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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/17/2019 : 17:22:28

While killing aliens on my Xbox I usually have a television show playing on another screen. Watching Aerial America as it shows the Atlantic Northeast Coast I am dumbstruck by how simplistic my sailing experience has been. We worry about mud on our keels and slime on our bottoms as opposed to Krackens hurling our boats against rocksI Gotta respect the effort it takes sailors in those waters to enjoy their boats.

Frank Hopper

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2019 : 19:28:26

Frank:

Your sailing experience is anything but "simplistic". Yes, the NE Coast is interesting, but so is any Lake, River, etc,. We all need to pay attention to depth, topography, winds, currents, etc., etc. From what I have seen of your experiences, you would have no problems dealing with the Northeast Coast. In fact, at lest this sailor could really use your sailing expertise to help me better navigate the basics -- and more complicated conditions that mother nature presents to us all! I continue to enjoy your posts as they provide useful information sailing, and out boats!

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2019 : 07:47:55

Every sailing venue is different. Lake, river, bay and ocean each will be different in it's own way.

I haven't sailed anywhere other than Florida, but even here things are vastly different from place to place.

For example, sailing on the east coast of Florida, 20 yards from shore you can be 200' of water, 50 more yards and you can be in 1000'. On the west coast in the Gulf of Mexico, you can be two miles from shore and run aground in 2' of water.

The sea state in the FL Keys is also extremely different, even on the same day with the same winds. Conditions in the Atlantic, outside the reef will be one thing, inside the reef in Hawk channel can be much different and sailing inside Florida Bay would be a whole different experience.

Over the years I seen many members here mention sailing in winds north of thirty knots....... You most likely won't want to do that in a C25 in the Gulf of Mexico. The winds aren't the problem, it will be the sea state. It will be very uncomfortable to be sure.

My guess is that sailing an inland lake will have it's own challenges, shoreline causing shifting winds, confined space requiring many tacks/gybes and so on.

Davy J

2005 Gemini 105Mc
PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK
Tampa Bay

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2019 : 08:11:31

After I retired and started sailing the Chesapeake Bay and occasional Atlantic deliveries I realized that experienced inland lake sailors have all the basic skills they need to sail in bigger waters. When you move to bigger waters, you usually move to a bigger boat, and a big boat tames those waters somewhat. For example, a 40' 18,000 lb boat with a double reef and storm jib can handle 30+ kt winds comfortably, and can punch through 4-6' waves that will stop a smaller, lighter displacement boat. Inland lake sailors generally read the wind better than most sailors in bigger waters. Winds on inland lakes puff and swirl, whereas winds in bigger waters tend to be more one directional. If you're sailing a 25' boat, you simply stay in the slip in winds above 25 kts and bigger waves.

You need to develop navigational skills, but a good chartplotter makes that easy. The hardest part for me was learning how to maneuver a bigger, inboard boat under power and singlehanded. When I first went there I didn't know anybody, so, if I couldn't get in and out of my slip myself, I couldn't sail. Don't be intimidated by it. Everyone has to learn how to do it, and everyone manages. It took me about 3 weeks to figure out how to do it alone. There are lots of inland lake retirees out there. They made the adjustments and learned what they needed.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2019 : 08:21:41

New England granite, gneiss and quartz are incredibly beautiful and where there are rock formations, cliffs and channels it creates a scary, surrealistic and awesome picture worthy of wariness and respect. The jagged coastline of Maine with its fjords, the rocky outcroppings of Cape Ann and Gloucester (GLAH-stah) and the fearsome currents pouring through Buzzards Bay and the Elizabeth Islands can all give you shivers!
Water depths are all over the lot from none to 200 ft back to 3� in the space of a few yards. In my experience, if a submerged rock has a name (e.g.: Old Baldy), then be certain that it has munched on many a hull and keel in its day.
But there are hazards of a different sort in all areas, a lee shore, shifting sandbars, floods and droughts. The expression that the �Sea is a Cruel Mistress� is still holds true because she doesn�t suffer fools and amateurs.
I agree with Davy and Peter, Frank your skills and ken are legend here. If you had an opportunity to sail northern New England, your first instinct would be to study and scope out the challenge before taking the helm. I�d hazard a guess that after a short while, you�d have the hang of it.
But for all sailors the saying is true: it�s not a matter of IF, but of WHEN, a sailor will run aground. It�s what you do when that happens that makes the difference in Captains.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 01/19/2019 08:24:49

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2019 : 23:37:33

One other thing to consider about sailing in other venues is the tide. Here in Florida we get about a 2.5'-3' tidal swing, usually twice a day. Friends that we met from the pacific northwest mentioned tides from 12'-15'. That fluctuation here, would completely empty out the whole of Tampa Bay........

Davy J

2005 Gemini 105Mc
PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK
Tampa Bay

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2019 : 09:24:29

quote:
Originally posted by Davy J

...tides from 12'-15'. That fluctuation here, would completely empty out the whole of Tampa Bay.

My part of eastern Long Island Sound has a tide range of about 3', while the western part I used to sail is 6 - 9'. That's enough to empty most of the cove I'm looking at right now, and now and then leaves a boat and its occupants sitting on mud out there for a few hours. Usually it's a powerboater who didn't check the chart and tide table before dropping the hook. Sailors tend to do those things. (I say that as a member of both communities.)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/20/2019 09:25:17

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2019 : 23:17:51

If memory serves, the Pacific Northwest gets only one significant tide each day, not two like in many other parts of the world. Looking at the tide chart it appears that the tendency is for one of the day�s tides to be major, while the opposite tide is much less so. Current tends to be proportional to tidal range: the wider the difference between high and low tide, the greater will be the current speed for a given size channel.
Therefore it�s no wonder that the tidal currents in the Columbia River and Pugeot Sound are so fierce. Whirlpools and vortexes occur regularly in the region.
And because it�s variable, it makes navigation even more unpredictable since unless you have up to date tide and nautical charts, there�s no easy way to play things by ear.
And the rocks are just as hard and plentiful out west as they are in New England.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 01/21/2019 06:24:40

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2019 : 11:43:53

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

If memory serves, the Pacific Northwest gets only one significant tide each day...

This tide chart for Seattle shows two tide cycles per day, but the difference in the levels of the two low tides differ as much as about 10' at new or full moon, on a regular alternating pattern. The two highs in a given day differ only by 2-3'. So there tends to be one big cycle and one smaller one each day, which is true in most places, but not to those extremes here in CT.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2019 : 16:15:55

I�ll say! If we had 4-5m tidal ranges, my dock ramp would be nearly vertical during new and full moons.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.