How shallow a draft do you need? Your dillema reminds me of a guy who
used to be here, flying for one of the airlines. He bought a brand
new Valiant 40 in anticipation of retiring to Florida. It was a
beautiful boat. Just before leaving he developed anxieties over the
boat's draft, so he had the boat hauled and ignoring the warnings and
pleadings of everyone, proceeded to take about a foot off the bottom
of the keel with a chain saw. I guess that is one approach to the
problem He must have been related to Jim Cate/Bobsprit.


On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 20:07:22 -0400, "katysails"
wrote:

Sheesh...over 750 posts while I was gone..

Well, here's the news...we won't find out until the end of the week about
the job situation, but it looks very good. The bad thing: very very
shallow....if we did take Chanteuse down, we'd be sitting on her keel half
the time and half to sail 15 miles offshore to find water deep enough for a
good sail...The good thing: lots of sailing in the area, just need a much
shallower deaft boat...the Fort Myers area isn't nearly as built up as I
thought it would be...not anywhere near as "throbbing" as St. Pete/Tampa
area...lots of hummocks and estuaries, etc to explore. We stayed on Estero
Island (yourist trap...) which is just south of Sanibel (bigger tourist
trap) A lady was wading in a canal on Sanibel and offered herself for lunch
to a 15 ft alligator who ended up being euthanized for his efforts (heck, if
she was dumb enough to wade in a crick...)Went to 3 different nature
preserves, rescued a whelk and a sea urchin ( very tricky, sea
urchins...trying not to get stung, that is...) watched a pair of dolphins
fishing and playing about 30 feet offshore in low tide...really having a
grand time of it....found a poor little manta that must have been clobbered
by a gas hog...saw the biggest red ant I've ever seen in my life and hope to
gravy I never get bit by one....found a cute black snake about 2 ft long
with a pretty head (not a pit viper configuration...going to have to look
him up in a book...) ate grouper almost every day. Didn't get sunburned
until the last day, when I listened to Mr Sails who said: You could stand a
bit more sun...Was a big shocker getting off the plane in Grand Rapids at
midnight...40F from 87F and cold rain...was ready to het right back on the
plane...and then I had to be up at 6am for work this morning! But I had a
great time!

How shallow a draft do you need? Your dillema reminds me of a guy who
used to be here, flying for one of the airlines.

Man, I've heard that old wives story for years now. Didn't happen like that at
all. The owner had the yard do the job and it was because of the slip he owned,
which was a bit too shallow. Valliant was involved in the mod and the boat was
sold recently on Yachtworld after he died. The boat was a beaut.

RB

On 27 Apr 2004 00:39:18 GMT, (Bobsprit) wrote:

How shallow a draft do you need? Your dillema reminds me of a guy who
used to be here, flying for one of the airlines.

Man, I've heard that old wives story for years now. Didn't happen like that at
all. The owner had the yard do the job and it was because of the slip he owned,
which was a bit too shallow. Valliant was involved in the mod and the boat was
sold recently on Yachtworld after he died. The boat was a beaut.

RB

Well, since I knew the guy, have been aboard the boat which he kept at
the marina I have been at for 15 years and know the Valiant guys, I'll
stand by my story. Valiant may well have modified some keels, but
they had nothing to do with this one.

felton asked: How shallow a draft do you need?
They're saying no more than 4 ft...and that's getting "iffy".....the
municipal marina is only 5 ft and the mooring fields at low tide are at
4-5....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 21:32:03 -0400, "katysails"
wrote:

felton asked: How shallow a draft do you need?
They're saying no more than 4 ft...and that's getting "iffy".....the
municipal marina is only 5 ft and the mooring fields at low tide are at
4-5....

Sounds like a Coronado 27 is in your future..

felton unwisely said:
Sounds like a Coronado 27 is in your future..

Methinks you need to join Scotty in Plowville....you probably thought he
chose to be there....not....
--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

"katysails" wrote in message
...
felton asked: How shallow a draft do you need?
They're saying no more than 4 ft...and that's getting "iffy".....the
municipal marina is only 5 ft and the mooring fields at low tide are at
4-5....

What is the tidal range?



Regards


Donal
--

Tides on the Florida west coast are about 2 feet. I was very happy to only have
a 3 foot draft when we went through there. Most of the primary channels are 6+
feet, the secondary channels are often 4 feet or less. There are large areas,
like Pine Island Sound, which includes the resort islands of Captiva and
Sanibel, where a 6 foot draft would only work in the primary channel, and you'd
probably take bottom a few times trying to get into the marinas.

This holds true south through the Keys. The Florida Bay side of the Keys is
largely 5 feet in the channel. Its also crystal clear, so you have the illusion
of gliding a few inches above the bottom.



"Donal" wrote in message
...

"katysails" wrote in message
...
felton asked: How shallow a draft do you need?
They're saying no more than 4 ft...and that's getting "iffy".....the
municipal marina is only 5 ft and the mooring fields at low tide are at
4-5....

What is the tidal range?



Regards


Donal
--

Donal asked:
What is the tidal range?

Looks to be between 1 to 1.5 feet depending on whether it's winter or
summer...
--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein