On 2007-08-05 14:38:13 -0400, Geoff Schultz said:

Aren't you the guy who took me to task for not going up the river from
Charleston???

L8R

Skip :{))

I believe that I suggested heading up the ICW to make miles when the
weather outside didn't cooperate. I don't think that I ever suggested
seeing it on the wrong end of a tow line! :-)

That's something I can agree with. When we went the other way, our pace
was such that we could have made Beaufort, NC to Daytona in 8 travel
days, though we budget a lay day per week or portion, 10 days in that
case. The ICW is a slog, slow and often boring, but it can be traversed
when it's sloppy outside.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Vic Smith wrote:

I've read that older boats have flaky electrical systems and it's
often best to rewire them to modern standards right off the bat.

It isn't that obvious, nor is it that easy to do. The wiring worked
perfectly OK until we got a radio that required more power.

Thanks for writing some of your experiences. I notice that most
of them are wiring and installation issues, and that's good to know.
I suspect Skip is having some of the same issues.

Not knowing anything about marine engine installations, it's still
surprising to me that an alternator bracket should break, and
I'll be looking for that kind of weakness if it applies to my boat.
Was the bracket corroded?

I don't know whether the bracket was corroded or not - I don't go into
the engine room. He also was down in the engine room one spring and
put his hand on the exhaust elbow and found it had a big hole in it.
So he replaced it of course, and a friend suggested that he go to a
plumbing supply house and get a stainless elbow and just have the
nipples and or connections put in at the right places. Cheaper than
from a marine supply house. So he did that and has it as a spare.

Was the throttle cable binding before it broke? I've seen automotive
e-brake and clutch cables break with no warning, so maybe fatigue
does them in and they should be changed out on some sort of schedule.

We didn't see that it was binding. It broke near to the binnacle end.
It was VERY tough material, and took him several hours to get a loop
into the end so that he could reattach it and get to a marina where he
could order a new one. The new one (which is now about 6 years old)
is still so slippery that sometimes it won't hold a setting - the
engine keeps going slower and slower unless we catch it and push the
throttle forward again.

Every year he services the through hulls and he also does the winches
on a regular basis - also the windlass. He keeps an eye on the engine
- temperature and oil usage, transmission fluid, and cooling system.
We've also replaced life lines that appear corroded. He repairs the
sails and bimini curtains when they need it. We do know where the
emergency steering is, and he checks the rudder when the boat is out
of the water. But we are too cheap to replace stuff that is working
OK.

Our boat (built in 1979) was a pretty plain vanilla boat when we got
it - it had the original engine (still does), a VHF radio, a corroded
and un useable electric windlass, depth sounder and wind instruments,
a couple of lightweight anchors (no chain rode to speak of), and
that's about it.

We added a newer radio, a SSB, autopilot, radar, and additional
battery bank (and replaced the old batteries when they started not
holding a charge), dinghy davits, radar arch, solar panels, a
windmill, a roller furling staysail, light activated anchor lights, a
manual windlass, a good heavy anchor and 300 feet of chain, and a
spinnaker pole (which Bob made). He's talking about getting a
spinnaker.

On Sun, 5 Aug 2007 20:01:47 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

Is harbor hopping down the coast possible, avoiding the
ICW? Weather and GS position permitting, of course.

Absolutely possible but the downside is lost time and distance going
in and out. There are also some long stretches on the Florida coast
with no inlets. We usually run these overnight and put in the next
day. Avoiding the Gulf Stream is relatively easy in most places by
staying closer to shore.

On Sat, 04 Aug 2007 23:03:32 -0000, Skip Gundlach
wrote:


So, we held on by our fingernails and made it outside the jetties.
Meanwhile, we had a container ship bearing down on us. They'd seen
our
erratic behavior and wanted to make sure we saw them. We advised them
that
we'd had a bit of a steering issue but would be sure to be out of
their way.

After a failed attempt to go upwind, we managed to get out of the
channel to
the downwind side and advised the container ship that we were no
longer a
threat. Using the throttle and the locked-to-starboard rudder to
keep us
pointed relatively into the wind and waves, we called TowBoatUS, where
I
have an unlimited towing policy.

