Pine Island-Moving my Pearson 26

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Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
Anyone out there know the waters around Pine Island & Matlacha, Florida?
I have to move my P26 fixer upper to it's new home and I'm trying to decide if I can make it thru the waters on the south side of Matlacha or if I have to go all the way around Pine Island.
(She has a fixed keel and drawls 4')
I don't have any sails only a 15hp kicker so it's going to be a long haul if I have to go around.

THanks, any feedback is appreciated...
 
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,320
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Of course, you'll want to check the charts for that area, but my guess is you could probably do it. We know that there is sailboat access on the east side of southern Pine Island, since there are some larger sailboats docked on that side of St. James City, and the channel is marked from the ICW. But from there to the drawbridge at Matlacha, I'm not sure what the depth would be. Sure would be a nice shortcut if you are heading to Cape Coral. Watch out for the Miserable Mile once you get onto the ICW. It's a perfecly straight stretch of the channel leading up to the river and Cape Coral. It's easy to drift out of the channel because of the cross-currents, so you have to check behind you frequently to make sure you are lined up with the day markers. Good luck!
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
I'm a little confused which way you are wanting to go, but if part of the trip would be between the bridge that goes over to Pine Island and the southern end of Pine Island I'd read this first....

http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/flsgp/flsgph99001/flsgph99001index.html

download the section that has page 53 in it and read that. Sounds like from the bridge south the channel can shoal out. They reference an anchorage just south of the bridge, but tell you to get to it by coming down the channel from the north that goes to Charlotte Harbor.

For some reason I can't get the link to work, but have the book and read that page (53).

We have the hard copy of that book. I think it is still out of print. For anyone in the area or going there I'd download the Internet copy and keep it. We have used a number of anchorages from that book and for us it has been the best resource for the west coast.

Good luck,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Endeavour 37[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our MacGregor S Pages[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mac-Venture Links[/FONT]
 
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Bill1565

Bill1565

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Jan 22, 2008
1,483
Hunter 37 C sloop Punta Gorda FL
I wouldn't mess with it. Tides are low this time of year, even without the north wind. At one time there was a power line with 35 foot clearance south of the Matlache bridge. I have no current info on that.

15hp should be plenty for that boat. Enjoy the trip. Take some groceries and stop over night at Pelican Bay. Even though days are getting longer now, they aren't long yet.
 
Sailm8

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
+1 what Bill said. I do not personally know anyone with a sailboat who has done this. I'm sure it has been done. I just don't know anyone who did it. Plan on stopping at Pelican Bay or anchor opposite cabbage key and have a real expensive hamburger.
If you decide to try it, when you get through the bridge at MAtlacha, closely follow the marked channel. Give the GREEN markers a wide berth. Very easy to get confused and aground in the channel.

Good luck
 
Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
Thanks for the information...

Do you all have any input on steering with the outboard???
I dont have a rudder.....
 
R

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
I would not do it. I've been that way in a flats boats, its pretty shallow, the channel markers are far between very easy to miss, there is not a lot of traffic so you won't be able to follow anyone. I wouldn't even do it in a power boat much over 30 feet unless I had someone with a lot of local knowledge.
 
Sailm8

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
Shep83 said:
Thanks for the information...

Do you all have any input on steering with the outboard???
I dont have a rudder.....
Click to expand
That is going to be really tough. I would try to rig a tiller to the motor or an extension some how or you will be leaning over backwards the whole trip. Do you have a friend with a powerboat who could tow you? Where are you towing from and too? Would boatus or seatow help you out?
 
Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
My situation is that the woman who owns the slip the boat was at when I bought it has decided that she wants the it out of there...and between Xmas and buying the outboard I'm tapped out.

I do have a tiller on the outboard to steer.....
My worry is more about controling the boat with the outboard.
 
Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
I'm going from around the Cape Coral yatch club to the north side of Matlacha. Precisely to a lake off Burnt Store Rd.
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Shep83 said:
..I do have a tiller on the outboard to steer.....
My worry is more about controlling the boat with the outboard.
Click to expand
Yep that might be a handful. Our Mac is hard to steer with only the outboard. We usually only use the outboard in conjunction with the tiller in docking and such. The rest of the time the outboard is straight ahead and the steering is done with the rudder. We will have the board partially down when doing that. I've read some guy's horror stories about breaking a rudder and having to go some distance using only the outboard.

