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Space Coast sailors & shuttle launch

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/07/2005 : 07:08:53

Hey Leon and any others there on the Space Coast,
have y'all ever been to watch a shuttle launch from you boats?
I was thinking of do just that as I have not seen a launch since the Apollo days. And hotel rooms are at a premium. How close can you get? Are there lots of others doing the same thing?

Safe voyages,
Ben
sloop Chick-a-pea,
C250wk#364

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2005 : 19:35:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">...have y'all ever been to watch a shuttle launch from you boats?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yep! Several times from both the Indian and Banana Rivers.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I was thinking of do just that as I have not seen a launch since the Apollo days. And hotel rooms are at a premium.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Anyone bringing a boat is welcome to use my dock (a few miles south of Port Canaveral) as a base of operations while they're in town. (Power, water, several restaurants and a shopping center within easy walking distance, land transportation, etc.)

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">How close can you get?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I'd guess 15nm by boat. That would be in the Banana River just north of Port Canaveral. I think the "Hot-Spots" (or whatever they're called) fishing-oriented chart for Port Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet shows the area real clear. Bear in mind that the Kennedy Space Center's "Keep Out" zone is much larger during a launch than may be indicated on most nav. charts. And you can count on it being very strictly enforced!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Are there lots of others doing the same thing?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Hard to say for sure in advance. The last time I watched a shuttle launch from the Banana River just north of Port Canaveral there were maybe a dozen boats -- not crowded at all.

And let me emphasize that rockets don't launch on your schedule, or any other schedule but their own! The announced launch date is the soonest it might go, not when it will go for sure.

-- Leon Sisson

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2005 : 20:13:16

Ben,

Sounds like a good idea for a road-boat-trip. And thanks for the offer Leon.

Tom.

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 03:42:25

Leon, What is the ramp situation like close by?

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 09:56:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Leon, What is the ramp situation like close by?

-- Ben<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...As in launching 25' sailboats?

I haven't tried, but almost all of the ramps in the Banana River are better suited to small power boats. To launch a C-25 or C-250 off a trailer, I think the best options would be:
<ul><li>East ramps at Port Canaveral. Right at "Grills" tiki bar there are maybe three or four big, wide, deep ramps with excellent traction, wide open approaches, and huge amounts of parking. (But do try to figure out and follow the parking lot rules, they hand out $25 parking tickets by the book.

) There are medium-large floating docks in great condition beside the ramps. Depth is great! These ramps decends right into the main channel used by ocean going cruise ships and subs, probably over 30' deep. The only thing some people might consider a small disadvantage is that you're guaranteed an audiance. At the tiki bar, the drink glasses say something to the effect of, "Live entertainment! Don't miss the Boat Ramp Follies every weekend!"

Sometimes the old salts of the port sit around betting drinks on the next screw up at the ramps.

</li>
<li>West ramps at Port Canaveral, at the south west corner of the port almost in the shadow of the three drawbridges by the locks. The only potential disadvantages that I'm aware of there are the need to back around a turn at the top of the ramp, and unknown depth. The turn isn't all that bad if you are able to back your trailer into a parking spot. There's lots of room. People of questionable sobriety and trailiering skills do it all the time. Also, I'm not positive of the depth off the ramp. However I assume it's deep. The ramp decends right into the main channel under the drawbridges, and that's got to be over 10' deep. Also there's not a lot of parking, but I haven't seen it full up very often.

All ramps in Port Canaveral are tidal, so traction is best launching at high tide.</li>
<li>Lift and splash. This is my prefered method. There are several travel lifts in the area. My favorite is at Banana River Marine/Coastal Marine (a.k.a. the marina that time forgot). They charge less than $100 to lift and splash a 25' sailboat if you deal with the mast and all other details yourself. They're located maybe 2 or 3 miles south west of my house, along the Merritt Island shore of the Banana River. Controlling depth at their entry channel can be as little as 4' or 5'.

Tall rigs take note: controlling height in that part of the Banana River is real close to 34' due to two fixed bridges -- one just south of my place, and one just south of Port Canaveral. If you bring a tall rig, it might be wise to plan on not going south of the Barge Canal in the Banana River.</li>
<li>On the Barge Canal through Merritt Island from the Indian River to Port Canaveral locks, there is at least one marina with a large travel lift.</li>
<li>Also on the Barge Canal, there's Tingley's Fish Camp, which has a small and unimpressive ramp, but it may be deep, as it points right into the canal, which is at least 10' deep its entire length, and most of its width.
</li></ul>

Additional notes:

You shouldn't plan on hanging out in Port Canaveral with your boat. Although you're allowed to pass through, there's really no place to tie up for more time than it takes to launch/retrieve or get fuel. Dock space is at a premium because it's a busy deep water port. Also, the Coast Guard would strongly prefer that there be as few small boats as possible anywhere near the huge cruise ships for security reasons. For this and other reasons, if you're in Port Canaveral, you need to monitor VHF 16.

Because of the locks at Port Canaveral, there's very little tidal current in the port, and no current or tidal range in the Banana and Indian rivers. If you plan on launching in Port Canaveral, be sure to verify the operation of the locks. Normally they cycle on demand from around dawn to well past dark. However, the locks and draw bridges have been under repair for the past several months, so it pays to ask. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, if you launch in Port Canaveral, and the locks aren't working, the only two places you can go, and soon, are either out into the ocean of back on the trailer.

-- Leon Sisson

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 10:00:29

[url="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5da28b3127cce9144ba744e9e00000016108AcNGzZq1aNk"]Shuttle being rolled to Launch platform this week[/url]
[url="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5da28b3127cce9144ba75cfaf00000016108AcNGzZq1aNk"]Shuttle being rolled out - with additional points of interest[/url]

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jesse camp
1st Mate

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USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2005 : 09:45:18

You could launch at Kennedy Point or in Titusville at the park.
I launched at Kennedy Point on Sunday, but I had to take off the rudder.

Jesse Camp
87 25 SK/SR
Sea Trekker

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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.