Association Forum - Sailing to Keys from East Coast FL

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Sailing to Keys from East Coast FL

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

pmcarman
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
30 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/26/2006 : 20:10:21

Greetings all! My wife and I have been trying to think of a suitable sailing getaway that keeps us on our boat for a while, but doesn't get too much into bluewater for now (have more classes and training I want to do for that). Thinking sailing down to the Keys from Melbourne, FL (mid-way down, east coast of Florida).

That said, has anyone made this run from the same area or close? If so, how much time would you estimate for the trip? Any "doh!" sorts of gotchas in terms of ability to make good time?

Any and all advice much appreciated! Thanks, all!

Paul MacGyver Carman
'86 FK/SR #5195 "Althea"
Eau Gallie, FL

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/26/2006 : 23:06:26

Are you planning on going on the outside or down the intracoastal?
I think you could do either but inside would require much motoring.

We'll be in biscayne bay 1st weekend of May, going to circumnavigate sand key (Miami, outside and south to angle fish creek, then backup on the inside.) 'Circumnavigation' has a ring to it

Paul

Oh, the book Dozier's waterway guide Southern 2006 has a good bit of info about the whole area from your neck of the woods down (plus a whole lot more)

Edited by - britinusa on 04/26/2006 23:08:40

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5891 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 07:12:50

When I'm doing leisurely coastal cruising, I like to plan on making about 15-20 miles a day. If you have average winds, you might average about 4 kph, which means you have to sail about 4-5 hours a day to cover that distance. You have to add about 45 minutes to get from your anchorage on the Intracoastal Waterway to a point about 1 1/2 miles offshore, where you can turn and range the coast, and you have to add another 45 minutes to get back into the ICW at the end of the day. That means you'll spend about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours sailing, which is plenty if you aren't accustomed to the Florida sun. That gives you time to find an anchorage or marina, clean up, relax, shop or swim, have dinner, etc. If the winds are really ideal, you might cover more distance than that.

Sailing in the hot Florida sun is tiring, and, if you exhaust yourself trying to cover too much ground, you won't have the time or energy to smell the roses along the way. Remember too that some days the weather might be too bad to move at all, or you might have to motor on the ICW. Also, don't be shy about chatting with other cruising sailors along the way. You meet lots of interesting people.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 08:44:48

Sounds like a good time to get a tillerpilot. I used mine extensively when I sailed from Key West to the Dry Tortugas last year. At least you can reposition yourself to get a little shade sometimes

Edited by - on

jesse camp
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 10:48:11

Paul,

I would suggest bypassing south of West Palm on the ICW, and go offshore if the weather is good. The bridges can hold you up for hours. Once you are past Miami the Keys are great, you can put in at John Pennecamp and freshen up and I found a Marina in Islamorada, Calusa Cove is very reasonable. I plan on going down later this fall, but I trailer from Merritt Island down to Key Largo, and drop it in. I am also looking at going from Merritt Island to West Palm Beach next month if I can convince the Admiral. I figure 4 knots/hr sailing and 6 knots/hr motoring so, 20-30 miles/day is very good. I like to get up early and start moving by 8 am anchor at lunch and swim and drop anchor by 7pm so a good 8-9 hrs for moving is possible in the spring -fall. Hope to run into you on the river. I was just anchoring at Dragon Pt on Saturday night. Temp was 65 , too bad it will not last.

Jesse Camp
Sea Trekker
87 5550 SR SK

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 20:26:56

Paul,

I sailed that coast from about Port Canaveral to Port Everglades in 2003, and from the mid to lower Keys, up to Port Canaveral some years before that.

From Port Canaveral to Jupiter Inlet the ICW is generally quite pleasant and scenic, similar to what you're used to around Melbourne. For variety, and to dip your keel in blue water, You might try zig-zagging in and out of the inlets as time, distance, and weather permit.

As others have mentioned by now, there's a section of the ICW I suggest you avoid if possible, starting from around Jupiter Inlet or Lake Worth Inlet, all the way south to Miami (Biscayne Bay). That section is where "The Ditch" really earns its nickname. As I recall, the ICW through there is a narrow canal between concrete seawalls, both sides packed tightly with ostentatious new money mansions and towering condos. There are too many drawbridges to count, and as I recall they open on their schedule, not yours. I couldn't find any place to anchor for the night. (Attempting to do so may even be illegal, and it's not like there's any place to do so inconspicuously.) The cruising guide I have gushes effusively about the dollars per square foot through there. But try reading between the lines for answers to such questions as, "How much am I looking forward to motoring my C-25 through wall to wall decadence for at least an entire day?" (Ok, enough ranting.

