Annapolis, MD -> St. Pete, FL - What You Should Know

[RNYC]

Two sailors are shoving off from Annapolis on 3/19/23 and headed to St. Pete, FL in a 2021 Cutwater C32 Control Bridge. No prior experience in these waters. Tons of Qs. Any and all recommendations and cautions from those who have made the trip are welcome. Some basis Qs:

- Approximately how long will it take if coastal cruising at ~30mph in good conditions motoring between 6-8 hrs per day?

- Approximately how many times should we expect to have to fuel up if starting with 300 gallons to power 2 Yamaha 300's?

- Other than Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC (Kiawah) what other overnight stops make the most sense?

- At this time of year, will it be difficult to get an overnight slip with shore power? Recommendations?

- Other than for overnight docking, are there other points at which we should duck into the ICW for safety or sights?

- Any precautions for the trip?

Many thanks mates.

 

[Hippocampus]

I have a B rated boat. Given time of year I used the ICW. In the “ditch” it’s asking for trouble to travel except during daylight so anchored nightly. Average days work was around 40nm (distance in the ICW is statute miles on ATNs). There are significant distances or times when inlets are unavailable. The northern migration isn’t bad yet but early birds will start north in march so that without reservations you will not find an open slip in places.

I do not know your boat but think it’s 32’ and likely rated B or C. Personally would not plan on going outside. It would be unpleasant and at times dangerous. Think you are not stabilized. Think you may be in conditions where being on plane is not reasonable. You’re a fraction of the weight of sportfish built with open ocean use in mind so off plane ride maybe unpleasant. You may be able to do some segments outside if weather permits but suspect you’d be happier with the ICW.

 

[mvweebles]

https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/boats/review-of-the-cutwater-c-32-command-bridge

Cool boat. Looks like a lot of fun.

Would guess your range with modern OBs to be in the 300 nm range at cruise (30 kts, slightly faster than the 30 mph you mention). The Yamaha OBs should have pretty accurate fuel consumption monitors built into them which should be depended upon.

Looks like the boat is designed for open water conditions so 3-ft chop would be fine but uncomfortable for any length of time. Trip may be a mix of inside (ICW) and outside when opportunity strikes. I have no local information to offer. Would guess 100nms per day is a out right for a fast boat on the ICW. Would count on fueling every other day until you get better information off the OBs.

Really like the boat. Enjoy the trip.

Peter

 

[Osprey69]

Tough questions to answer definitively, but some quick (IMO) "answers" follow;

- Approximately how long will it take if coastal cruising at ~30mph in good conditions motoring between 6-8 hrs per day?

IMO that speed is way too optimistic inside or outside.

- Approximately how many times should we expect to have to fuel up if starting with 300 gallons to power 2 Yamaha 300's?

Contact Yammy or boat manufacturer for fuel consumption rates.

- Other than Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC (Kiawah) what other overnight stops make the most sense?

Weather, waterway guides and/or ActiveCaptain will dictate stops.

- At this time of year, will it be difficult to get an overnight slip with shore power? Recommendations?

Anybody's guess given marina space compression of late. Dockwa is your friend.

- Other than for overnight docking, are there other points at which we should duck into the ICW for safety or sights?

See above re: weather and guides.

Good luck and plan ahead, with the proviso that schedules will bite you in the butt if they are the priority.

 

[DavidM]

30 mph is a bit fast. If you slow down to 20, your mpg will probably double. Some of the extra time spent fueling will cover the slower speed.

On the ICW at that time of year you can run for 10 hrs each day easily. It hasn’t been mentioned yet, but crossing Florida on the Okeechobee will be faster than going down to Miami and the keys. But if you have ever seen the keys, the extra time might be worth it.

David

 

[mvweebles]

30 mph is a bit fast. If you slow down to 20, your mpg will probably double. Some of the extra time spent fueling will cover the slower speed.

David

At 12k lbs and twin 300s, Cutwater states cruise 30kts, top speed 45kts. Slowing a bit might help, but this boat is designed to ride through ocean chop. Guessing something close to 30 is a sweet spot. Whether it's actually constructed to the design or whether operators want it is a different matter.

Sure wish there were better reviews of the boat out there. The glossy marketing stuff is sort of worthless.

