ICW or out and around?

Chrisjs said:

But we got to the Bahamas much quicker!!!

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That's very nice but you still missed a beautiful area not replicable in the Bahamas. Different strokes as the saying goes.

As far visiting towns along the ICW, a car is the fastest way to do that.

caltexflanc said:

That's very nice but you still missed a beautiful area not replicable in the Bahamas. Different strokes as the saying goes.

As far visiting towns along the ICW, a car is the fastest way to do that.

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Wifey B: But not the fun way.

Chrisjs said:

But we got to the Bahamas much quicker!!!

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A commercial airline flight would have been even quicker and I suspect, less expensive.

WesK said:

A commercial airline flight would have been even quicker and I suspect, less expensive.

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Wifey B: And not as much fun...

I love this thread and hope to recharge it!

So, I am moving a fast boat (27kt cruise, on nice surface, twins) from Florida to North Carolina. I am in Stuart this week and will do ICW all the way to Amelia Island. This is where the decisioning and fun begin...

I am planning - weather permitting - to hop from Fernandina Beach Inlet to Beaufort SC, with a close eye on GA escape inlets if offshore is uncomfortable. I think this plan has many backup options, so I feel pretty good about it. I have about 3 wind and wave apps to pre-check 2 weeks in advance.

Then, up ICW through Charleston to potentially Little River Inlet outside to the Cape Fear River. I know the waters pretty well.

Finally from Masonboro Inlet to Beaufort Inlet to the journey home on the Neuse River. Curious if anyone more experienced than me on this route has any remembrances, advice, or cautions for our trip. I have also considered Charleston to Cape Fear River as a hop, but don’t like the distance and lack of big inlets. Plus would like to see the Waccamaw River.

Thoughts, ideas? Our boat is a 33 foot express cruiser with (thirsty) twins, last one was a trawler (6kts doesn’t bother me). Fuel cap is 240g. On smooth plane, 26-27kt is a comfortable speed.

Goal is to move the boat more versus the quality tour. Once in home waters will cruise a bit slower of course.

(Oh, plan is to do it Memorial Day weekend time or mid-June, weather permitting obviously)

Ben, I've done your proposed route going south, it's a great idea because you cut out a huge amount of miles while using two good inlets for exit and re entry.

last I did it, everyone on board was seasick except me. they were conditioned to the ditch and anchoring. when we went outside the motion with waves and 25kts of breeze was too much for two days. luckily I was OK and able to stand watch the entire time until the rest got their sea legs.

I've done a bunch of the Fla to NC coast in both directions, many times.

The factors in play are these: 1. Weather 2. Weather(!!) 3. Boat range 4. Cost of fuel going fast vs. going slow. 5. What you want to see (Wacamaw is beautiful) vs what is ok to miss. 6. Daylight hours and speed, avoiding night runs in unfamiliar places.

I generally try to do Ga offshore. Auggie or Fernandina to Chas, if calm. offshore. Lots of good inlets to duck into, and many fewer miles offshore than inshore Ga.

Chas SC to Winyah bay (Georgetown) inside or out, depends on weather, trip length about the same.

Go inside from Southport NC (Cape Fear River) to Wrightsville Beach, then outside to Beaufort if calm. Inside is not horrible, but takes about twice as long as offshore.

Ben said:

Thoughts, ideas? Our boat is a 33 foot express cruiser with (thirsty) twins, last one was a trawler (6kts doesn’t bother me). Fuel cap is 240g. On smooth plane, 26-27kt is a comfortable speed.

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What is your conservative/safe range at 26-27 knots allowing an extra 20% or so? What is your slow cruise and range at it?

BandB said:

What is your conservative/safe range at 26-27 knots allowing an extra 20% or so? What is your slow cruise and range at it?

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So...
240g topped off. 1.5mpg at 27k, minus 20%, I figure 300 miles. My plan is not to exceed 120. New boat for me. Proceeding gingerly. Must have pretty placid seas or long rollers to run fast. Former trawler owner, 7k won’t make me cry. If have to do 7k, I’ll pull into one of the many GA inlets.

Kind of excited.

Ben said:

So...
240g topped off. 1.5mpg at 27k, minus 20%, I figure 300 miles. My plan is not to exceed 120. New boat for me. Proceeding gingerly. Must have pretty placid seas or long rollers to run fast. Former trawler owner, 7k won’t make me cry. If have to do 7k, I’ll pull into one of the many GA inlets.

Kind of excited.

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I don't know what express cruiser you have, but one thing you'll learn quickly and that is the most comfortable speed in light to moderate seas isn't slow like you're thinking. You'll learn your speeds for comfort and enjoyment but boats like yours are made to ride well at speed. You'll also learn that your mileage doesn't change as much as you think until you get very slow. Now, as to the 1.5 mpg, unless you've seen proof of it, don't take that to the bank or the ocean. For a 33 ft express cruiser that cruises at 26-27 knots, that sounds very high.

There are plenty of good inlets all along the way. I very much concur with Ski on best ways to run it. I would not run the ICW through GA unless conditions were bad outside. That's primarily because of the condition of the ICW through there.

As to the Wrightsville to Beaufort run, I would run it outside to save time.