For all I know, that might be your idea of heaven!)

Unfortunately, the Gulf Stream is very close to shore that far south. So just looking at the Gulf Stream centerline on chart 11460, it's real tempting to stay in The Ditch through there. If you do go outside, it may mean either a lot of short tacking or a lot of motoring (or both). If you stay inshore of the Stream, you may actually get a little current boost from the shore side of back eddies off the west wall of The Stream.

Once past Key Biscayne at Miami, things change a lot, and my first hand knowledge fades, so I'll let others advise you from there.

And you won't regret the cost of an autopilot, GPS, and chart kit.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 22:11:45

Don't forget the fishing rig. A nice lure or ballyhoo can earn you a fantastic dinner.
The fishing can be spectacular near the gulf stream.

Tom.

Edited by - on

SailFisher
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
62 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 22:32:26

Just made the voyage in January ...

Date__Mile#___Sunrise@_______Distance in SM

1/17---842.0--Ponce Inlet----56.8, hauled out @ Lighthouse Marina
1/19---897.9--Cocoa Beach----48.3, free dock
1/20---945.8--Winter Beach---47.0, Jones Fruit Dock
1/21---992.2--Peck Lake------29.5, awesome anchorage, walk to beach
1/22--1019.6--Palm Beach-----38.1, anchored on ICW
1/23--1057.0--Boca Raton-----39.9 anchored on ICW, after fueling
1/25--1094.0--Key Biscayne---51.0, paid $15 for mooring
------1141.5--Key Largo, private sailing club UKSC, Buttonwood Sound

I leave right before sunrise and I'm done by 3 or 4, that gives me a couple of hours of sunlight just in case. I solo and don't travel at night.

Come visit me, I'm bartending at Gilbert's Marina, just south of the Jewfish Creek Bridge. All Catalina 25s cruisers get free drinks from me. And speaking of bridges, I was warned not to go the whole way inside 'cuz of tooooo many bridges, weather didn't cooperate and I was on a schedule, had to stay in, aarrgghh. With a good cuise guide, you can plan the briges, openings, and distance to regulate your speed so you don't have to wait too long. I found the bridges were no big deal, and our catalinas are the slowest vessels, first thru and last to arrive...

Skipper Bob's is the cruising bible, get both the Anchorages and Marinas issues, $16 each, totally worth it and didn't use the others I have. Email me and I'll send samples. Check out ... http://skipperbob.home.att.net/waterway.htm

Edited by - on

pmcarman
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 06:20:21

Thanks all for your great advice! As always it is much appreciated! Captain though I may be, I'm well aware that making the trip pleasant for the Admiral ensures many more trips to come! ;)

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 06:45:17

Paul,
if you get on the inside of Biscayne Bay, then consider taking a break at either Boca Chita Key or Elliot Key.
Boca Chita Key is a tiny harbor, free, but you have to be there early as it fills up quickly especially at the weekends. No facilities, just a harbor. (I think there is a bathroom somewhere but we couldn't see it as the harbor was full and we could not tie up.)

Elliot Key is more interesting, has nice faclities, FREE (unless you visit after 6pm) Really nice showers and bathrooms.

We anchor off Sands Key and further south at Billy's point. In summer you must have bug preventors if bugs bother you (I'm alergic to bug bites).

As mentioned, John Pennekamp is well worth the visit, they have slips for about $35 per night and moorings for $12(?) Showers and you can walk to a West marine just outside and north of the park (a 15 min walk... bin there done that!)

Further down before long key is Caluso Marina, we drove past it, looks very nice. We stayed for 2 nights at SeaBird Marina on the bay side of Long Key. Very steep ramp and very little room beyond the ramp so we found it awkward to align the boat to get it on the trailer, ended up manhauling it from the dockside. But the folks at the marina are really friendly, they lock your trailer away so you don't have to worry about it while away. The sailing is awesome around that area, seas are beautiful and passage under the bridge east of long key is a breeze, we sailed under it easily.

When are you going to be down in this area (Broward County & South)?

Paul

Edited by - on

IndyJim
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2006 : 22:21:43

Paul,
I've gone down the other coast from Tampa Bay to Miami a couple times. We went down the outside and when we made the turn at Marathon, we stayed inside the reef and took the Hawk Channel up to Miami. All I can say is know your charts well! I've done it twice and it was a major rush both times! Watch the weather and watch the charts and you'll have a blast coming down from Melbourne! If the weather starts looking bad, you can always duck inside the intercoastal! Fair Winds!

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.