Intracoastal Waterway Sailing
- Thread starter drgbanks
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Yes, we did it both ways, south and then north.
Lots of motoring, some sailing. The bigger the boat, the less sailing as the water ways are often narrow and twisting. Too much effort tacking and jibing also depth issues in part. In some areas there are too many bridges which cannot be sailed through.
It is a great experience. Know your bridge clearances, and depths can change. There is steaming quietly through wilderness, like you're on the set of Creature from the Black Lagoon, and plenty of quaint towns, big cities, naval shipyards, smelly paper mills, even air force bombing practice grounds.
We sailed along watching practice bombing runs flying directly over our heads. The bombs, luckily, were not armed, nor dropped in the water.
In Georgia, a deer kept out and ran next to us for about a quarter of a mile, along the bank.
-Will
We sailed along watching practice bombing runs flying directly over our heads. The bombs, luckily, were not armed, nor dropped in the water.
In Georgia, a deer kept out and ran next to us for about a quarter of a mile, along the bank.
-Will
Only the Navy bombs water.
As Will points out, this is a fascinating journey, you will experience many sights, sounds and smells along the way. Meet interesting people and see the country from a perspective few do. You will also experience the whole gamut of emotion, from wonder and awe to out right boredom, from joy and elation to outright rage (idiot power boaters and their wakes!!!!
). And living together with your partner in a very small space may well deepen your relationship.
First, Welcome to SBO!!!!
Are you asking because you are considering taking your Daysailor III on the ICW locally or cruising the ICW in another, larger, boat?
What Dave and Will posted is all very true.
If your planning on traveling the ICW in your DS III be very careful around large power boats who seem to run at a speed to create the largest wake possible and will have little regard for you in your small boat, whether your sailing or motoring. Watch for them coming and stay well away and be prepared to handle the wake.
Luckily you will have more room to maneuver than they will with your shallow draft.
Be sure your auxiliary motor is running well and you have plenty of fuel.
Ward
Are you asking because you are considering taking your Daysailor III on the ICW locally or cruising the ICW in another, larger, boat?
What Dave and Will posted is all very true.
If your planning on traveling the ICW in your DS III be very careful around large power boats who seem to run at a speed to create the largest wake possible and will have little regard for you in your small boat, whether your sailing or motoring. Watch for them coming and stay well away and be prepared to handle the wake.
Luckily you will have more room to maneuver than they will with your shallow draft.
Be sure your auxiliary motor is running well and you have plenty of fuel.
Ward
My recent experience was a mixed bag.
I sailed a short section north of Corpus Christi Bay (Texas) and due to prevailing southeasterly breezes, it was a beam reach either direction, so perfect conditions. Sailing a different, but similar, channel in the area was direct to windward, forcing us to tack every minute or so.
The ICW is relatively narrow and is a commercial waterway, with barges being a regular feature. These are hard to maneuver and you must stay clear of them lest they mow you down. Also, you must pay very close attention to the channel markers. Outside of the marked channel, water can get real shallow real quick. Ask me how I know.
I would not do it without a kicker of some sort, but that's me.
Plan your trip carefully, know the prevailing breezes, and seek the advice of those who know the section you are planning to sail.
Best of luck!
I sailed a short section north of Corpus Christi Bay (Texas) and due to prevailing southeasterly breezes, it was a beam reach either direction, so perfect conditions. Sailing a different, but similar, channel in the area was direct to windward, forcing us to tack every minute or so.
The ICW is relatively narrow and is a commercial waterway, with barges being a regular feature. These are hard to maneuver and you must stay clear of them lest they mow you down. Also, you must pay very close attention to the channel markers. Outside of the marked channel, water can get real shallow real quick. Ask me how I know.
I would not do it without a kicker of some sort, but that's me.
Plan your trip carefully, know the prevailing breezes, and seek the advice of those who know the section you are planning to sail.
Best of luck!
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Also, from that brief moment you took your eyes off the channel and ran aground, or worse, someone else ran your boat aground, and you have to put up with the embarrassment of asking one of those passing powerboaters for a pull off the sandbar. That's another sixpack lost.
