On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:35:14 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

The lowest fixed bridge is 53 feet clearance

Actually not. The lowest is 49.38 ft, the railroad bridge just
east of Lake Okeechobee. There is a local service that will assist
with heeling taller masts over, up to about 55 feet or so. The
bridges at Cape Coral and Ft Myers are currently at about 54 ft
depending on the tide level.

Water levels are now good on the main route across the lake:

http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/reports/r-nav.txt

On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:38:33 -0700, slide
wrote:

Never did it but those who were about to said the height limit was 45
feet and depth 4 feet. There are many references published on this route.

No, that is incorrect, more like 7 ft draft and 49+ mast height.

On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:42:29 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

Regarding "cut through points" in the Florida Keys -- not advisable without
good local knowledge, up-to-date charts and good sailing experience in all
weather. Water there gets really thin, really fast, and weather can kick up
just as quickly. It's a good way to run aground and end up with a "totalled"
vessel. The safest route is to stay away from shore and in deep water, going
around the keys rather than through them. This advice has been disregarded
in the past with predictable outcome.

All true but the cut-through east of Marathon (Moser Channel) is easy
to negotiate with 6 ft of draft and 65 ft mast height - if you know
what you are doing, have decent charts, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moser_Channel

"KLC Lewis" wrote in message
et...

"Janet O'Leary" wrote in message
...

With a clearance height of only 45', and a depth of only 4' .. that
eliminates many
sailboats, for sure.

In fact, I was just looking at a boat on the net, nice older boat. .. the
draft is 5' 10" I think.

==

So,, if the boat can't go through .. ?? then it is down and around?

How does that trip go? Where is the cut through point?


If you're just buying a boat and have little to no passage-making
experience, you'd be well-served by looking for a boat that's already in
the area where you want it to be. If you have your heart set on one
particular boat and nothing else will do, you might want to look into
having it trucked to its new home port -- with older boats, though, this
is rarely cost effective. But the heart wants what the heart wants.

Regarding "cut through points" in the Florida Keys -- not advisable
without good local knowledge, up-to-date charts and good sailing
experience in all weather. Water there gets really thin, really fast, and
weather can kick up just as quickly. It's a good way to run aground and
end up with a "totalled" vessel. The safest route is to stay away from
shore and in deep water, going around the keys rather than through them.
This advice has been disregarded in the past with predictable outcome.

If she's sexy enough, I might be talked into helping her sail her boat
through the Keys to the east coast of Florida. But, if she's jlrogers in
drag, forget about it!

Wilbur Hubbard

Wayne,

You are correct. In my haste I forgot about the RR bridge.

I deliver boats all around the state and make the cut about 10 times a
year when water levels allow
The bridge is actually 49'4" on the north side and 49'8" on the south
side. There is no tide but the water height varies a few inches.

You can stop at the Indiantown marina, east of the bridge, and have
your mast measured. Mine measured 48'9". If your mast and or bridge
won't make it, they will heal your boat until it will pass.

They secure 2*55 gal barrels on your deck and pump water into them to
heal your boat until you will clear, then tow you through the bridge
and remove the barrels. I believe the cost is $150.

They are set up do this without fuss and are efficient. It's also a
good place to stop for fuel, etc. You can radio them and they will
tell you the height of the water.

They can also remove a mast if required. I don't know whether they can
step it or not.

The Florida Keys are my home sailing grounds. There is very little
shifting of sandbars. I don't know what drugs you are on but you certainly
can't see them shifting in satellite photos. As a matter of fact sand is
in relatively short supply in the Keys. There is more rock and mud than
sand.

On the Florida Bay side it's mostly all mud. There resides the
Intracoastal Waterway and the Yacht Channel up to the Gulf of Mexico. Five
or six feet depth all the way. In and along Hawk Channel on the ocean
side it's mostly coral rock with only a few sandy beaches. The rest of it
is bare, water worn coral rock. Hawk Channel is a very safe place to sail.
The barrier reef knocks out the seas from the Straits. The Island chain
provides a barrier to the north. There are a few areas with charted coral
heads and patch reefs that need to be given a wide berth but it's no
problem to do so either visually or using GPS.

Anybody who can't sail safely through the Keys on either side of the
island chain is incompetent or inept or stupid and poor Skippy was all
three when he came through here running aground at every opportunity and
making an ass out of himself, not to mention giving sailors a bad name. I
have been sailing the Keys for over 25 years and have YET to run aground.
There's no excuse for it.