They showed up in due course, and, the various excitements of being
under
tow in a shipping lane,

in a situation like this, do not hesitate to call the USCG. they will
respond immediately...being in a shipping lane, or in danger of going
aground with a steering casualty is a distress situation. just
practice good risk assessment and call for help when you need it.

in a situation like this, do not hesitate to call the USCG. they will
respond immediately...being in a shipping lane, or in danger of going
aground with a steering casualty is a distress situation. just
practice good risk assessment and call for help when you need it.- Hide quoted text -


Good idea, but then Skip, Lydia, et al. would no doubt be subject to
boarding and inspection.................. I wonder how that would end?

Been Boarded Bob

* Rosalie B. wrote, On 8/6/2007 9:12 AM:
... in
2000 when we made our first trip down the ICW (and the only time that
we had anything to do with Beaufort by boat because I think the
marinas are too expensive - we anchored )
http://p.vtourist.com/953637-Beaufor...e-Beaufort.jpg


Its funny how impressions can be different. We were there at the same
time (we met in the Dismal Swamp) and remember Beaufort, NC as one of
the highlites of our trip. A nice museum, a good bookstore, several
good shops, good restaurants, entertainment, all across the street.
An island with wild horses is a short dinghy ride away. The marina
had a courtesy car for going to the market. I was starting to check
out local real estate! Of course we may have been biased because our
then 5 year old met up with some of her friends from Elizabeth City.
And, our previous stop was Belhaven, were the marina seemed like
something out of the Addams Family.

Jeff wrote:

* Rosalie B. wrote, On 8/6/2007 9:12 AM:
... in
2000 when we made our first trip down the ICW (and the only time that
we had anything to do with Beaufort by boat because I think the
marinas are too expensive - we anchored )
http://p.vtourist.com/953637-Beaufor...e-Beaufort.jpg


Its funny how impressions can be different. We were there at the same
time (we met in the Dismal Swamp) and remember Beaufort, NC as one of

Yes I remember you - I have a pictures of you and your boat.
http://p.vtourist.com/807785-Bob_tal...State_Park.jpg

At that time we were still trying to anchor out much of the time. But
after that trip we mostly gave up anchoring and went into marinas
because we could eat dinner out. Exceptions being GA and the river
around Melbourne. My information at the time was that the marinas in
Morehead City were cheaper. Also Bob was not at all interested (i.e.
he absolutely refused to do it) in anchoring with two anchors which
was the information I had about anchoring there because of the
current. We anchored in Town Creek instead

the highlites of our trip. A nice museum, a good bookstore, several
good shops, good restaurants, entertainment, all across the street.

A lot of people really love Beaufort. So we did Beaufort later by car
when we were staying in a condo on Atlantic Beach. We drove out to
the NPS Cape Lookout lighthouse site (it was too rough and cold to do
the boat trip at that time (March) although the wind surfers were
having a good time.
http://p.vtourist.com/2002275-Kite_b...ntic_Beach.jpg
The museum was nice.

We tried to do the historic houses tour but the flyer provided was far
inferior to the one given out by the other Beaufort (SC) and the
people in the visitor's center/historical society were less friendly.
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4a9c6/c92c3/8/ I just wasn't all
that thrilled with Beaufort.

An island with wild horses is a short dinghy ride away. The marina
had a courtesy car for going to the market. I was starting to check
out local real estate! Of course we may have been biased because our
then 5 year old met up with some of her friends from Elizabeth City.
And, our previous stop was Belhaven, were the marina seemed like
something out of the Addams Family.

..Which marina was that? We went to Robb's (which has gone out of
business) because it was cheap and available. We've also been to
Dowry Creek - never been to River Forest except to eat dinner once
when it was my birthday and no other restaurants were open.

We almost always go to Oriental between Belhaven and the next place

* Rosalie B. wrote, On 8/8/2007 10:13 AM:
Its funny how impressions can be different. We were there at the same
time (we met in the Dismal Swamp) and remember Beaufort, NC as one of

Yes I remember you - I have a pictures of you and your boat.
http://p.vtourist.com/807785-Bob_tal...State_Park.jpg

My wife claims I normally look better than that picture!


