Navigation Question

wonkodsane · Nov 18, 2009

sbailey64 said:
I am new to sailing and will be motoring/sailing my new (used) 1983 Hunter 27 from NJ (on the Delaware River) down to Annapolis in the spring. In looking at charts of the Delaware, I see there are some channels cut on the river...even where there is deep water around it.

My question is should I stay in these channels when navigating or can I venture out (if the water is deep enough). I don't know if there is some standard convention when navigating.

Thanks,

Steve

Hi Steve,

Welcome aboard. I highly recommend a sailing class, where they will teach you the "Rules of the Road". Without a good sailing class under your belt, you're likely to run into trouble. My gf and I are new to sailing as well and took a class with a local sailing club. You get a whole lot of confidence and understanding out of the experience.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most states require a safety course, which will include a rules of the road section. http://www.boat-ed.com/md/md_laws.htm for example. I took Captain Matt's course at Boatsafe http://boatsafe.com/course.htm in addition to my sailing class.

Don't get caught out by LEs without a safety cert.

-Scott

Buck420 · Nov 18, 2009

sbailey64 said:
I am new to sailing and will be motoring/sailing my new (used) 1983 Hunter 27 from NJ (on the Delaware River) down to Annapolis in the spring. In looking at charts of the Delaware, I see there are some channels cut on the river...even where there is deep water around it.

My question is should I stay in these channels when navigating or can I venture out (if the water is deep enough). I don't know if there is some standard convention when navigating.

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,
To answer your question; no, you are not required to stay in the marked channel. In fact, to avoid the frequent ship traffic that MUST use marked channels in the Delaware Bay (and elsewhere), you would be wise to stay out of them as much as is practical for you. Large commercial vessels cannot usually avoid small craft because they are restricted to the channels. You become a hazzard to these vessels by staying in the channels.
As such, it is your responsibility to avoid them by staying out of their way; which usually means staying out of the channel.

Ross · Nov 18, 2009

I shall presume that you have or will have a depth sounder. If you sail the 8-10 foot depths you will avoid the shipping traffic completely.
Go to this link and get the charts with excerpts from the coast pilot.

http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/BookletChart/AtlanticCoastBookletCharts.htm

This may work:

[Coast Pilot 3, Chapter 15 excerpts]

(192)

Gunpowder River is entered through a
channel marked by a light and buoys west of

Spry Island Shoal

; the shoal is covered 2 to 4
feet; the channel had depths of 8 feet for 2
miles; 2 to 9 feet for 4 miles; 3 feet in a
channel leading to a creek below Joppatowne,

with depths of 4 to 7 feet and 4 feet in the
marina basin.
(194) Marinas above the bridge have slips,
gasoline, and marine supplies.
(196) Some waters of the Aberdeen Proving
Ground are closed to the public at all times. Others have a limited access
during specified hours.
(199)

Bush River. The lower 5 miles are within Aberdeen Proving
Ground constituting prohibited land areas and restricted and dangerous
water areas.

(200) The river has depths of 7 feet to the railroad bridge 6.3 miles

There is another column like this just for the head of the chesapeake bay. Spend the winter with a coastal piloting book and exploring the charts. Have lots of fun.

Bob S · Nov 18, 2009

I took the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Safety Course. It's free, you'll be required to buy some supplies. (Protractor, divider, chart) 12 weeks, great to do over the winter.

http://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/

navigator97 · Nov 18, 2009

sbailey,
I'm assuming that you are planning on going thru the C & D Canal from the Delaware River/Bay to the Chesapeake Bay and down t o Annapolis. If not, you should look into that route. I agree with others about a basic sailing and basic navigation course (such as the Coast Guard Aux, or US Power Squadron). Good luck in the spring.

Ross · Nov 18, 2009

I have been playing with "google earth" and the nav charts. It gives the latitude and longitude of your cursor and you can zoom in to any feature. There are blue dots indicating photos of points of interest. A person could simulate an entire cruise from their computer.

Prime Time · Nov 18, 2009

Learn how to read a chart at a minimum

Hi,
Learn how to read a chart and use a compass at a minimum.
-Better yet, Find someone to go with you who has navigation experience.
-Delaware bay can be hazardous with commercial traffic and there are shoals outside of the channel, so you need to be aware of where you are and if you are on a safe course.

Make sure you have a working VHF, flares, a dinghy is nice given how cold the water is and file a float plan with a friend on shore who will call the Coast Guard if you don't check in.

MoonSailer · Nov 18, 2009

Chapmans Piloting book is a great resource and there are free online boating courses if you don't require a certificate. http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/ here is a great free reference.

Dan Johnson · Nov 18, 2009

Steve...

no one has mentioned it yet, but learn all you can about the C&D canal, which links the Delaware Bay with the top of the Chesapeake's Elk River. You must power through it and you need to pick your time right so as not to fight the tidal current but rather travel with it. Check with the canal's control center about commercial traffic in transit through the canal before entering. Have clean underwear ready if you do meet one.