Otherwise it's what you want to see. We run through Myrtle Beach as we have family there. Otherwise I'd run Charleston to Southport outside or if that's far for you, Georgetown to Southport.

Although the trip is a delivery trip, you'll likely enjoy it more with some mix of inside and outside.

I wouldn't overextend my days. I don't know if you have others to take the helm or not. If it's just you, I'd target 8 hour days. You can deceive yourself and run longer and think it's easy for a day or two, but not for an entire trip like you're making.

Stepped hull. Reduces suction and friction by having less surface area in contact with the water. Effectively, it flies more than competitors, versus cutting through water.

https://www.boattest.com/view-news/4105_larson-330-cabrio-we-compare-her-to-the-competition

Also, my calculation is 150-180 statute miles max per day. (Maximum - got to count pilot and crew fatigue, no consecutive days like that!). That means, early riser that I am, I feel comfortable making the 80Nm from Fernandina to Savannah in 4-5 hours, allowing for breaks at the speed and the unknown. I am assuming nothing goes smoothly. So 1/2 hour fast (27k), half slow (7k) gets me 20Nm per hour average. Scary speed for a Ford Lehman lover. But boat is best for our lifestyle at the moment. Just very thirsty. But less so than the market.

Ben said:

Also, my calculation is 150-180 statute miles max per day. (Maximum - got to count pilot and crew fatigue, no consecutive days like that!). That means, early riser that I am, I feel comfortable making the 80Nm from Fernandina to Savannah in 4-5 hours, allowing for breaks at the speed and the unknown. I am assuming nothing goes smoothly. So 1/2 hour fast (27k), half slow (7k) gets me 20Nm per hour average. Scary speed for a Ford Lehman lover. But boat is best for our lifestyle at the moment. Just very thirsty. But less so than the market.

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I didn't realize it was an 32' I/O (really less because a lot of that is platform), although still impressive numbers. If you have the 320 hp Volvo's I show 1.1 nmpg at 26 knots which is the best you can do at anything over 6 knots. 1/2 hour at 27 knots and 1/2 at 7 knots, gives you an average of 17 knots, not 20 knots. Keep in mind it must be less than 7 knots to save any fuel as at 7.6 knots you only get 0.8 nmpg. Still safely have the range you need. Even running 26 knots, you have about 8 hours range.

Still a very nice boat. That said, there's very little reason to run at 7 knots as 26 knots is it's sweet spot. Your primary decision though is going to be day to day based on conditions whether to run inside or outside. Just be careful at the slower speeds because at 9.7 knots it only gets 0.5 nmpg. Hopefully, I'm using the right engines as I'm using the ones in the page you linked to.

Look forward to following your trip and the best of luck to you.

Ben, one more thing. See how if feels at different speeds. I think you'll be surprised at 26 knots vs. 7 knots in even mild seas. It can be tossed at 7 knots by short period waves that it might skip across the top of at 26 knots.

Have you factored in slowing down for the all of the smaller boats that you meet along the way?

Silly me - I did calculate 27/2 + 7. Right 17. Anyway, we were crossing Okeechobee at 27kt with a very mild chop when we lost the starboard engine. It was smoother than expected when we were at 27Kt. Now I recall something vaguely from Engineering school about compressibility of fluids, where by the stepped hull will add some air-cushion, but I'd have to read up on it to see if that really is the effect.





I really am more delicate about higher RPMs. Boat testing says I can do 36.3sm (31.5kt) at 4000 rpms. Sorry, but I just feel uncomfortable running V-8s at 4000 rpm for any length of time. I need to get used to that. This 5.7L Volvo engine is used mostly in ski boats, bow riders, and lake boats.



Also, having a trawler before, though the boat is extremely clean, it does feel more like a camper than a yacht/home. But for the next 2-3 years, it will be pretty fun.

BandB said:

Still a very nice boat. That said, there's very little reason to run at 7 knots as 26 knots is it's sweet spot. Your primary decision though is going to be day to day based on conditions whether to run inside or outside.
Look forward to following your trip and the best of luck to you.

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Thanks!

My only reason for backing it down is I am a little paranoid about offshore, high RPMs, and hours at that speed creating pilot and crew fatigue. My wife has already commented she likes slow speeds a little better, so I have to take that into account. 27Kt is a whirlwind. No time to gaze around passively really. Just have to go on feel.

I agree with you on reservations toward running it all day at 4000 RPM. I'd vary speed and try to be gentle on it. I also understand your wife's appreciation for slow. Just make sure you understand that while very slow will be comfortable in smooth water, it will not be like you're accustomed to in a trawler. There are many reasons for varying speed even though other speeds may not save you anything on fuel, may even require more.

Just look forward to the quick weekend trips and weeks of covering longer distances. You have a fun boat. You have one of the faster boats on TF. That simply means cruising the same water more quickly, although more expensively in terms of fuel. However, you saved enough by having gas engines to pay for a lot of fuel.

You will adjust to using it in the way best for and most comfortable for you. TF will benefit you as much as if you had a trawler as there's such a wealth of knowledge here of all the cruising grounds you'll be exploring.

My wife might even convert your wife into wanting something to run 50 knots or more like her.