navigation down south

[Trojan]

I just got back to Naples from the Key's. I have to give you guys in south Florida a lot of credit. Boating in and around the islands in south Fla. has got to be a pain in the butt. Between getting lost, (everything looking the same) shallow water, rising, falling tides, floating crap, it has to be a nightmare. No wonder you guys have 3 of everything to navigate. Just to be safe. My hats off to you guys being able to get around without getting in trouble. I know how to navigate, but I think I'll stay in the Great Lakes for a while longer less complicated. We do have our navigation and water conditions, but I think I like my own back yard better for now. Keep em floating Guys.


BILL

 

[Wild Bill]

Navigating in south Florida is very simple really, just follow the empty beer cans.

 

[Freebird]

Well I can tell you there used to be a big sand bar outside Big Sarasota Pass that isn't there any more! I took care of that one back in August with Freebird!

I never did get paid for the bill I sent to the state of Floriduh for plowing that one down. Had to be worth something more than I paid to have my props re-worked.

I remember the first trip I took out in the Gulf. I rented a CC from Club Nautico and they wanted to give me a bunch of charts. I told them I didn't need them because I was going to run out in the Gulf. The guy laughed and said "trust me, you'll need these and don't follow any other Club Nautico boats".

There's nothing quite like running at 30 knots a half mile or better offshore only to see some guy standing in water that only comes to his waist! That first trip got me hooked though. Nothing like pointing your bow towards the horizon with nothing but blue.

 

[Boatsb]

You just scare too easy. I ran Moriches inlet daily for 10 years in the 80's without loran, GPS or anything more advanced than a chart, compass and an RDF. Running in the navagationally challenging waters builds character. Also it improves the skill if all 3 GPS/Chartplotters and the autopilot fail ( hell I have one GPS and a LORAN for back up )

Remember the threads on charts a while back. I still use them. Its harder to find paper charts lately but they are a necessity. We also are in the wartm so we get to practice navagation mor ethan you guys in the frozen north.

 

[Freebird]

Running in the navagationally challenging waters builds character.

"navagationally challenging waters"? Am I contagious?

Yeah, I know others have talked about it before as to what we would no without modern day navigation electronics. I can't remember who said it, but he said if he was offshore off the east coast of FL (I think) all he had to do was head west until he hit something! Yep, that will do it!

I was clearly outside the lights when I hit that sandbar, and had boated in that area for years and knew the waters. There is a really cheap Apelco depth finder on Freebird that I could not get the alarm to work on. Another thing I had planned to address the next day. Otherwise I would have seen the shallow water coming at me in the dark.

I knew I was in trouble when I saw the GPS speed starting to climb as the hull was compressing against the bottom, then the boat "skipped" a couple of times and dug in, hard. Man, talking about throwing on the brakes, we had major alcohol abuse in the galley as the fridge door flew open on impact. Good thing we had two gallons of orange juice because one of the exploded when it hit the galley floor. I was rocking back and forth on the keel when I stopped.

Had to wait about 6 hours for the tide to come in, then motored off. Trust me, I WILL have another depth finder installed before I head out again, and the chartplotter that I had not hooked up at that time is alive and well. That thing makes navigation a breeze as it is preloaded with all charts and shows water depths. Doesn't help when things have been shifted by storms though. I know, I know, look at notice to mariners.

 

[Pascal]

i've always thought that boating in florida is real easy... shoals are well marked, water can be read, very little tides... compare this to tricky inlets in other areas, rocks, logs, storms,.... come on! even a SR driver can survive here...

i only cruised the west coast once, from the Keys to Ft Myers and into the OWW. everything was well marked, i had to come in Ft Myers after dark and the South florida blue chart didn't include the entrance (stopped 10miles south and picked up 10 miles in the OWW).. that was tricky with numerous shoals but well marked.

obviously, you dont' go running flat out unless you know the waters and if you rely on a depthsounder to stay afloat, good luck ! in typical florida waters you will run in 8 to 10 ft and suddenly the water will shoal up to 1 or 2 ft .. by the time your sounder shows 2' it will be too late...

if you think florida is tough, try the bahamas ! while the water is clear, markers are nearly non existent...

 

[Freebird]

SR driver? Running at night with no depth finder? Are you throwing me the "wrong line" first again?

We still gonna do a little think and drink in Miami in Feb?

Have you been looking for grey boxes with antennaes on your boat?

Oh yeah, work on that signature. Looks like you're shouting!