Once you clear the canal, follow the ship channel markers south to Annapolis (staying to the West side would be better as some tugs with tows have been known to cut across the East side dog-leg near Pooles Island). Consider stopping at Still Pond or Worton Creek as a half-way point.

Good luck and safe journey!

Benny · Nov 18, 2009

just stay out of the channel when commercial traffic approaches. Check your depth sounder and compare to soundings on the chart. The question is not if you will run aground, but the questions is when. Get tow insurance, unlimited is around $120 a year and well worth it considering a single tow will will set you back some $200. You may be coming from Philadelphia and are probably heading for the C&D Canal into the upper Chesapeake. The h27 is not particularly fast so it will need all the help you can give her. Check the tides and the currents in te river and canal. It can make the difference between slogging at 3.5 knots or cruising at 6.5.

Ron20324 · Nov 18, 2009

Steve, I'm not near my Chesapeake Bay Cruising Guide, but I'm very sure you need to catch the canal high tide at the DE end to ride the tide towards the Ches Bay.

s sauer · Nov 18, 2009

C&D Canal

It might be a good idea to have a seasoned sailor aboard and certainly to have and be able to adequately use charts of Delaware Bay and on thru the canal into Chesapeake Bay. I have traversed the area at least twice a year for more than ten years, but typically running from the Chesapeake up to the canal, thru the 14 miles of the C&D and down to the Cohansey River and back.
Try to time your trip in the Delaware for favorable tide directions. In the canal, you can still run against the current if you stay over to the side in shallower water. Regardles of what was implied by earlier posts the canal is wide enough for two ships to pass and for you to stay over to one side. You are not likely to run aground with a Hunter 27 unless you stray over toward the marshy areas. I would spend some time studying the charts of the Delaware river entrance side and enter the canal on a rising tide if possible to make the best time thru the canal. If you can plan a stop at Chesapeake City at Engineers Cove on the south side, have dinner at the marina restaurant or walk into town and have soft shell crabs at theTap Room. After exiting the canal and passing Turkey point you should have no problems at all running down the Chesapeake in or out of the channel, but according to my charts, it is at least 50 miles from Chesapeake city to Annapolis, but the maximum tidal current is far less than in the canal or in the Delaware. There are plenty of places to stop to shorten your day. Warton Creek, Great Oak (narrow entrance) and Tolchester Marina on the Eastern Shore all have restaurants and fuel; while stops on the western shore might be more out of the way.

Andy1237 · Nov 18, 2009

C&D Canal can be sailed through (if you motor dies), but it requires a LOT of tacking. You will definitely want to use the tide to your favor. Good luck and don't let your motor give up the ghost like ours did. This is early in the tide race when we were still all smiles. 30 minutes and 50 tacks later I don't think we were laughing so much.

Manny · Nov 18, 2009

Hi Steve,

Everyone has given good advice so far. I made the trip from Croydon on my 27' all the way down the Delaware, through the C&D, down the Elk River, then back up to Havre De Grace two years ago. While it seemed quite daunting at first it wasn't bad at all. Obviously mind the commercial traffic, especially once you pass the airport. Keep an eye on the weather, the Delaware Bay can get rough. I would suggest passing Pea Patch island on the eastern channel and then make the right turn into the canal once you are directly perpendicular to it. Don't try and cut the island and come into the canal at an angle.
Once in the canal you can stop at Summit North Marina which is about 1/2 way through and grab a bite to eat or make it to Engineers cove which is most of the way through. I went through at night and there are lights all the way through which make it easier to see commercial traffic (they block out the lights like an eclipse!) Once on the Elk it is a nice ride down. Past Turkey Point the bay really starts opening up but stay towards the Eastern Side all the way down until you pass Pooles Island, otherwise you may wander into the restricted area.
Another good spot to stop to anchor is Fairlee Creek but the entrance is tricky. You can also anchor behind Hart Miller island. There are a bunch of marinas in Middle River with restaurants that you can stop at also.
Watch your weather window and always have your vhf on. Also, Noaa has free charts you can download in booklet form, you can print them out on your home printer.

Manny

Ron20324 · Nov 18, 2009

Steve,where are you going to in Annapolis? Failed motor notwithstanding, sailing in the C&D is a no-no.

Ross · Nov 18, 2009

Rather than just saying that you need these here is a link: http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/currents10/cpred2.html#MD

Hermit Scott · Nov 19, 2009

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/rules/Rule01Inld.htm
that's the rules of the road they were talking about.
What is this about a ceritfication? A certification for what?
Steve-as per the rules, you may be required to move out of the deep channel to allow ships that are constrained by draft to stay in the channel.
Alot of what you need to know is in this link, just keep clicking next rule.

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