At that time we were still trying to anchor out much of the time. But
after that trip we mostly gave up anchoring and went into marinas
because we could eat dinner out.

Before this trip we always anchored out. However, a major reason for
the trip was to see all the small towns that I had sailed or driven by
in the past. Now, we look for moorings so we can be close in without
the heat and noise of the docks. Launch service is nice, but rowing
is my primary exercise!

Exceptions being GA and the river
around Melbourne. My information at the time was that the marinas in
Morehead City were cheaper. Also Bob was not at all interested (i.e.
he absolutely refused to do it) in anchoring with two anchors which
was the information I had about anchoring there because of the
current. We anchored in Town Creek instead

Double anchoring (two off the bow) is so easy once you get used to it
- just set one, then drive over to the side and let out a Fortress.
Even an oversized one is light, and contrary to myth, they only need a
small amount of chain. A Delta (or other plow style) with chain plus
a large Fortress is going to let you get a good night's sleep in
almost any normal situation.

....
An island with wild horses is a short dinghy ride away. The marina
had a courtesy car for going to the market. I was starting to check
out local real estate! Of course we may have been biased because our
then 5 year old met up with some of her friends from Elizabeth City.
And, our previous stop was Belhaven, were the marina seemed like
something out of the Addams Family.

.Which marina was that? We went to Robb's (which has gone out of
business) because it was cheap and available. We've also been to
Dowry Creek - never been to River Forest except to eat dinner once
when it was my birthday and no other restaurants were open.

River Forest, I think. It had the feel of the opening scenes of a
horror movie. Dowry Creek, a few miles away, is a delightful stop.

We almost always go to Oriental between Belhaven and the next place

Yes, I forgot, we stayed in Oriental with friends we fortuitously met
at the marina.

After Jeff's mention that he saw us in the Dismal Swamp canal on our
first trip down there, I have been re-reading some of the logs I wrote
on that first trip.

Oct 31, 2000 -We started out on the trip with the refrigeration not
working - using bags of ice. The SSB also didn't work and the new VHF
won't even transmit as far as the marina office.

Nov 2 When we went in to Fishing Bay (south of Deltaville), we could
not find a number of the marks but we had the electronic charts to go
by so it was not a problem for us. When we left the next morning the
CG boat was replacing some of them

Nov 3 - As we anchored a work boat putting out crab pots came up
behind us and circled the boat, putting one pot directly in front and
one directly behind the boat. Although the crab pot boat is almost
within arms reach of us, no eye contact was made.

Nov 4 - Bob did figure out how to get out without running into the
crab pots. I was re-figuring the route on the computer on the fly,
but the connection on the trackball was too long to fit into the
computer box, which made it difficult

We came into Point Comfort Marina

The fuel dock is on our starboard as we enter, and we want to tie up port side to the dock. However, due to the wind, the boat is only backing to starboard instead of to port as it usually does, and we end up coming in on the starboard side. We use their lines, since all ours are rigged on the other side.

We get 15 gallons, and Bob goes up to pay. We tell them we are supposed to go into slip B33. They say there is no way we will fit in a slip on B dock (which is mostly small power boats). The guy who seems to be in charge runs up to the office and says it was supposed to be E 33, but he is going to put us into E38 instead. That's really better as that way we don't have to go around between the docks to the other side but just go in as we come around the protective wall. I think he decides this based on how incompetitant we were at getting in to the fuel dock but whatever the reason, it's better for us.

We miss lunch because it is too late for lunch.

Nov 5 - bad weather so we stay at the marina

Nov 6 - still bad weather. Bob got out his tools and started
modifying the cockpit locker that contains the pass-through into the
kitchen so that it has a tray in the top to store things like winch
handles. He also (grumbling) switched the antennas on the radios so
that the one that will send is on the tall antenna.

The people in the marina are afraid that letting me attach the
computer to their phone system will mess it up. When we tried to hook
up the computer to the internet at the hotel (to get email) it took a
long time and a lot of futzing around and I had to use an #800 number
because the phones in the hotel wouldn't accept a local number with an
area code as being local.