Wilbur Hubbard

Hubbard ,, this boat has a draft of 5'10" .. pretty deep, she was not
designed to
be a cruising boat, but is a cruising boat .. go figure.

Anyhow,, since you are the expert.. ...

The boat would be coming from Tampa. Heading toward Ft Lauderdale..
So, if she can't get through the canal [ not enough depth ] or the mast is
too high ..

Then she must be sailed all the way to Key West? And then around, and up?
Is that correct? How far is that?

Are there harbors along the way?

Is it better to go outside, then down to Key West?

Don't have any charts as yet.

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:15:24 GMT, "Janet O'Leary"
wrote:

The boat would be coming from Tampa. Heading toward Ft Lauderdale..
So, if she can't get through the canal [ not enough depth ] or the mast is
too high ..

Then she must be sailed all the way to Key West? And then around, and up?
Is that correct? How far is that?

Are there harbors along the way?

Is it better to go outside, then down to Key West?

Don't have any charts as yet.

By way of qualification, I live in the Ft Myers area, approximately
halfway between Tampa and the Keys. Your limiting factor for the
Okeechobee Waterway will be mast height, roughly 49 ft unless you heel
the boat. Your other choice is to go through the Keys - either at
Marathon which should be doable, or all the way around Key West.
Going around Key West adds about 100 miles vs Marathon/Moser Channel.
The Okeechobee Waterway saves about 250 miles and is protected water
the entire distance. The outside run from Tampa can be rough in a
winter nor'wester, pick your days and route carefully. Coming south
from Tampa there are overnight options at Venice, Boca Grande, Sanibel
Island, Ft Myers Beach, Naples and Marco Island. If the tide is
right you can get in behind the islands near Everglades City or anchor
at Little Shark River in the Everglades. If the wind is out of the
east, and it frequently is in the winter, you can anchor north of
Middle Cape Sable for the night.

Charts are available on the web he

http://demo.geogarage.com/noaa/

In addition to charts you will want to pick up a "Southern Waterway
Guide" - it has lots of good information:

http://www.waterwayguide.com/edition...=southern_2009


You really need to have some experienced help for the trip. While
not extremely difficult, it is not a complete cake walk either,
especially in the winter time. It would be money well spent to hire
a licensed delivery captain for your first big adventure. They will
have the knowledge and experience to stay out of trouble, and the
ability to deal with problems if they do arise. Just my 2 cents
worth.

"Janet O'Leary" wrote in message
...


The Florida Keys are my home sailing grounds. There is very little
shifting of sandbars. I don't know what drugs you are on but you
certainly can't see them shifting in satellite photos. As a matter of
fact sand is in relatively short supply in the Keys. There is more rock
and mud than sand.

On the Florida Bay side it's mostly all mud. There resides the
Intracoastal Waterway and the Yacht Channel up to the Gulf of Mexico.
Five or six feet depth all the way. In and along Hawk Channel on the
ocean side it's mostly coral rock with only a few sandy beaches. The rest
of it is bare, water worn coral rock. Hawk Channel is a very safe place
to sail. The barrier reef knocks out the seas from the Straits. The
Island chain provides a barrier to the north. There are a few areas with
charted coral heads and patch reefs that need to be given a wide berth
but it's no problem to do so either visually or using GPS.

Anybody who can't sail safely through the Keys on either side of the
island chain is incompetent or inept or stupid and poor Skippy was all
three when he came through here running aground at every opportunity and
making an ass out of himself, not to mention giving sailors a bad name. I
have been sailing the Keys for over 25 years and have YET to run aground.
There's no excuse for it.

Wilbur Hubbard

Hubbard ,, this boat has a draft of 5'10" .. pretty deep, she was not
designed to
be a cruising boat, but is a cruising boat .. go figure.

Anyhow,, since you are the expert.. ...

The boat would be coming from Tampa. Heading toward Ft Lauderdale..
So, if she can't get through the canal [ not enough depth ] or the mast
is
too high ..

The Okeechobee is for motor heads and sissies who freak if they aren't in
constant contact with land. It's a poor choice IMO. Just the wakes alone
from inconsiderate motor boat cretins will make you want to shoot somebody.

