If all goes well we will be the proud owners of a new to us 27’ Ranger Tug soon. Based in NC we cannot wait to set off exploring. Our not so well researched plan is to leave NC end November direction Florida...maybe do a bit of the Gulf Intra coastal...if we need to be back in NC end Feb, what route could you recommend? Is it doable plausible? Never ventured this far off, any suggestions will be most welcome!
Novice question...advice?
- Thread starter KarinH
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Congratulations! "Our not so well researched plan..." Sometimes, those are the best plans, up to a point. You have from now until your departure to actually do some more research. Watch the weather and the tides, get tow insurance, current charts (paper chart books or charting electronics of some sort) and maybe take a few USPS courses. Do a bunch of day/weekend trips. It will all come together. Enjoy!
Congratulations! "Our not so well researched plan..." Sometimes, those are the best plans, up to a point. You have from now until your departure to actually do some more research. Watch the weather and the tides, get tow insurance, current charts (paper chart books or charting electronics of some sort) and maybe take a few USPS courses. Do a bunch of day/weekend trips. It will all come together. Enjoy!
While I, personally, would like to have a little bit bigger boat, it is doable in the R-27.
There is a video posted on youtube, also can be found on the Ranger Tugs website, about a retired couple in Annapolis, MD, who have made the trip to Florida three times in their R-27.
Hope you enjoy your new boat.
Jim
p.s. if you haven't been there yet, check out the Tugnuts.com website. A lot of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater owners post on the site. The only caveat is that it is sponsored by the manufacturer of Ranger Tugs/Cutwaters, so any highly critical posts are sometimes removed.
There is a video posted on youtube, also can be found on the Ranger Tugs website, about a retired couple in Annapolis, MD, who have made the trip to Florida three times in their R-27.
Hope you enjoy your new boat.
Jim
p.s. if you haven't been there yet, check out the Tugnuts.com website. A lot of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater owners post on the site. The only caveat is that it is sponsored by the manufacturer of Ranger Tugs/Cutwaters, so any highly critical posts are sometimes removed.
Greetings,
Congratulations! "Our not so well researched plan..." Sometimes, those are the best plans, up to a point. You have from now until your departure to actually do some more research. Watch the weather and the tides, get tow insurance, current charts (paper chart books or charting electronics of some sort) and maybe take a few USPS courses. Do a bunch of day/weekend trips. It will all come together. Enjoy!
Many thanks Firefly! Absolutely will follow all your suggestions.
Thanks Jim, I will scout out the video on YouTube, happy to know it is doable. Hopefully I can one day afford a somewhat bigger boat, but for now small will have to do
I do belong to TugNuts, however I rather like to hang out here with the “big trawlers”, I have received invaluable advice here in the past few weeks. Thanks again!!
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2014
- Messages
- 4,175
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- N/A
- Vessel Make
- 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
The entire ICQ is really just a large collection of day trips strung together. The only difference is, on the morning of day 2, you don't turn around.
The only 'route' is going to be whether there are sections you would prefer to run on the outside vs the ICW. If going to the Gulf, then across Lake Okeechobee or around Key West.
The only 'route' is going to be whether there are sections you would prefer to run on the outside vs the ICW. If going to the Gulf, then across Lake Okeechobee or around Key West.
READY
Guru
I have boated both East and West coasts and the southeast is one of the best regions to cruise in your boat. I think you will find the ICW to be relatively easy if you have good charting software and pay attention to the markers. Lots of interesting places to visit. Enjoy the adventure.
Karin,
Sounds like some COLD weather running, especially the return trip. Can you extend you time a bit more in FL?
IF your new to boating, there's a LOT of training you should do, starting with the basic boating course. The Power Squadron has a bunch and there's more
If your experiences then all you really need to do is get specific training on your new boat, hopefully from someone familiar with it. And, certainly play with it a lot to nail down how it behaves.
Like most have said, the ICW is rather user friendly, but has some gotchas that you can brush up on. Tides, shallow water, large inlets, etc. And, areas that are very busy on a good weather weekend.
Enjoy.
Karin
Welcome aboard TF
I agree w/ RTF & Seevee re: US Power Squadron (Now Americas Boating Club) course.
Many very good ones and you won't know what you don't know until you take a few.
Some now have on-the-water components of them as well. You will also expand your network of people with similar interests and lots of knowledge... priceless.
Also if you are interested - I've been planning for a summer cruise to Lake Huron / Georgian Bay but thats a whole 'nother story. As part of the planing / researching I've been looking at apps / websites for various boating functions... eLog is one
I'm currently looking at BlueBoatLog.com as a strong possibility for logging our trip - the punch line - If you get online and look at BlueBoatLog.com scan for Moonglade35 and look at their logs. They did NJ - FL via ICW and you will get a feel for the route as well as travel time, stops, etc.
NEBO is another similar app
Good luck with the search and the adventures
Welcome aboard TF
I agree w/ RTF & Seevee re: US Power Squadron (Now Americas Boating Club) course.
Many very good ones and you won't know what you don't know until you take a few.
Some now have on-the-water components of them as well. You will also expand your network of people with similar interests and lots of knowledge... priceless.
Also if you are interested - I've been planning for a summer cruise to Lake Huron / Georgian Bay but thats a whole 'nother story. As part of the planing / researching I've been looking at apps / websites for various boating functions... eLog is one
I'm currently looking at BlueBoatLog.com as a strong possibility for logging our trip - the punch line - If you get online and look at BlueBoatLog.com scan for Moonglade35 and look at their logs. They did NJ - FL via ICW and you will get a feel for the route as well as travel time, stops, etc.
NEBO is another similar app
Good luck with the search and the adventures