Going through Norfolk -the Elizabeth River ferry paddle wheel came out
from his dock and turned down the river along our port side. He
started to pass us and got almost all the way past, and then decided
to come over to the other side of the river, and turned almost right
into us. We speeded up so he went behind us. The ferry is not on the
charts.

Nov 8- 9 - Elizabeth City - We got a sewing needle in the Singer store
next door to Stocks, and I got a new trackball in a computer store. I
call Radio Shack and they've got my spare computer back but lost my
address to send it to me. One boat is out of water, and Bob lends
them his hose because theirs won't reach.

I almost fall in getting back on the boat (there is a very short finger pier and we have to climb off the bow - there is a plastic milk crate to step up on, but it is still a good big step, and this time I knock the crate into the water), and Bob says I won't be allowed off the boat again. He's only half joking.

Nov 10 - Bob has to free up the speed log

When we anchored, Bob was letting out the chain, and I was reversing. He had trouble getting it to stop, so he stomped on it, and I decided I'd gone backwards enough, so put the engine into neutral. As Bob was contemplating the amount of chain that was out, the boat hit the end, and the anchor set and stopped the boat with a jerk.

The moon shown through the dodger and down the companionway hatch very
brightly and waked me up.

Nov 11 - Bob took over the helm as we approached the bridge at about
9:20 and was idling around in the canal and ran aground. He got off
and was blown back on, and then got off again.

We came out of the canal into the Pungo River (at 11:30), and Bob immediately ran aground. He claimed it was because I didn't have enough magnification of the charts. I generally like to have a scale that allows me to see various land features so I can place where I am, and in the canal it doesn't matter. You have to stay in the canal anyway.

We stopped in the True Value/Radio Shack as they were closing, and
bought a cable TV cable. Bob went up to use the bathroom and thought
it was locked but actually both of us forgot the correct combination.

Nov 12 - Bob spends his time polishing the stainless. He says that at
least he didn't try to polish the anchor :-) He opens the engine hatch
in the cockpit floor to check to see if the engine temp on the gauge
is really 170 like it says, instead of 180 like it should be.

Nov 13 - Initially too foggy to see the daymarks 100 feet away. .

The engine hour meter stopped working yesterday and isn't working today either. Also the oil pressure and temperature are not right. Bob starts taking things apart and gets down in the engine compartment twice. Eventually he finds the loose or broken wire that isn't making a good connection and everything is fixed. Later, we heard a really big racket - a throbbing noise. Bob has been into the engine room and thought he fixed the engine electrical stuff which runs the gauges -- what is this racket?? Is the engine coming apart?
We look around and it is a BIG amphibious vehicle with big spinning tires that is making the noise - it passes going north.

As we are going down towards Beaufort, I suddenly look up and find
that Bob is going to go the wrong way - I correct him.

Nov 14 - Bob had some trouble with the wash down pump (which is a
cheap Ruhl bilge pump that he plugs into a 12V plug in the Vberth and
puts over the side into the water and pumps water up out of the creek
or whatever body of water we are anchored in to wash off the anchor
chain and anchor), so he didn't get the anchor actually washed off.
Later, he finds that the plug had a short which caused it to blow a
fuse.

It rains and is hard to see. One burgee has the top snap broken, so I
go out and take both burgees on that side down until Bob can replace
the snap.

When we go to anchor at Mile Hammock Bay we have considerable
difficulty because we start out in 10 feet of water and as he lets out
the anchor chain, we are blown out onto the shallow part and end up in
5 feet of water. Bob resets the anchor once, and then just decides to
put out less scope. A trawler named THE TRAVELER came in late and
anchored so that he was on top of our anchor. The battery operated
light we have has gotten too dim for me to read my notes after
sundown. My computer screen is brighter but hard to read by.