-Will
What kind of boat? Draft and bridge clearance height? What time of year? Heading north or south?
This response highlights the wide divergence of conditions one could encounter in the ICW depending on what section of it you are sailing. Bridges, locks, commercial traffic, seasonal and current weather conditions, dredging operations, etc. can complicate a trip, so if you don't know what to plan for, how to prepare, what to do when plans A, B, and C don't work out, you could be in for a good deal of angst.
Were you watching? The chart said 8-9 feet at low tide. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
In what context? Are you wanting to make a passage.... or do you want to find a patch of flat water to sail your boat back and forth.... or do you want to cruise to some restaurants and dodge the power boat guys with bikini clad crew (yahoo)... or what? And what part of the ICW. Gulf coast, chesapeake, east coast southward, northward... try to ask a specific question... if possible.
OR......... look for a guide book or video... lots of that kind of thing around if you're curious and persistent.
What struck me about the ICW from Chesapeake City to Beaufort NC was the lack of services. For being not far from civilization it felt isolated. Almost wilderness. From Beaufort South we went outside so I didn't experience that part of the ICW but even when we came in there were vast areas of very little - like the Savannah River. I was with an experienced Captain and noted he didn't miss many opportunities to top off fuel.
The other thing I quickly learned is that the buoyage for the ICW is not the same as for the rivers and sounds you cross. That can make some confusing situations with regard to route. Guide book very much used.
The other thing I quickly learned is that the buoyage for the ICW is not the same as for the rivers and sounds you cross. That can make some confusing situations with regard to route. Guide book very much used.
Anyone planning to run the ICW should look up the Skipper Bob ICW long tracks Bob423 ICW Tracks and Routes and get a paid subscription to the AquaMaps app. Then import Bob's long tracks into AquaMaps and also load the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) overlays and ActiveCaptain data.
There are also a few relevant Facebook groups to join which will help you keep up to date.
www.facebook.com
www.facebook.com
www.facebook.com
There are also a few relevant Facebook groups to join which will help you keep up to date.
Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.
www.facebook.com
Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.
www.facebook.com
Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.
www.facebook.com
Add to that the online version of Waterway Guide. The information and reviews are often more recent than AC. Also sign up for the Alerts and notices. Don't bother with the way too expensive WG books, each book costs about as much as a year's worth of the online version.Anyone planning to run the ICW should look up the Skipper Bob ICW long tracks Bob423 ICW Tracks and Routes and get a paid subscription to the AquaMaps app. Then import Bob's long tracks into AquaMaps and also load the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) overlays and ActiveCaptain data.
There are also a few relevant Facebook groups to join which will help you keep up to date.
Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.Log into Facebook
Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.
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Be aware of the heavy concentration of military on the Chesapeake Bay, make sure your paperwork to include registration or Documentation is on board particularly around the Tidewater area and quickly get out of shipping lanes. If going through the Dismal Swamp, keep a sharp lookout for snakes in the trees. I repaired a sailboat once that had a 410 shot gun hole in the hull that the owner tried to kill a snake with. Snake was not poisonous
I am very new to sailing. Took ASA 101 Basic Keel Boating last summer. Purchased my DS III in the fall. Cleaned it up over the winter. Almost ready for the water. I'll start on Woodlake and Lake Anna to get the feel of my boat. I have ambitions of sailing down the James River to Virginia Beach, then across the bay to Cape Charles. I have no frame of reference or experience to know what it all takes. Reading your posts here is so valuable to me as I consider venturing out.
Crossing from VB to Cape Charles takes you across a very busy waterway with the Navy and commercial shipping not to mention fishing boats and recreational boats. It may not be the best place to get your sea legs. I'd look for waters friendlier to a small open boat.
This is great! ThanksAdd to that the online version of Waterway Guide. The information and reviews are often more recent than AC. Also sign up for the Alerts and notices. Don't bother with the way too expensive WG books, each book costs about as much as a year's worth of the online version.
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