Peter

 

[psneeld]

The boat is certainly capable of going offshore...like almost any boat in the right conditions. Besides the huge gap between uncomfy and dangerous...there are also degrees of uncomfy so that's really hard to answer for anyone.

The trouble with travelling in March north of Hatteras is whether changes quickly and can get real snotty offshore. It can even get snotty in the Chesapeake and behind Hatteras sounds on many days. But inshore you can also make great time down to around Moorehead City in good weather as you have a lot of open water with few no wake zones.

I did quite a few runs in power boats between Florida and NJ, 20-30 mph boats can make safe offshore runs because the weather window needed is so much shorter than what the trawler crowd usually needs. When already starting in the Chesapeake, I am pretty sure it makes way more sense to stay intracoastal to Moorehead City as going out around Hatteras is longer and more dependent on weather. There are lot's of no wake zones but there are lots of stretches of protected water where 30 knots is doable.

Stops with power should be no problem once you reach Norfolk. Water and pump outs hit or miss but usually year round below Norfolk to Florida unless a prior cold snap wrecked those systems and they aren't repaired yet.

The good news in your travels is for the first 1/2 of the trip or so, I don't think you will see a lot of transient cruiser traffic competing for marinas. As you hit the less seasonal areas and the beginning treks of snowbirders things will get harder to "just pop in".

Because of your ability to run from 5-30 mph, planned stops may be way more dependent on local conditions and unplanned holdups (like train bridges in Norfolk...up to an hour delay sometimes). Because your trips could vary by 50 miles a day, you may not have a good feel for what each day will bring until a couple to a day out. So hard distance planning is a gamble unless you are very conservative in average speed (say 15-20 mph).

If you really need to sharpen the pencil to come up with a plan with certain limitations.... an experienced delivery captain with recent experience in faster boats is worth a nice dinner and a few drinks to give you a rough plan based on fueling, overnighting, possible "gotchas", etc.

A 15 minute ballpark itinerary would make it a 10 day trip. Everything going right and maxing days and hopefully a few offshore runs once past Moorehead City, NC...maybe shave 2 days off.

That's assuming 1 fuel stop per day and at the final each day. No anchoring out. Short stopping a few places for convenience or just because they are worth it.

While I am confident in a lot of my guesses and a lot of people have trusted and paid for them....as they say...it still just a guess.

 

[Hippocampus]

Good to hear more about the design which makes it more likely you can mix in more outside. Apparently a B boat not C. Agree with PS would go to Oriental or their abouts inside. Agree there’s a fair number of no wake zones inside and it’s rude to pass on plane so slower inside. We can go 17-18kts but had rare opportunities to do so as didn’t want to hit debris, run aground or violate no wake areas. Even in open areas ~10kts gave adequate vision to avoid debris and ability to use the depth finder to avoid grounding.
Have done this trip outside non stop in sail. Even going south found it helpful to have charting of the Gulf Stream.
Previously had a negative opinion of the ditch only using it when outside was untenable. This time had no schedule at all and found it surprisingly enjoyable. Particularly anchoring in spots off of it. Very quiet nights, and a surprisingly amount of wildlife and natural beauty. Drop a Carolina rig just about anywhere and there’s a fish.

 

[psneeld]

Lots of open water on the inside.... sure miles of no wake zones also many miles of any speed OK and room to go around traffic. So slow passes not absolutely necessary with the lesser traffic you may encounter due to your travel times.

Many areas people refuse to leave the ICW when there is plenty of water just outside of the channel for boats drawing 3 feet or less (just ignorance) so if confident and up on plane throwing minimal wake, no need to slow just swing wide. Saves a lot on engine wear and fuel too.

It is kinda fun when some days you are so far ahead of schedule due to good weather, no problems and little traffic that you are zipping along, everything seems right with the world and you can fully bypass a stop if you want.

Now I am talking delivery, not cruising mentality. There are just some places that are worth stopping if you have ever been there. But that is just up to you and if you ask, you may get suggestions that will result in a trip where every 20-50 miles you may be told to "stop and smell the roses".... hard to argue with if you are in that frame of mond but having been a delivery guy....quick runs were the job of the day.

 

[ranger58sb]

- Approximately how long will it take if coastal cruising at ~30mph in good conditions motoring between 6-8 hrs per day?

