Jan, Feb, or March. they were adamant the "boating season was NOT until April". So I was launched on 4/1. I have not taken the boat out as yet cause of the remote controls being connected out of adjustment. I did not do it. but know-how and have done it several times on my old boat. I am in the Dockside Cafe and Marina in Tuckerton. I did a lot of research on this model boat and came up there and bought it. because I have experience with the O'Day brand and wanted this model with drafts of 30-inch to 6-foot centerboard down, that has stand-up headroom (for me). Now I have been getting oriented on the charts and route. Like the kid in the candy store, I thought I may go north and summer in Montreal then head south back thru NYC. I appreciate the info on the Southern heading to Cape May. I will have to get a lot more educated about it all before I go anywhere. The comments here make me realize I may need to stay in N.J. for the summer learning the boat and the route south thank you for the input on the tides, currents, air draft, and a bit of local knowledge from all. jmc
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Scott T-Bird. You bring my thinking into reality with a jolt here. I did not expect to meet a local sailor here. I certainly needed to hear what you say. I will do a lot more learning with an open mind based on your comments. You probably saved me from a self-made foolish disaster. I really appreciate your post. I will certainly study and learn from all you have said. If you get a chance to offer me more of your local knowledge It would be very helpful. Thank you, jmc
Bead blasting followed by barrier.....You need the hull up to temp to apply the paint.. One warm spring doesn't do it.. Now if you bring her home to NOLA you can do it there with ease. Most paints have a recommended 55-60 degree application standard... that's NOT the outside air temp at the moment you're applying, it's the hull temp
Tuckerton is a very nice town, but you are up the river a ways and Little Egg Harbor is a little shallow for sailing, I think. I don't have any local knowledge of the sailing in that area as I have only passed through in the channels. It seems to me that the cruising sailboats from Beach Haven head into the ocean, the small boat sailors with shallow draft can sail in LEH but so much of it is less than 5' deep that I think the sailing for you would be very limited. You can easily move your boat anytime now into Barnegat Bay. We are in Mariners Marina in Barnegat and they may have a slip for you if you check. We're less than 15 miles from your boat as the crow flies.
In Barnegat Bay, you would be able to sail your boat with the keel fully down. At 6' you would be limited to a greater extent, but the bottom is soft everywhere & you can easily lift where necessary. You would have a much better sailing experience in Barnegat Bay, I think, if you spend the summer in NJ. There is a lot of sailing on Barnegat Bay and during the week, anchorages are quiet just about everywhere. Forked River is probably the best location on Barnegat Bay for everything that you might be interested in. It's not a bad base if you have a notion to travel. NYC and Long Island Sound is an easy reach from here. The path to Chesapeake Bay is very well worn and also an easy reach from here. Montreal would be more like an epic trek, if you ask me!
One thing you will learn quickly when traveling by small boat is how large the country and distances. The distance you can cover in 2 hours on the interstate will take 2 long days of sailing. On our last trip to Hawai'i my wife commented on the long flight from Syracuse to Honolulu. I reminded her sailing across Lake Ontario takes just as long and it is only 50 miles while Hawai'i is 5,000 miles.
Montreal is doable, it will take about 4 to 5 days to get to Lake Champlain, then up the Lake. You will have to take the mast down to enter Champlain. If you put it up to sail on the lake, it will need to come down again to get to Montreal. And then reverse the process.
The Chesapeake is a great sailing area lots of places to go and see within a day's sail or motoring.
@jmczzz Where you are located, I'd highly recommend checking out the Chesapeake. It's a long sail to Montreal. You are a solid day sail to the Chesapeake if you take the C&D canal. The Chesapeake has extraordinary sailing grounds. Especially with the boat you have, it would be a super sailing area. I'd recommend taking smaller steps to begin with. That will give you a better understanding of how your boat handles, how to organize it, all those things.
dj
dj
I'm gonna chime in, as a land locked lake sailor.......I want pictures . It sounds like a great adventure, and you seem to have a good grasp of what is needed. Wishing you the best for your trip (s) , but please post photos, we'd like to see how your doing ( for those of us too "chicken" to do it )
. It sounds like a great adventure, and you seem to have a good grasp of what is needed. Wishing you the best for your trip (s) , but please post photos, we'd like to see how your doing ( for those of us too "chicken" to do it )
i don't worry i am plenty chicken! but i can't stand the thought of spending my retirement and last few years sitting in front of a TV. jmcI'm gonna chime in, as a land locked lake sailor.......I want pictures
My work schedule has allowed me to see my boat 6 times in the past 9 months :-( , went out with my dock partner last month, the first time on the water in almost a year.............72 more days and I'll be retarded...i mean retired........... Im looking forward to not only seeing the boat but really using it...