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GrowleyMonster · 26-07-2018, 05:57

You will only HAVE to go outside from St Pete to Carabelle. There is no ICW for that stretch. Summertime you have daily thunderstorms that can be quite violent, but blow over quickly. Don't be alarmed. Just get your sails down or reefed and sail on, or just go below and be prepared to be tossed unmercifully for an hour or three. Your boat can probably take a lot more than you can. From Carabelle the ICW starts out nice all the way to Mobile where barge traffic starts to get heavier.

What, if you have one, is your final destination?

We had another guy here a couple years ago, Black Oak, just went and bought a boat and took off in it. He survived but I don't think he wants to mess about in boats any more. Look for his thread. Makes a good read.

JMitchell · 26-07-2018, 06:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuttonCS

As for crossing the gulf I don't know if we will but what I am considering is preferred route 1 Port of New Orleans to Port of Tampa at around 500 nm and 4.5 days at sea. VS what I am told is at minimum two weeks on the gulf coastal waterway because of bridges locks damns traffic etc.

Please give us daily reports of how things are going! I'm personally curious about your trip back up river and through the locks on your way back to OK.

Are you going to be keeping the boat in OK when youre done, or is this a temporary stop with plans to sail back south again?

evbeck · 26-07-2018, 08:48

Unsolicited advice - Carry a Waterway Guide re bridges/locks and use Channel 13 for bridge communications. Print pages on Bridge information by state all the way South and keep in plastic in cockpit. Treat Bridge Tenders and Dockmasters with great respect.

Have a great journey. The Waterway is beautiful, although a little warm and stormy this time of year.

redhead · 26-07-2018, 08:49

New adventures are great! (and scary).

I second the TowBoatUS membership. It just takes away one level of anxiety completely when so many other things are shouting for your attention.

Good luck and keep us posted.

charliegrau · 26-07-2018, 09:06

hey, good luck! I have recently returned from a trip that took me from Virginia Beach to New Orleans and back. I second "Southpass's" advice about crossing the gulf. There are lots of oil rigs and stuff out there to look out for...much safer and controllable to skirt along the shore. My route took me up the GICW from ST Pete to Tarpon Springs/Anclote. Plenty of places to anchor. From Tarpon Springs area I went to Cedar Keys, Steinhatchee, and then crossed from Steinhatchee to Carrabelle (about65 miles). From Carrabelle, you can skirt the coast and find anchorages in Panama City, Destin, Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, Bay St Louis. Free dockage avail in Mandeville and Madisonvilee off Lake Ponchartrain. Sign up for an Active Captain account and you will have bridge schedules available. Watch out for crab pots..remember the lines often float just below the surface and can be several feet upstream from the pot.
Are you gonna cross Fl at Lake Okechobee, Marathon, or go around Key West?

Cadence · 26-07-2018, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuttonCS

Tonight (in about 8 hours) I'm going to catch a bus for the coast. I'll arrive in Richmond Virginia Friday, July 27th. From there I am going to spend the weekend learning to sail and making some final repairs then I will be sailing the ICW to Floridia and either make a straight shot across the Gulf or use the GCW from there to the Mississippi and back home. My boat is a 32' Endeavor named Beatrice

I mention this because I have seen lots of you post from various points along the route and I think it would be neat if someone asked me to drop to a work channel and said hi.

Also this is my first sail so... wish me luck?

First sail, don't even think about a straight shot across the Gulf. JMHO

Nickodemus · 26-07-2018, 10:34

You say you will buy SeaTow “when you get there” - meaning Richmond? Good idea to have it for the ICW from there to Florida. Ditto on the good snorkel mask - if it doesn’t fit properly, it is absolutely useless. Also ditto on the Waterway Guides - they are a lifesaver in the ICW - it is very helpful to know where to stop to provision, if nothing else. Hopefully you have some kind of dinghy or personal watercraft to get to shore? Lastly, don’t forget bug spray and a couple of flyswatters!

stormalong · 26-07-2018, 10:58

I hope you have done your due diligence before committing to buy a 40 year old boat. Have you had a marine survey? An engine survey? You will be dependent on that engine while going down the ICW.