- Other than Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC (Kiawah) what other overnight stops make the most sense?

- At this time of year, will it be difficult to get an overnight slip with shore power? Recommendations?

- Other than for overnight docking, are there other points at which we should duck into the ICW for safety or sights?

- Any precautions for the trip?

Precautions: bag the idea of a schedule. Let weather tell you when to move/not move.

FWIW, we probably average about 50 NM/day... inside... mostly at trawler speeds... though there have been some occasional 85 NM days,

There are about 40 (?) decent places to stop along the way. Check the Waterway Guide for ideas.

You might be competing for dock space with some of the northbound boats... but it's still pretty early for that... and I'd guess you won't have trouble finding marinas.

-Chris

 

[bowball]

That is pretty amazing in a towable boat.

Anyway to carry a tender on it though? Fun for the loop?

 

[RNYC]

I am grateful to all of you for your willingness to share your experience and wisdom. Without exception, each of you have contributed to my education. Thank you for the great suggestions and the compliment about my boat choice. From start to finish, I probably spent ~2 years considering my all options and then waiting for the boat I selected (Cutwater C32 CB), in the proper condition (few engine hours), in the right location (Chesapeake or FL), to become available at an attractive price point (below mkt)...RNYC

BTW, Cutwater does offer a dingy rig that elevates the boat upside down to just above the engines. It's a little kludgy, but will save that discussion for another post. Cheers.

 

[BroadCove]

I was up in Maine in the summer of 2021 next to a gentleman with the same boat. He told me that he was averaging about 0.7 nmpg at cruise. Knowing him, my guess is that he ordinarily ran "heavy" - friends and gear. I'd want to have not only the manufacturers info but my own experience. At 0.7, with a healthy reserve, 150 miles a day would be my comfort level. If the efficiency is higher for you, then farther will work.

My boat is a bit different than many here in that I cruise around 22kts (at 0.55 nmpg). But I weigh 50k, not 12k. I can tell you, even then, running offshore, even in good conditions, for 7-8 hours makes a long day. An 8 hour day running is a 10 hour day minimum, not including making a beverage and dinner after finally coming to rest. I really prefer no more than 5-6 hours underway at those speeds.

It's a wonderful trip, you can do it in that boat without problem, but, as has been said, avoid making this a "delivery trip". Let the weather and sights guide you. Waterway guide, active captain, fellow cruisers, etc. will all be invaluable. There are a few facebook groups you may want to check out too, esp. re: the ICW. You won't have any draft issues, but marinas and anchorages are often discussed.

 

[fryedaze]

The trip is 1300 miles. That's 65 hrs at 20 mph.

 

[RNYC]

The trip is 1300 miles. That's 65 hrs at 20 mph.

Thank you. This is very helpful. I presume 1300 miles includes the keys? We are actually going to try the Okeechobee cut through to Ft. Meyers. Would greatly appreciate any info and/or resources to consult for this portion of the trip.

Just like you provided above, curious if there is a reliable app that calculates nautical miles between designated points on a map and then estimates the travel time based on kph/mph?

 

[Porgy]

You do have some sort of electronic charts? I don’t know of any that don’t plot routes. In addition to the boat chartplotters, I use Navionics on an iPad for planning. Create a route on the chart, plug in average running speed and fuel burn and it provides answers.

 

[ranger58sb]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I presume 1300 miles includes the keys? We are actually going to try the Okeechobee cut through to Ft. Meyers. Would greatly appreciate any info and/or resources to consult for this portion of the trip.

Just like you provided above, curious if there is a reliable app that calculates nautical miles between designated points on a map and then estimates the travel time based on kph/mph?

Just guessing, but probably does not include the Keys. Might be a little high, but for ref, our last trip from Ft. Myers was 1124 NM to Galeseville. From our records, I note our average daily distance was 62.61 NM over 18 days... and this was more of a delivery than a "smell the coffee" trip. I'd have preferred to add another 10 days or so.

We stayed overnight at Moore Haven docks on the west side of Okeechobee, then made the transit to Stuart. Easy, since we had good weather (aside from the brief thunderstorm while in the lock on the east side). The reverse of that should be easy enough.

Almost any nav app will let you plot routes or route segments and they'll give you distances. You can do the math for travel time.