Nov 15 As we went through the Wrightsville Beach bridge, I was telling
Bob to look for a marker to go into Wrightsville Beach to anchor. He
was looking on the wrong side of the channel, plus that was the marker
that DENALI ROSE had reported was gone. So we missed the turnoff,
which is almost as bad as missing the turnoff on the freeway. However,
I knew there was another way to get there and we didn't have to turn
around. We came in Shim's Creek instead of going in the Mott Channel
to the Banks Channel

Nov 16 - None of the charts (only the AAA map) mentions that there is
a ferry across the Cape Fear river. It goes from south of Sunny Point
to the Fort Fisher Historic Site across the river (a car ferry).
Unfortunately, since it isn't marked on the charts it is hard to tell
where to go to get out of the way of the ferry, and for a little
while, the ferry appears to be pursuing us to run us down.

We turn in toward the entrance channel of Bald Head and Bob has the wheel hard over to counter the current. Suddenly he throttles back and spins the wheel. In the entrance channel there is no current.

Nov 17 - wind up to 25 knots in the marina. We decide to stay another
way. Bob starts working on the SSB and gets it to work (I have said
I won't go offshore without it) and we listen to Herb's Southbound II

Nov 18 - We back out over the lump in the marina that is right behind
us - the depth alarm goes off, but we knew the lump was there because
another cruiser told me about it Wind on the nose at 20 knots, but
the waves aren't too bad. Bob saw the markers for Oak Island, and I
nearly directed him in there instead of to Southport. He complained
that the route that I had laid out on the computer didn't go that way
just in time to go the correct direction.

When we get to the Myrtle Beach area (the Rockpile) the marina tells
us that the ICW is closed south of them due to high steel work on a
new bridge. They say that the waterway won't be closed in the rain,
and it is 100% predicted rain for tomorrow. I call the construction
site on the cell phone, and they say they will not close the ICW
tomorrow, but will close Monday. They ask me to announce that on the
VHF.

Our cable is too short to reach for the free cable TV. Bob then sets
out to walk to West Marine. He tried to buy a longer TV cable, but
they only have a 20 foot one and no connector. He did buy a little
hand pump - he had one in the tool box he left at home

Nov 19- It is cold and rainy. We have transited some of the Rock
Pile, and are coming up to Barefoot Landing when *surprise* - there is
a swing bridge here that isn't on the charts and isn't mentioned in
the ICW Guide. It opens on request. I also relay to the bridge tender
what the construction guy told me about the canal being open today and
closed tomorrow.

The SC bridges monitor channel 9 and not 13. People are having trouble
remembering that. The bridge list in the charts doesn't have it
correct either.

We have picked up a covey of boats behind us. We pass the bridge that
is being constructed. Farther down we see *another* construction
barge with a crane. It appears to be deserted.

Bob asks me if he should go to one side or between the barge and something that is being built in the middle of the canal. How should I know? There is only a sign that says "Slow - Construction Area - No Wake". As we passed, it appears that there was an unattended generator pumping out a caisson on the west side. (We did go between the barge and the other thing.) As soon as we went through, everyone behind us passed us. They just wanted to let us go first through the scary bit

We wanted to get to Georgetown tonight or at least down farther on the
Waccamaw River to Thoroughfare Creek to anchor. But we just can't get
that far. It is too much of a strain looking through the fogged up
dodger. And it is going to be cold, so we go into a marina.

Nov 20 - supposed to go down to 29 deg tonight, which means we have to
go to McClellanville because that's the only place that will allow us
to get to Charleston tomorrow that we can get electricity.to run the
heaters. We are going to be in Charleston for Thanksgiving with our
son's family.

We get to McClellenville just before 5 (sunset). Bob cuts into St.
Jerome Creek a little close to the side and the water gets a little
skinny. The entrance to the creek will be too shallow for us at low
tide.-there is a wreck on the chart right at the south side channel
entrance. The guides say (correctly) that there is a sandbar extending
out from the north bank into the channel across the entrance.

The guys on the dock tell us that the owner has gone into town, but
they help us tie up at what proves to be the fuel dock. The guy comes
back and we pay in cash, and hook up to the electric. Someone comes in
for fuel and afterwards there is a pervasive gas smell in the air,
which makes Bob wonder about cooking.

