West Palm Beach to Key Largo

[offline]

We are getting ready to relocate our boat from West Palm Beach down to Key Largo (Manatee Bay Club) and I just need to get a really good idea of how long it will realistically take.

Do you guys think it is realistic that we can make West Palm to Dinner Key Marina in one day? We'd like to stop over for the sailing Regatta taking place at the Ransom Everglades School. My daughter is competing.

We will not need to wait for most bridges.

Thanks!

[motion30]

two day tops to key largo, west palm ft lauderdale one day easy via the icw. Offshore you maybe can make dinner key after dark

[Hudson Force]

I checked my log for two ICW passages for this span (North Lake Worth to Barnes Sound) and came up with about twenty hours,- and we do open most bridges. Our favorite anchorages along this route include Pelican Harbor near Delray Beach, Lake Sylvia in Fort Lauderdale and the Marine Stadium in Miami. We often take the ICW southbound because of the northbound Gulfstream current here an we make good time inside unless the winds is brisk from the west for a great sail which is rare. We often ride with the current when heading north. Some will say that there is a countercurrent close to shore, but this is a myth. I grew up swimming at the beach in Lauderdale and we ALWAYS had to walk back south to find our towels and shoes even after a few minutes in the water!

PS - I looked back and saw the Gibson 50. Is this a Houseboat? If so, forget about my advice about the favorable west wind for sailing! My 20 hours was with a speed of 6.5 kts and an average of ten minutes waiting per restricted bridges under 55', this probably totals to about two and a half hours.

[offline]

Yes... it's a houseboat! oh please sailing gods forgive me.... Does blaming my wife for ending up with the houseboat help????????

I am hoping that I can do WPB to MIA in one day... doesn't sound like it....

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I checked my log for two ICW passages for this span (North Lake Worth to Barnes Sound) and came up with about twenty hours,- and we do open most bridges. Our favorite anchorages along this route include Pelican Harbor near Delray Beach, Lake Sylvia in Fort Lauderdale and the Marine Stadium in Miami. We often take the ICW southbound because of the northbound Gulfstream current here an we make good time inside unless the winds is brisk from the west for a great sail which is rare. We often ride with the current when heading north. Some will say that there is a countercurrent close to shore, but this is a myth. I grew up swimming at the beach in Lauderdale and we ALWAYS had to walk back south to find our towels and shoes even after a few minutes in the water!

PS - I looked back and saw the Gibson 50. Is this a Houseboat? If so, forget about my advice about the favorable west wind for sailing! My 20 hours was with a speed of 6.5 kts and an average of ten minutes waiting per restricted bridges under 55', this probably totals to about two and a half hours.

[Snore]

With a 50 foot boat you may have some issues staying inside south of FLL to Miami. There are two fixed bridges that may be an issue. I believe they are 55 footers, but check the charts.


I've done this trip several times from the Hillsboro Inlet. It is a fairly easy day from Hillsboro to the Virginia Key anchorage by the marina and then another short hop to Elliott or Pumpkin Key. If you plan on going in though the cut, note that when the cruise ships leave they declare a security zone and I ended up waiting on the outside while the three cruise ships exited.

As the charts show from Key Biscayne to Key Largo there are 3(?) well marked beds or flats that you have to navigate through. They were exactly where Mr. Garmin said,they should be.

Bill

[Snore]

Just saw last post a 50' houseboat... Guess the bridges won't be an issue.....

[Hudson Force]

Offline, My records from my log are for the trip on the ICW from WPB to Barnes sound,- that's at Manatee Bay Marina. If your day trip hope is to Dinner Key, then you can take off another four or five hours from the total! With the 2 & 1/2 that I add for bridges also removed, you may be looking at less than 12 hours. Plan for about 70 miles to Dinner Key. Look at the bridges with restricted times that you will need to wait for and give them an average of 15 minutes apiece,- most open every 30 minutes. Calculate you cruising speed for this distance and add the bridge times. You can likely do this in a long day with an early start.

Be careful with your maneuvering power with the houseboat. The low bridges on the north and south sides of Boca Raton have some swift currents,- one will be with you and one against you as they are on opposite sides of the inlet. Talk to these and other bridges with swift current well ahead of time so you can pace your arrival time and not be required to hold your position for a long time in the current. If you have a single engine on the big box this could be risky,- dual engines will be fine.

'just an add on for other interests regarding the fixed bridges on this route. There is only one under 65' and that is the Julia Tuttle Bridge at 56' MHW in Miami. You can clear 57' here under the adjacent off center spans outside the blue steel section.

[offline]

Ya'll are the most awesomest ever!!!!!!<SIC> :-)

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Offline, My records from my log are for the trip on the ICW from WPB to Barnes sound,- that's at Manatee Bay Marina. If your day trip hope is to Dinner Key, then you can take off another four or five hours from the total! With the 2 & 1/2 that I add for bridges also removed, you may be looking at less than 12 hours. Plan for about 70 miles to Dinner Key. Look at the bridges with restricted times that you will need to wait for and give them an average of 15 minutes apiece,- most open every 30 minutes. Calculate you cruising speed for this distance and add the bridge times. You can likely do this in a long day with an early start.

Be careful with your maneuvering power with the houseboat. The low bridges on the north and south sides of Boca Raton have some swift currents,- one will be with you and one against you as they are on opposite sides of the inlet. Talk to these and other bridges with swift current well ahead of time so you can pace your arrival time and not be required to hold your position for a long time in the current. If you have a single engine on the big box this could be risky,- dual engines will be fine.

'just an add on for other interests regarding the fixed bridges on this route. There is only one under 65' and that is the Julia Tuttle Bridge at 56' MHW in Miami. You can clear 57' here under the adjacent off center spans outside the blue steel section.

[Kettlewell]

It's about 100 statute miles on the ICW, so that is cranking for two days considering all the bridges between West Palm and Miami. I would say two days minimum, with three days being a bit more comfortable. Probably could make Dinner Key in one long day (77 statute miles), but it depends on how many of those bridges you have to open. They're mostly on schedules.