Sailing down the west coast of Florida from Tampa Bay is a piece of cake
provided you keep an eye on the weather. Working the back side of cold
fronts is the thing to do. One can plan it so one can stop every night to
anchor.

There is no need to do the Moser Channel thing. Anchoring in the Little
Shark River mouth allows you easy access to the Yacht Channel through the
Sprigger and Arsenic Banks into the Intracoastal Waterway well north of
Marathon. There is enough depth, plenty enough at high tide. Last time
though the Yacht Channel (Hurricane Wilma) there was close to eight feet
there. Using the Yacht Channel makes for an easy and safe run to Channel #5
bridge which has 65 feet clearance MLW. Once into Hawk Channel working up to
Lauderdale is a piece of cake. One can anchor every night. Or the
alternative is just to stay in the Intracoastal where the Yacht Channel
meets it. This requires lots of motoring, however. But it is comfy and
sheltered and there is some opportunity to sail the various bays and sounds
between the creeks. They've even built a new high rise bridge at Jewfish
Creek to replace the old bascule bridge.

The Intracoastal option allows you to hit some of the more famous Islamorada
and Key Largo bars such as the Lorelie, Caribbean Club, Gilberts

Then she must be sailed all the way to Key West? And then around, and up?
Is that correct? How far is that?

Incorrect as stated above.


Are there harbors along the way?

Yes.


Is it better to go outside, then down to Key West?

Don't have any charts as yet.

I prefer the route(s) mentioned above. It can be done in a series of short
hops anchored every night. Sailing in and around the Keys or in the shallows
along the west coast of Florida is not prudent at night. One learns to read
water depth by eye and you can't see squat at night.

You'll need charts for sure. One of these chart kit books will do just fine.
Chart kit BBA, Florida WEST coast and the Keys
Region 8 by Better Boating Association

http://openlibrary.org/b/OL12174601M

It would be a good idea to ship an experienced skipper who knows this route
and has traveled it a few times. Inexperienced skippers might fall prey to
traps such as the entrance to the Yacht Channel from the north seeming to
have the Red and Green lights switched. Going throught there at night using
red right returning will run you hard aground. (they are actually correct
but from the north, due to the dogleg of the channel they appear switched.)

Wilbur Hubbard.

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:32:48 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

There is no need to do the Moser Channel thing. Anchoring in the Little
Shark River mouth allows you easy access to the Yacht Channel through the
Sprigger and Arsenic Banks into the Intracoastal Waterway well north of
Marathon. There is enough depth, plenty enough at high tide. Last time
though the Yacht Channel (Hurricane Wilma) there was close to eight feet
there. Using the Yacht Channel makes for an easy and safe run to Channel #5
bridge which has 65 feet clearance MLW.

At low tide in the winter, the approach to Little Shark River has
barely 5 feet of water, same with the Yacht Channel north of the
Channel Five bridge. We were through there 6 months ago in the summer
and dragged our 5 1/2 ft draft through the mud a couple of times.
That is why I recommend Moser Channel east of Marathon where I've
never seen less than 6 1/2 ft.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:32:48 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

There is no need to do the Moser Channel thing. Anchoring in the Little
Shark River mouth allows you easy access to the Yacht Channel through the
Sprigger and Arsenic Banks into the Intracoastal Waterway well north of
Marathon. There is enough depth, plenty enough at high tide. Last time
though the Yacht Channel (Hurricane Wilma) there was close to eight feet
there. Using the Yacht Channel makes for an easy and safe run to Channel
#5
bridge which has 65 feet clearance MLW.

At low tide in the winter, the approach to Little Shark River has
barely 5 feet of water, same with the Yacht Channel north of the
Channel Five bridge. We were through there 6 months ago in the summer
and dragged our 5 1/2 ft draft through the mud a couple of times.
That is why I recommend Moser Channel east of Marathon where I've
never seen less than 6 1/2 ft.


Duh, navigate shallow areas on a rising tide. Those who don't are no
sailors. Preferably at about the top half of a rising tide. That way any
little grounding and all you have to do is wait a little while and float
right off. A little soft mud on the bottom of your keel doesn't harm
anything.

Oh, I've seen more than a few 45-footers in the Shark River hiding from
hurricanes. Some of them draw six feet and more. You get them over the bar
at high tide. It's that simple.

Wilbur Hubbard