We use Time Zero for planning, but I think AquaMap probably does that too. You do want AquaMap for using the AICW; one option is for displaying the Corps of Engineers (USACE) survey data for some of the skinny bits -- especially in Georgia and parts of South Carolina.

-Chris

 

[psneeld]

If doing Okeechobee pay attention to this... shouldn't affect you but any delays may push you up against it.

STUART — The channel through the St. Lucie River railroad bridge in downtown Stuart will be closed to boaters for 21 days starting May 1. The U.S. Coast Guard approved the closure proposed by Brightline, which says the closure is needed to renovate the 98-year-old bridge.

Going around the keys adds well over 200 miles depending on which route you take through/around the Keys.

 

[fryedaze]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I presume 1300 miles includes the keys? We are actually going to try the Okeechobee cut through to Ft. Meyers. Would greatly appreciate any info and/or resources to consult for this portion of the trip.



Just like you provided above, curious if there is a reliable app that calculates nautical miles between designated points on a map and then estimates the travel time based on kph/mph?

No, that is the Okeechobee route from Stuart to Ft Myers.

 

[fryedaze]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I presume 1300 miles includes the keys? We are actually going to try the Okeechobee cut through to Ft. Meyers. Would greatly appreciate any info and/or resources to consult for this portion of the trip.



Just like you provided above, curious if there is a reliable app that calculates nautical miles between designated points on a map and then estimates the travel time based on kph/mph?

"Just like you provided above, curious if there is a reliable app that calculates nautical miles between designated points on a map and then estimates the travel time based on kph/mph?"

Navionics app will provide that as part of the auto routing feature. It also gives you fuel burn after you put all your boat details in.

 

[Lazy Susan]

Dockwa app is really helpful securing marina slips along the Intracoastal.
be sure to spend a night in Coinjock, NC for a great meal. Best 20oz prime rib !!

 

[psneeld]

There are plenty of cruisers that would recommend the Dismal Swamp route over the Virgina Cut route.

I am a plain Jane restaurant patron with a poor man's wallet and taste buds and did not have anything but mediocre meals in Coinjock. That is with multiple visits as both a delivery captain and rec boater.

As we all know that restaurant quality can vary from chef to chef/ management so the most recent several opinions are the best to listen to. I just couldn't believe the rave reviews in the decades I passed through there, while big, the roast beef meal was mediocre at best. So were my other meals after striking out on the roast beef and talking with other cruisers who preferred quality over quantity.

 

[catalinajack]

Dockwa app is really helpful securing marina slips along the Intracoastal.
be sure to spend a night in Coinjock, NC for a great meal. Best 20oz prime rib !!

I found the prime rib there mediocre the one time I made the mistake of taking the Virginia Cut, which is an extreme bore. Missing the Dismal Swamp just for the prime rib at Coinjock (and paying for dockage, to boot) is a collosal mistake, IMHO.

 

[psneeld]

Much better places to eat in/near Elizabeth City, NC if willing to do the Dismal.

 

[henrymei]

Aqua maps app with the soundings data is very helpful. Facebook ICW group Bob423 is great resource too

 

[Hippocampus]

His guide and the relevant parts of waterway are very helpful as well

 

[PMF1984]

Agree with the previous 3 posts.

The ICW is an odd duck as you won’t die from navigation errors, but you will go aground (well maybe die from embarrassment.) if you just follow the old raster charts.

Two great navigation aids for the ICW are Navionics Sonar Charts and AquaMap Master.

The Cruising the ICW with Bob423 Facebook group will keep you up to date with all the bridge closures and trouble spot info.

The route for the best water through the ICW can be had by Googling “Bob423 long tracks.”

 

[Dwk]

I found the prime rib there mediocre the one time I made the mistake of taking the Virginia Cut, which is an extreme bore. Missing the Dismal Swamp just for the prime rib at Coinjock (and paying for dockage, to boot) is a collosal mistake, IMHO.

Totally agree, I experienced a mediocre slab of meat without flavor. Folks seem to rave about the portion size not the flavor and tenderness.

 

[Cargile]

Easy peasy! Donald Duck pointed this out to me as a kid when he was planing a trip from NYC to Florida. Look at the map. It's all downhill!

 

[kehoff]

I have been using the app called ARGO it has same data as the others and shows anchorages also and is FREE ! just another tool in the kit !