Fort Myers To Chicago On A 55C

[Sparky1]

Looks like another boat trip is coming together and I'm looking for input. I'm going to help a fellow HOF'er move his recently purchased boat from the Fort Myers area to the Chicago area starting the middle of next week.

First, does anybody have any local knowledge of Cedar Key? I have never been there though I do have charts for it, both electronic and paper. Just wondering about depths, marinas, etc.

Given this boat has apparently had some previous cooling issues which are presently being corrected, I don't think it would be prudent to head from Ft Myers to Panama City as we originally discussed. I'm sure the boat will be properly repaired/prepared, but I'd like to get a few hours in to make sure everything is in order. Ft Myers to Cedar Key should give us enough run time to be comfortable crossing to Panama City.

I did this trip out of Clearwater on my 58 a couple of years ago but at half the speed we'll be doing it on this 55C, weather permitting, so I'm not real sure how things will work out in terms of destinations en route to Mobile. Once we're at Dog River, I'll know better what to expect in terms of predicting where we'll be after a day's cruising.

Meanwhile, I figure Baypoint Marina in Panama City will be our destination from Cedar Key. From there, I'm not sure how far we can run in one day, but there's little doubt we'll run outside. Would it be realistic to think we can make the run from Panama City to Dog River in one day?

[yachtsmanbill]

You know what old Gator sez... SPOOL 'EM UP !!!!! Any prudent yacht operator will take off from a dock on a new boat and run the pants off of it to see what will break the first day out. Aint that the way it supposed to work??
Is that a series I or II? Better get DE-Goosed before ya take off so you can get a daybreak start !~! ;-)) ws

[captddis]

I wouldn't bother with Cedar Key, nothing there. Maybe run from FM to Clwtr then to PC. You should be able to make Mobile from there.

[yachtsmanbill]

Would it be realistic to think we can make the run from Panama City to Dog River in one day?



Isnt that really only 125 miles? C'mon 'Bird! ws

[captddis]

Stop at Johns Pass and I will let you buy us a drink at Bubba Gumps!!

[Sparky1]

I wouldn't bother with Cedar Key, nothing there. Maybe run from FM to Clwtr then to PC. You should be able to make Mobile from there.

The only reason I was thinking Cedar Key would be to get more run time before crossing. If we go from Ft Myers to Clearwater, I don't think we'll have enough daylight to make it to PC. Then again, nothing says we have to run in daylight. Been there, done that.

[Sparky1]

Stop at Johns Pass and I will let you buy us a drink at Bubba Gumps!!

They put in a Bubba Gumps there? Cool.

I'll see what I can come up with.

[Sparky1]

Would it be realistic to think we can make the run from Panama City to Dog River in one day?



Isnt that really only 125 miles? C'mon 'Bird! ws

Hey, considering it took me 4 hours just to get to places I could see, I have a hard time thinking in terms of running 125 miles in one day.

Seriously, is it only 125 miles from Baypoint to Dog River? I don't think so.

[Sparky1]

You know what old Gator sez... SPOOL 'EM UP !!!!! Any prudent yacht operator will take off from a dock on a new boat and run the pants off of it to see what will break the first day out. Aint that the way it supposed to work??
Is that a series I or II? Better get DE-Goosed before ya take off so you can get a daybreak start !~! ;-)) ws

I forgot to ask which series it is, but I'll find out.

Yep, it ain't gonna break at the dock, but I'd like to see 5-6 hours on the clock before we end up out of AAA range.

[Sparky1]

Ah man, I guess it's a good thing we're leaving next week. I just looked at Dog River Marina's website and saw this.

http://www.dogrivermarina.com/images/Corp%20Notice.pdf