Stuart, FL To Racine, WI On A 60MY

[SKYCHENEY]

And the river bow mustache is always nice to clean up. Good luck on the trip.

 

[Freeebird]

Yep, she'll have a good one when we get her home.

Just checked the lake level for today, and it stands at 5.40'. I'll let Dave make that call, but the factory specs show 4'11". No doubt the old gal will be loaded with fuel and water along with the typical liveaboard load plus 30 days of supplies for this trip. Might be doing a little keel polishing on the west end if we tried at that level.

 

[oscarvan]

And the river bow mustache is always nice to clean up. Good luck on the trip.

If it's anything like the "Chesapeake Smile"...... this stuff worked like magic for me.

 

[Sadey]

My transduce is located under the VIP head. I'm not sure if someone corrected it for location and unfortunately I have found bottom when the depth on the Garmins read 5'ish. I hate not knowing the precise measurement but we haven't had enough time in type as they say to know to have confidence in accuracy. If we chance that route it'll be at almost idle. What says the Sam's gallery?

 

[doc g]

Lake level?? As is Lake Okeechobee? I would never run thru there. If you do any "keel polishing" it's with solid limestone. Run down thru the Keys, cut thru at Channel 5 or Marathon depending on tide. Fuel is cheap compared to haul outs and prop/shaft work and fuel is even cheaper now......Pat

 

[Passages]

My transduce is located under the VIP head. I'm not sure if someone corrected it for location and unfortunately I have found bottom when the depth on the Garmins read 5'ish. I hate not knowing the precise measurement but we haven't had enough time in type as they say to know to have confidence in accuracy. If we chance that route it'll be at almost idle. What says the Sam's gallery?

You should be able to program an offset to your DF display. Easy enough fix. Just take a tape measure near as you can get to the transducer, measure depth, then adjust display to match.

 

[Freeebird]

If it's anything like the "Chesapeake Smile"...... this stuff worked like magic for me.

It's more like the "Mississippi Mud" with a side of "Tenn-Tom Taint" and "Illinois…", I can't come up with a good word for Illinois.

 

[Freeebird]

My transduce is located under the VIP head. I'm not sure if someone corrected it for location and unfortunately I have found bottom when the depth on the Garmins read 5'ish. I hate not knowing the precise measurement but we haven't had enough time in type as they say to know to have confidence in accuracy. If we chance that route it'll be at almost idle. What says the Sam's gallery?

Your Captain says, nobody on here can tell you what to do with any degree of accuracy. I will say the only place I've ever bumped has been on the west end as you're entering the markers that take you into the rim at Roland Martin. It was just mud.

 

[Freeebird]

You should be able to program an offset to your DF display. Easy enough fix. Just take a tape measure near as you can get to the transducer, measure depth, then adjust display to match.

And how do you propose he verify the exact depth provided by the USACE and where?


Yes, I'm being sarcastic... sort of. Bottom line is, when it's that close, it's still a guess.

 

[Freeebird]

Lake level?? As is Lake Okeechobee? I would never run thru there. If you do any "keel polishing" it's with solid limestone. Run down thru the Keys, cut thru at Channel 5 or Marathon depending on tide. Fuel is cheap compared to haul outs and prop/shaft work and fuel is even cheaper now......Pat

Did a little keel bump with a 70CY several years ago, but it was a deadhead in the rim that took out a prop in 12' of water. It was one of those, "ship happens", kind of deals, but I'll admit I was glad I wasn't at the wheel when it happened.

 

[Spellbound]

Hey Randy. Came through last year with less water than now (early May) route 1 navigable depth was5.1, the Viking draws 4’9” no keel and we had water underneath the entire way. Did idle and was DEAD center entering the markers to Clewston. Pucker factor indeed but doable if leaving now!! Good luck

 

[Freeebird]

Hey Randy. Came through last year with less water than now (early May) route 1 navigable depth was5.1, the Viking draws 4’9” no keel and we had water underneath the entire way. Did idle and was DEAD center entering the markers to Clewston. Pucker factor indeed but doable if leaving now!! Good luck

Hey Toby, I’m guessing we could make it, but I’m leaving that up to Dave. I will say that if he weren’t onboard and I was making the call, I’d err to the side of caution and run the Keys. Given it’s extremely unlikely we can make the last lock by 4:30, it will take us two days to cross the lake.

I’m guessing that lock mistress may not buy that, “owner will kill us if we don’t get to Fort Myers this evening”, bit again. That being said, I’m not exactly sure what Dave put in her goody bag.

 

[Spellbound]

Keep me posted if you need anything while in our neighborhood as the trip south is on hold and I am hanging out waiting for something to do. Be Safe and have Fun.

 

[Freeebird]

Keep me posted if you need anything while in our neighborhood as the trip south is on hold and I am hanging out waiting for something to do. Be Safe and have Fun.

We may hit Cabbage Key again, assuming they're open. Haven't checked yet but will tomorrow. Made the call this evening that we're heading for The Keys. You still keeping your boat on the ICW where it was before?

 

[Bugsy]

Last June ( early) I was reserved for storage at RFYC just East of Orton Lock but the Lake levels were low.....and falling. I spoke to a few who had just completed a crossing with some reporting the zeroes on their depth sounder. I called RFYC and they recommended....don't cross. The manager reported how many boats had come in with damaged props ( and more) and suggested that though there might be enough water why take the chance. I think that was excellent advice....which we heeded.r

 

[Dan Mapes]

Saw an update the CC is open. Take out brought to the boat.

 

[Spellbound]

Keeping the boat at Gasparilla Marina, not too far from BG Pass and if you need fuel let me know I’ll meet you for the extra discount. Was $1.53 yesterday, if Cabbage is closed call Gasparilla for a slip and get some fuel. Be standing by!

 

[Freeebird]

Keeping the boat at Gasparilla Marina, not too far from BG Pass and if you need fuel let me know I’ll meet you for the extra discount. Was $1.53 yesterday, if Cabbage is closed call Gasparilla for a slip and get some fuel. Be standing by!

Thanks for the heads up and offer on the fuel. I talked to Cabbage Key last night and confirmed they can take us. It’s a pretty good run from Marathon unless we crank it up, but if nothing else, we’ll come into Gasparilla for fuel and a Corona foot bump.

 

[Pascal]

My transduce is located under the VIP head. I'm not sure if someone corrected it for location and unfortunately I have found bottom when the depth on the Garmins read 5'ish. I hate not knowing the precise measurement but we haven't had enough time in type as they say to know to have confidence in accuracy. If we chance that route it'll be at almost idle. What says the Sam's gallery?

First thing is to go into your sounder setting and see if there is an offset already. Who knows what a previous owner may have set. Then find the xducer and measure the distance to the WL which is often easier to determine by looking at floor height above or below WL in ER. If your boat has the traditional hatteras sea chest the water line is usually close to the bottom of the sea chest. Then adjust the offset to your preference.

Personally I like reading the actual water depth, not the depth under the keel but that s just me. I always prefer north up on the plotter which most people don’t like

Finally i always put a label next to the sounder stating “depth to water line” or “depth below keel” this way everyone knows how it’s calibrated

 

[Freeebird]

The adventure has begun... without me.

Gulp yet?

Dave and Trina got an early start, and I’m in Charlotte waiting for my 10:15 to FLL. I’ll Uber to the marina where they’ll be waiting, and we’ll be off to Biscayne Bay where we’ll call it a day.