You say you have a full keel....that might help more than just our centerboard part way down. I don't know how much leeway you have on time, but I'd sure try and do it on a day/days with no wind or as little as possible.

Any other options on storing it or mooring it near where it is now?

Good luck,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Endeavour 37[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our MacGregor S Pages[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mac-Venture Links[/FONT]
 
Velero49

Velero49

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Jun 4, 2004
292
Hunter 49 123
Shep,

I recommend that you get a Boat US membership with unlimitted towing for around 150 and have TowBoat US (or SeaTow) move your boat. Motoring around the misserable mile (Big Shell Is.) is a challange w/full use of rudder. It looks like the Matlacha Pass has no room for errors... Do you have crew for this trip???
 
Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
I have myself and another guy who has some experience. An extra hand is always welcome, anyone looking for an adventure????
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
I doubt you can track the boat in any kind of wind or current without a rudder.

the engine steering is only fair at slow speeds.

(you'd want a gps chart plotter to keep you in the channels... or at least a depth finder.)


if it were me, I'd get the boats us unlimited, ($130), take it out from the dock as far as possible, and call in you 'just' lost your rudder, and need a tow back home, then tip the captain, so he doesn't turn you in...

YMMV.
 
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Velero49

Velero49

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Jun 4, 2004
292
Hunter 49 123
A rough estimate from CCYC to a lake off Burnt Store Rd is less than 20nm. Where is the fraud or I am missing something??? I understand that Shep may want to have an adventure and that is ok but I would have towing insurense just in case the 15hp kicker dies in route.

From the Boat US/TowBoat Aggrement - "Unlimited Gold Service Level, Paid Service includes payment of the cost to tow Member’s boat from any dock or mooring to the Members port of choice not to exceed a total towing distance of 25 miles. All other service levels ($50, $150 and Unlimited) include payment up to 50% of the cost to tow the Member’s disabled boat from an unrestricted use dock or mooring, i.e. home docks or marinas, for the purpose of repairs, thirty days following Membership initiation or upgrade in service level. Paid Services apply to any recreational boat owned, borrowed or chartered by the Member and includes 24 Hour Towing Dispatch Service.
 
Shep83

Shep83

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Nov 14, 2011
23
Pearson 26 Cape Coral
I'm just learning but if the channel from Big Shell is difficult why not go out toward the causeway and across. The chart shows that to be wide open and plenty deep?
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Velaro, that's news to me... maybe it changed? link?

I know someone that needed to move their boat into the ICW then call boats us for a tow to the marina for repairs...

http://www.boatus.com/towing/about.asp
owing at Sea - Complete service (100%) from a breakdown at sea to your port of choice, up to the towing service level you've selected.


http://www.boatus.com/towing/assets/pdf/TSA010109.pdf

-I had the unlimited... not sure what unlimited GOLD is or costs... more no doubt, but maybe worth the investmetn....
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
hmmm, I'm interpreting that text, as a 30 day exclusion, and a 25 mile limit. *but I'm not an attorney.




PAID SERVICES include: Payment for towing Member’s disabled boat from the point of breakdown at sea to port of choice; at sea battery jumpstarts; delivery of fuel, engine fluids and basic engine parts to avoid a tow, subject to availability; soft ungrounding assistance; and towing the disabled boat immediately after breakdown from a restricted use dock to the Member’s homedock or repair facility. A restricted use dock is one from which Member must move immediately, i.e. fuel or restaurant docks and docks without overnight facilities. Thirty days following initiation of, or upgrade to, Unlimited Gold Service Level, Paid Service includes payment of the cost to tow Member’s boat from any dock or mooring to the Members port of choice not to exceed a total towing distance of 25 miles. All other service levels ($50, $150 and Unlimited) include payment up to 50% of the cost to tow the Member’s disabled boat from an unrestricted use dock or mooring, i.e. home docks or marinas, for the purpose of repairs, thirty days following Membership initiation or upgrade in service level. Paid Services apply to any recreational boat owned, borrowed or chartered by the Member and includes 24 Hour Towing Dispatch Service.



 
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