 

[Bertramp]

Speaking of navigating "down south" ...... have any of you folks been through the Boynton inlet (just south of Palm Beach). I'm gonna be running a 27 Blackfin in the Boynton area and after looking at the inlet from land last weekend, I'm seriously considering running north to Palm or south to Boca instead of dealing with what I saw. The place is NOT user friendly

 

[Freebird]

Some of those inlets can get pretty nasty, especially up at Jupiter. I was south of that area of WPB, but I can't remember if we came into Boynton on Paul45c's CC when we were marina lookking and bar hopping aka multi-tasking. Things were kinda foggy.

He's on vacation or I am sure he would jump in as he is in Lighthouse Point. I think he should be back with us in a day or two. If not, send him a PM. He's a "jester", but he's a hell of a nice guy who knows that area well.

 

[CARL GUZMAN]

I know that hurrican Willma changed all our in lets especialy Marco pass....

Trojan Bill if your in town call me or stop by for a beer cell 239-641-0808

 

[thoward]

Lots of boats and inexperence down there. St Lucie was completely sholed but they are dredging. Jupiter can get nasty and the standing waves in any of the inlets can get you in trouble. It is allways best to drive down to take a look at the inlet if you have an East wind. When the tide goes out and the wind blows in it can get real hairy.

Check out the southeast forum on www.Floridasportsman.com. There are a bunch of guys that run out of there and will most likely help you find the fish and give you pointers on the inlet.

 

[Pascal]

"SR driver? Running at night with no depth finder? Are you throwing me the "wrong line" first again?"

actually, running at cruise speed at night WITH a depth finder can be just bad in a shoal prone area recently affected by a series of hurricanes...

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

I was bringing back a 33' Bertram sportfisherman 2 yrs ago with the owner from Vero Beach just after the hurricanes came by.
At Port Orange (just south of Ponce Inlet) and we came to a S T O P . Luckily we were only doing all of 3 mph as it was a no wake zone, but we were DIRECTLY between the red and green marker and the boat only needed 3'.
Luckily it was just mud and we were able to back up and find deeper water (which was OUTSIDE the red marker) and keep on going.
A couple at our marina brought back a boat they just bought last month from Ft Myers and hit A BOAT in the middle of the ICW just South of Titusville. The boat ( a 16' runabout) was sunk by the storms but for some reason decided to move into the channel as they were driving by.
Cause 2 bent props, one bent shaft and rudder our my buddy's Jefferson.

 

[CARL GUZMAN]

Come on boys play nice ....

 

[Bertramp]

Boynton is small (narrow) and only has 18' vertical clearance, but it is right where the Blackfin will be kept. When it appeared ridiculously nasty was an outgoung tide and a strong wind from the east ..... maybe it will be a slacktide friend

 

[thoward]

Did it look like this?

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=538117&postid=6451606#6451606

 

[Bertramp]

I watched two 60+ foot head boats that do the inlet twice a day in each direction stand up at what looked like beyond a 45 degree angle trying to get out ... it was ugly. Half that came to the inlet turned around and wouldn't try it. Half of those that did try it regretted it and needed fresh undies !!

 

[Freebird]

Come on boys play nice ....

Must have pushed the wrong button before signing off.

We are playing nice! Ain't this fun?

 

[Paul45c]

Boynton is small (narrow) and only has 18' vertical clearance, but it is right where the Blackfin will be kept. When it appeared ridiculously nasty was an outgoung tide and a strong wind from the east ..... maybe it will be a slacktide friend

Boynton has about the strongest current I think you'll find in the entire region, but that shouldn't scare you away if your vertical clearance is fine. A boat like that Blackfin will transit that inlet with no probs. Just don't be afraid of giving some good judicious throttle. The current is strong, but it's steady with no surprises and the inlet isn't all shoaled up.

Boynton's worst bad rep is about all the accidental drownings there each year. That place is as posted up as it can be short of looking like a graffitti wall, and people STILL try to swim it. I don't get it, but it's surely no surprise that many can't hack the current (who could?! ) and drown.

To the overall topic here, I can't speak for the W coast of FL or further up the Atlantic beyond Palm Beach, but I've cruised the whole SE extensively as well as the Keys several times all the way through to Key West. No complaints whatsoever with good markings and a minimum of surprises. I've never had a mishap I'd lay at the hands of a bad channel marking or anything. And yes, Pascal is right on about the Bahamas requiring good local knowledge and the most up-to-date charts. A lot of the banks are sand, and big blows can shift them, making for nice surprises. But there are always people to ask about the approaches that really matter, so it's usually no worries.