Old boats can be a minefield. I know, I own one.

GrowleyMonster · 26-07-2018, 13:16

https://www.practical-sailor.com/rev...32-1167-1.html

That's what you are getting into.

If you are actually going to first lay eyes on, and take posession of, the boat, and immediately embark on your epic first sea/ICW voyage, you will be extremely dependant on mechanical propulsion. A heavy duty outboard bracket, a long shaft outboard, nice big tank and a couple of jerry cans would be a very good bit of insurance. You don't know what state the diesel actually is in. A brand new outboard is a known quantity. You know with enough gasoline on hand, it will get you to someplace where a stubbornly uncooperative diesel can be seen to by a mechanic. Biggest thing with a diesel is fuel and fuel filters. Have plenty of filters on hand. Drain the water trap (install one if there isn't one) before each day's operation. Learn how to bleed the injectors in the event you run out of fuel or in some other way get air in the system. Checking and changing oil, fuel filters, impellor, and bleeding the injectors are your basic required skills for operating a diesel engine in a boat. If it is stubborn to start, always start with the seacock closed, then immediately open it once it is running. If a short press on the starter brings it immediately to life then disregard that.

Drmanso · 26-07-2018, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southpass

If I may, my $.02. Hopefully your ICW experience will prepare you for that Gulf crossing. I would pay particular attention to ground tackle (anchor) and be able to deploy it quickly in the worst conditions. Know how and when to reef your sails. Make sure your bilge pumps work flawlessly and have manual backups. Make sure your VHF is working and have a handheld backup. Get a personal EPIRB or a vessel EPIRB. Change the impeller on your cooling water systems and engine belts if you don't know when they were last changed. Have spares. Have a spare water pump, alternator, and starter. Have spare fuses. Known where all your through hulls are and operate the seacocks. The ICW is bad about shoaling in areas so consult Active Captain or a reasonable facsimile. I would have a backup navigation system to the laptop too. Phone, tablet, hand held GPS, etc. Have weather gear">foul weather gear and check your survival gear. Practice man overboard drills and get jack lines and vest beacons for running at night. I could think of a lot more. Maybe someone else will chime in. Good luck.

Join BoatUS BEFORE you sail. Get the unlimited tows for $150.00 / yr. Incredible bargain!
I'll guarantee you will run aground several times, and even an easy tow can cost you hundreds of $ If you have no insurance.

SuttonCS · 27-07-2018, 19:41

So I'm aboard and have internet laptop and a few days of food. We have been on a bus for over 36 hours and at this point have been up probably 55 in the last 60. We had out first meal in two days when we got here because the buses were all running late and we got no meal stops. But we're here and there are beds. I wont make complete replys tonight to everyone because I'm too tired. We have by no means gone through all of the boat yet. Although so far I have found the boat pretty much as I expected. It of course needs some work. So far we found that the companionway leaks onto a counter next to the sink and one port hole leaks.... buckets under it for now tomorrow we will remove sand and replace the port hole with silicone gasket sealer and replace the O-ring if possible. Also the engine raw water pump is missing but supposedly coming tomorrow it appears to be simple enough with 3 bolts and two hoses. From the general state of repair we feel relatively confident but having lived on a boat we can already see that depending on what we find we might have to stay in dock for a week or two working and making it all right before heading out on such a long journey.

SSgtPitt · 27-07-2018, 19:56

WhooHoo!! The fun begins. Keep us posted. Pictures if you’re able.

SuttonCS · 27-07-2018, 20:04

Im only taking it back to Oklahoma to upgrade and refurbish and repair and let time go by for my girlfriends kid to graduate high-school (6 years) then I intend to take this boat or another and sail to the Caribbean and beyond.