Texas in March

spadaforaj · Nov 29, 2009

Texas Sailing

I had an O'Day 222 that I ended up keeping up on Lake Conroe. The summer can get very hot and winds still, so you are better off in the Spring. Clear Lake, Kehma is decent, but I have never done the bay. There are some nice Texas Sailing websites you shoudl look for Good luck

capnbophus · Nov 29, 2009

Catalina on Clear Lake

Dennis,

I just recently moved my Catalina 22 swing keel from Clear Lake to a local freshwater lake.

Clear Lake and Galveston Bay are very shallow. The swing keel came in very handy more than once getting out of shallow water. I ran aground in places I would never have dreamed were that shallow. Leaving Clear Lake going out into the bay you must follow a narrow, dredged channel for about a mile into the bay before you reach safe water depth for sailing. In the meantime, EVERYBODY ELSE is following that same narrow channel, including the 50' cigarette racers and there is no speed limit and apparently nobody abides by the no wake rule. It's dangerous. We took WAKE into the cockpit more than once. There is enough crap sticking up out of the water, like pipes and misc structural steel pieces that I would never sail at night. There are oil platforms and oil tankers to avoid and they all have the right of way.

Strange things grow in the Gulf's warm water and most of it on my hull. You'll need some potent bottom paint.

I was at the Watergate Marina. It's a nice place. Swiming pools, shower and rest rooms and parking within 100' of my boat. It had been remodeled just before Ike hit so it was remodeled again. It's one of the nicer places for the money. Since I had a swing keel I could get into and out of a shallow water slip. This slip was $100/mo. Out toward the deeper water the slip was $120/mo.

But, to go spend the weekend on you boat in the Kemah/Clear Lake area you will find many interesting attractions. It's a great place to hang out.

Bill

Hermit Scott · Nov 29, 2009

dennis23685 said:
thanks Bill,
Sounds like a strange place. I always thought that the clear lake/kemah area was supposed to be good sailing with its' access to the Gulf. I'm wondering if I should re-think my winter sail plan.
Dennis

Since you said you'd like to keep your boat in a marina while in clear lake, it will still take 6 hours of sailing to get to the gulf from there. Unless you put in on the trailer.
Are you working down this way or just vacationing?
If you are jsut vacationing and can go anywhere, Port Aransas is very nice. It's 1 mile from the gulf and there are a lot of places to play on the ICW there.

Hermit Scott · Nov 29, 2009

spadaforaj said:
There are some nice Texas Sailing websites you shoudl look for Good luck

Really? I haven't found one useful one. I would love to have some info on my local sailing waters, but it looks like I will have to write the book myself.

Mike B1026 · Nov 30, 2009

South Texas

You might check out the Rockport / Port Aransas area. The bays are shallow, around 9 feet average probably but a GPS / charts can keep you clear of the skinny water. I haven't ventured out in the Gulf.

dennis23685 said:
I need some advise from all you trailer sailers. I am hoping to take my catalina 22 from Colorado to Clear Lake/Kemah Texas area end of March thru part of April. Anyone have any experience in those waters? Is Galveston Bay suitable for a 22'? Would also like to keep the boat in a marina during this time. Are there any transient accomodations that are reasonably priced? How's the weather and sailing conditions in March/April?
Any insights/advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Dennis

Honeyman · Nov 30, 2009

Hermit Scott---try this one http://sailingtexas.com/index.html
Oh, and Scott, this covers mostly inland Texas. Problem with Texas coast is distances involved, depths, and destinations. From Corpus, Port Aransas and Aransas Pass is about it without considerable travel. From Clear Lake and Kemah, Galvaston on the intercostal side with Moody Gardens is about it.

Dennis in Boulder- "Clear Lake" is neither clear or a lake! You will be sorely disappointed with the conditions compared to what you are dreaming of. Water is shallow and a nasty chocolate brown. It will be cold as hell that time of year ( water temp. anyway) not that you'd even think of getting in it. Galveston Bay is as described, chocolate water, max depth of about 11-14ft except in ship channel, crap sticking up everywhere or worse, lurking just below the surface, very congested, plus many miles to the gulf. Its better visited by car every few years for decent seafood. Port Lavaca for your purposes would be much better and certainly cheaper. You'd be in the protected Laguna Madre with much cleaner water and considerably less congestion and hassle. Gotta tell you, 22ft on the gulf, majority of days, would be VERY uncomfortable. Yes, Rockport/Port Aransas would be another option.

Hermit Scott · Nov 30, 2009

Honeyman said:
Hermit Scott---try this one http://sailingtexas.com/index.html
Oh, and Scott, this covers mostly inland Texas. Problem with Texas coast is distances involved, depths, and destinations. From Corpus, Port Aransas and Aransas Pass is about it without considerable travel. From Clear Lake and Kemah, Galvaston on the intercostal side with Moody Gardens is about it.
quote]
That site was one of the first on google. That seems to be mainly about sailing on lakes. I don't have a trailer or a large enough truck so unless the destination is connected to the Gulf of Mexico I can't go there.
I met a retired couple down near Rockport when I was doing the bottom on my boat. They knew of many different places to anchor out and different docks that would let them stop for the night for free, like the boat yard we were in at the time. It would be a treasure map to me just to have them mark off some spots around the area.