How much draft is too much?

[O C Diver]

Wifey B: I like marinas so I can go explore sites around town.

As to anchorages, I understand easing in as you describe and we occasionally have done so. What I don't get is cruising in shallows and ICW at low tide when very close rather than waiting a bit or taking a wider turn. The way you do it, easing to the anchorage, I get. However, those who bump along their way while cruising, I don't. I know one guy who bought a boat with pods and knocked one off. He said "I never had a problem here before." Well, previously he bumped his way along.

I don't understand cruisers who cut it close. That's way different than easing to an anchorage.

Example: NJ ICW. Why try it? If you must only at high tide please.

As to damage at marinas, good point, but we've avoided so far. However, it's required diligence and stubbornness. Dockmasters trying to squeeze another boat where there wasn't space. No different than boats trying to squeeze into full anchorages. Oh, and boats rafting but lacking adequate fenders.

I get sightseeing and provisioning. Personally I feel more comfortable taking a mooring or anchoring out, and taking the dinghy into the marina.

I don't cross skinny water (less than 3') to save time, but will certainly cut corners with 5' under my keel. Guess it's all what you're use to.

Maybe it's like cruising fast offshore. There are some who cruise at up to 30 knots and say there wasn't a whale, ship container, loggerhead turtle, small dark colored open boat, or whatever else they hit, there when they came through last time. The private mega yacht that rear-ended and sank the small tanker recently was a real eye opener. Bottom line is that we all take chances (calculated risks if you prefer) whether it's depth under the keel or speed underway.

Regarding the NJ ICW, I routinely go in at Barnegat and out at Manasquan without incident. My friends that I stop and visit, are in Brick, NJ. I get your point that there are skinny areas, but a blanket statement about the NJ ICW would be like saying the AICW between Boynton Beach and Miami is nothing but large ship and reckless boaters.

Ted

 

[South of Heaven]

Certainly a useless draft in ditch travel on the east coast.

What's 'ditch"?

 

[psneeld]

I have tens of thousands of sea miles....and may years with blue water under me....

I LOVE skinny water and what you can see and do in it.

If I did the loop... I would look hard for the right bost and less than 2 feet of draft so I could explore creeks and anchorages few but kayakers use..

 

[Hippocampus]

Ditch is slang for the AICW.

Really looking forward to gunkholing. Up until now have been draft restricted. In prior cruising always anchored as far out as we could if in a harbor and as far away from the channel in. Less idiots, fewer pwcs, quieter, and usually less risk of someone dragging and hitting us.

Always have had a dinghy which could get up and plane with 4 aboard. A extra 3-5 minutes to get in isn’t troublesome. One of our favorite activities is to get in the ding and wander in very skinny water.

Charts show designated anchorages. But through out the US east coast there’s no reason to limit yourself to those areas. Just like we tend to avoid marinas when possible also avoid designated anchorages.

Get enough of people and man made artifacts during land travel. Do come in for things of historic, artistic or cultural interest. Other than that “a man who’s been to sea is ruined for land”.

 

[psneeld]

A man who has been to sea for a living and a lifetime.....can enjoy shore too.......

Doesn't mean they are done with the sea, but there are other things to enchant and stir the soul..

 

[Hippocampus]

Of course your right. Just using that old saw to point out some enjoy a different way to experience boating. Do find there remains parts of the coast, inlets, rivers, islands and even bays where the hand of man is absent or lightly touched. Bit of history buff and enjoy architecture so it’s fun to visit so many places. However, both on land and the water getting centered by getting away has its joy as well.

 

[FF]

The NJ Seabright design and British boats with bilge keels take the hard with ease.

Would be nice to have a cruiser where running aground is meaningless , and a simple way to anchor much closer to shore .

 

[OldDan1943]

If you have a boat for only stay at sea or in Harbor of course you could have 10' draft (and not in all harbor...)

The N46 had a 5ft draft so choosing your path carefully you can make it down the ICW. We did run outside for a few nights, great experience.
Now my AT34 has an advertised draft of 3.5ft. Gives me greater flexibility on the ICW. I figure my draft at 4ft and try not to cruise in less than 5ft, for safety sake.

It all depends upon your normal cruising waters.

 

[mvweebles]

Would be nice to have a cruiser where running aground is meaningless , and a simple way to anchor much closer to shore .

Bluewater Yachts were advertised as beachable. Is this what you had in mind ?

Sort of a fine line between beachable and running aground. Bernard Moitessier, famous French single hander, ran his sailboat onto a beach while he was asleep.

Peter

 

[psneeld]

Nothing wrong with the right boat being aground. I just define beached as still being to get off easy and whenever you want, yet close enough to not get much more than your feet wet going ashore.

To me an great loop boat or east coast snowbirding boat would have lower able stairs on the bow like a landing craft.

I looked at that style Bluewaters for a couple years, just couldn't bring myself to own a gasser where it was very difficult to get into the engine box.

 

[mvweebles]

at that style Bluewaters for a couple years, just couldn't bring myself to own a gasser where it was very difficult to get into the engine box.

I gave close-quarter maneuvering lessons to a guy who owned a Bluewater 51. I was amazed at how tight the engines were stuffed-in. Quite the engineering feat. Clearly, the engines had not been maintained - access likely contributed.

Speaking of a Dixie-cup on water. I think the boat only draws 2-feet or something minimal so any breeze is difficult. Nice layout, but I seem to recall the build-quality not being great, but could be my memory was clouded by shag carpeting.

Peter

 

[backinblue]

Lindsey’s Law has it that “when your draft exceeds the water’s depth you are most assuredly aground.”

https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/boatingsafety/aground

 

[rslifkin]

I gave close-quarter maneuvering lessons to a guy who owned a Bluewater 51. I was amazed at how tight the engines were stuffed-in. Quite the engineering feat. Clearly, the engines had not been maintained - access likely contributed.

Speaking of a Dixie-cup on water. I think the boat only draws 2-feet or something minimal so any breeze is difficult. Nice layout, but I seem to recall the build-quality not being great, but could be my memory was clouded by shag carpeting.

Peter

I've seen one of those on the hard. Just looking at the hull shape, small rudders and props, etc. screams of poor maneuverability. Never saw inside for engine access, etc. But the one I saw did have a beaching ladder on the bow.


I wouldn't be surprised by poor build quality either. In terms of dry weight, the 51 is only 4000 - 5000 lbs heavier than my boat, despite being 13 feet longer than mine (same beam). That's probably the only reason the twin big block gassers (with I think slightly smaller diameter props than my boat to enable the shallow draft) perform anything close to acceptably.

 

[psneeld]

Lindsey’s Law has it that “when your draft exceeds the water’s depth you are most assuredly aground.”

https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/boatingsafety/aground

My law and have heard it by others....if you see daylight underneath the seagulls ahead...probably best to go around.

Better navigation than waiting for the sounder to reach zero or hull depth....