What do you guys consider "tight" confines for maneuvering?

[hatteras 1985]

What canal would be considered "tight" for handling a 50-60 foot MY or SF? 75 foot width? 100 foot width?

What about backing down...how far can even an experienced captain put her in reverse before it gets dangerous? (By knocking into boat lifts, other boats, concrete seawall, etc.) Do you think it is always a necessity to be able to 'spin' your boat in your canal?

Would you guys ever buy (or do you know anyone) who has a larger boat on a smallish canal?

This is a 45' +/- wide canal on Ramrod Key.

This is a 90' +/- wide canal in Key Colony Beach.

 

[SeaEric]

In Fort Lauderdale I have seen skippers back a boat 1/4 mile down a narrow canal if there isn't enough room to spin the boat. We did a seatrial here yesterday and the Captain turned the 44' boat around in the canal, but it was close. Luckily, there was no other boat at the dock across from us.

In my experience this usually occurs on a boat for sale that is stored for convenience of location. I can't imagine a boat owner using a boat regularly having to go through backing very far down a canal all the time. That would drive me nuts.

I would find a home/dock on a wide canal if I had a big boat.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Anything less than 75' makes me a bit nervous. I would/can do it, but I don't like it. Being able to turn around is always a plus.

 

[Boatsb]

been there and done both and it really goes to what you are comfortable with. I have backed down 1/4 mile canal and marinas many times and it never bothered me. having a smaller boat will.

 

[SereneWarrior]

I once drove a 453 ft frigate for six miles up a 125 ft wide Italian canal...pucker factor was pretty high, but it went well. Of course, I was doing it on somebody else's nickel (i.e. all of ours). Now that I'd have to pay the damages, I'd like to have a canal at least 10% wider than my boat is long. That width measurement requirement increases as conditions (wind, etc.) increase. Bottom line answer: It depends...

 

[Angela]

"What canal would be considered "tight" for handling a 50-60 foot MY or SF?"

Like what others have said, it all depends on how well the captain can maneuver the boat. I, too, have been onboard a 58MY being backed out of a canal for a long way in Marathon behind a house on Sombrero Drive. And I've been aboard my own 58MY when the dockmaster was moving her for a storm and it was so tight that I just couldn't watch anymore and had to go downstairs so I couldn't see.

For me, personally, anytime there is a boat in either slip next to me...that's tight. LOL Just kidding, but it wasn't that long ago that that was true, especially when I was at Rickenbacker Marina and we were packed in there like sardines with no finger piers - I had just a few inches to spare between the pilings, and as a result, I rarely took the boat out on my own (once or twice, I think). Where I am now, I'm the last pier south (meaning there is a huge amount of water behind my slip) and my slip is 22' wide, and I pull bow in now. If I can't land that, well.....geez. I love my slip now.

Many folks have large yachts that cannot be turned around in the canal...just gotta either back it out or back it in.

 

[Freeebird]

No big deal unless you're in a bad crosswind. Then it's just a matter of carrying a little more speed in order to maintain control. You can always back into the canal when it's flat so you won't have to worry about backing out when it's not. I've been in lots of places I couldn't spin around in.

 

[hatteras 1985]

No big deal unless you're in a bad crosswind. Then it's just a matter of carrying a little more speed in order to maintain control. You can always back into the canal when it's flat so you won't have to worry about backing out when it's not. I've been in lots of places I couldn't spin around in.

That's smart, but then you've got to redo your lines every time you're 'pointing' a different direction. (insert pun)

 

[hatteras 1985]

I once drove a 453 ft frigate for six miles up a 125 ft wide Italian canal...pucker factor was pretty high, but it went well. Of course, I was doing it on somebody else's nickel (i.e. all of ours). Now that I'd have to pay the damages, I'd like to have a canal at least 10% wider than my boat is long. That width measurement requirement increases as conditions (wind, etc.) increase. Bottom line answer: It depends...

Now that is impressive! Were you the 'helmsman'?

 

[Freeebird]

That's smart, but then you've got to redo your lines every time you're 'pointing' a different direction. (insert pun)

Nah, just use two sets of lines. (pun accepted)

 

[SKYCHENEY]

No big deal unless you're in a bad crosswind. Then it's just a matter of carrying a little more speed in order to maintain control. You can always back into the canal when it's flat so you won't have to worry about backing out when it's not. I've been in lots of places I couldn't spin around in.

No big deal as long as you don't mind a broken swim platform.

 

[hatteras 1985]

Would doing this be a pain in the A##? Mangroves and boat lifts have overtaken this Keys estuary:

 

[rsmith]

Would doing this be a pain in the A##? Mangroves and boat lifts have overtaken this Keys estuary:

Only if your neighbor gets a bigger boat and blocks you in.

 

[rsmith]

one thing to think about is if the bottom is silty you will be sucking up all that crap into your engines. I try not to do too much manuvering in these kind of areas where your blowing clouds of silt off the bottom.

 

[Freeebird]

No big deal as long as you don't mind a broken swim platform.

What does anything I said have to do with breaking a swim platform?

 

[Freeebird]

Would doing this be a pain in the A##? Mangroves and boat lifts have overtaken this Keys estuary:

Why not just take your boat into some tight areas and see how it feels to you? Oh yeah, does your sportfish have a swim platform?

 

[Freeebird]

One question, is that 40' of clear space (dock to dock/shore) in that canal or the distance from bank to bank?

If it's dock to shore/dock and there are boats on the dock with 15' beams, you do the math.

 

[hatteras 1985]

one thing to think about is if the bottom is silty you will be sucking up all that crap into your engines. I try not to do too much manuvering in these kind of areas where your blowing clouds of silt off the bottom.

Those kinds of waters are hard to avoid in the Keys...

 

[lumina]

Hi All,

We all work together whenever we leave or return, but the credit really belongs to my guys John and Joe and their knowledge and natural skill and ability at handling boats of any size.

When I opt out of a really tough one Joe takes over. I have seen Joe back us into a slip in Nantucket when there was maybe a foot of clearance between us and a mega yacht, a little touch here a little nudge their and we slid right in without even touching the pilings. John always on alert giving directions and handling the lines.

There was one time at Oak Bluffs when the wind was howling in one direction and the cross current was racing in the other and Joe just pushed right thru, spun that baby around and slid right into the slip like he was backing into a parking spot.

They are both great guys and care about my boat almost as much as I do. They are a tremendous help. (although sometimes they can make me CRAZY)

I'm really very fortunate to have them to rely upon.

 

[hibanx]

I live on a 60' wide canal and have to back in every time from the intersection with the ICW (about 500'). Its a little tricky with a crosswind, but no big deal as long as you keep the props in the center. I have to back in because even though the canal is wide enough to turn around in, it is not deep enough near the sides. Most residential canals tend to silt up around the sea walls and only maintain good depth near the center. On a m otor yacht a bow thruster would certainly be helpful, but its a piece of cake on a sportfish.