This is a fixed dock, and there is a 6 foot tide. Bob carefully adjusts the lines so that we won't get hung up. He gets up a couple of times to make sure that we are OK and at low tide the dock is over his head when he is standing on the deck. It might have been better for us to raft on another boat. The other boat would be floating too and it would be like being at a floating dock.

Nov 21

I am awakened by a tremendous BANG by my head at 5:40 am. The shrimp boat behind us has clipped us on the way out. Bob pulls on pants and a coat and comes back saying that the bow wave just pushed us into the pole. I don't think so. Later I go out on the stern and look where I think the shrimp boat hit us, and find a rough place. Bob thinks they just put some paint on us, but when I looked at it again later, and there's definitely a chafed place about 3 inches long on the corner. I didn't see how they could hit us there without hurting the dinghy, but Bob said their stern swung into us.

We hear about a sailboat aground up near Isle of Palms

Bob goes to the head, and a power boat passes us, and immediately the depth sounder goes crazy. It looks like we are running aground. One second it is 6.8, then 5 feet, then 4.5, then 6.0. With two examples of sailboats aground behind us, this isn't unlikely, but I can't find the deep channel.

Eventually Bob comes back and we figure that the power boat stirred up the mud and debris so that the depth sounder couldn't read the bottom correctly

I call the Ben Sawyer bridge. They say the bridge is not able to open, and they will let us know when it is fixed. So Bob slows down. Then they say come on down and it will open. So Bob speeds up. Then she says the guy hasn't come out from under the bridge yet (her own private troll?). So Bob doesn't know what to do. The wind is against us but the current is with us, and it is hard to control the boat even in a slack current with no wind. Eventually we got within about a half mile of the bridge and it started to open, so we put the pedal down. There were two boats waiting ahead of us, so we went through in a timely manner behind them at 12:18. She blew the closing horn as we were within the bridge.

When we get the marina, the harbormaster picked a slip that would be
the easiest for us to get into (considering the wind and current) Bob
starts to mend some of the bimini curtains where the thread has dry
rotted. There is only one sail shop in this area, and they can't
handle anything this week. He also tries to rent a car, but they are
all reserved

Note - of the things that we KNEW that didn't work at the beginning,
the only one that has been fixed to this point is the SSB.

Jeff wrote:

* Rosalie B. wrote, On 8/8/2007 10:13 AM:
Its funny how impressions can be different. We were there at the same
time (we met in the Dismal Swamp) and remember Beaufort, NC as one of

Yes I remember you - I have a pictures of you and your boat.
http://p.vtourist.com/807785-Bob_tal...State_Park.jpg

My wife claims I normally look better than that picture!

Blame the photographerg

snip. Also Bob was not at all interested (i.e.
he absolutely refused to do it) in anchoring with two anchors which
was the information I had about anchoring there because of the
current. We anchored in Town Creek instead

Double anchoring (two off the bow) is so easy once you get used to it
- just set one, then drive over to the side and let out a Fortress.
Even an oversized one is light, and contrary to myth, they only need a
small amount of chain. A Delta (or other plow style) with chain plus
a large Fortress is going to let you get a good night's sleep in
almost any normal situation.

I do not know why Bob does not want to double anchor, but he doesn't,
and I haven't been interested enough to push him to the wall which
would be what would be necessary to find out WHY he doesn't want to.
It isn't one of the battles I want to fight.

We don't have a Fortress. We have only ever used one anchor and that
is the 55 lb SuperMax. We do have a Danforth on the stern, and a 45
lb CQR on the bow in addition to the SuperMax, but have never used
them. The only time that I can remember that we dragged with that
anchor was in Florida Bay where we anchored for lunch one time.

snip
And, our previous stop was Belhaven, were the marina seemed like
something out of the Addams Family.

.Which marina was that? We went to Robb's (which has gone out of
business) because it was cheap and available. We've also been to
Dowry Creek - never been to River Forest except to eat dinner once
when it was my birthday and no other restaurants were open.

River Forest, I think. It had the feel of the opening scenes of a
horror movie. Dowry Creek, a few miles away, is a delightful stop.

I have never been to River Forest which is too exposed to wind and
wakes IMHO. Some people think it is wonderful. Robbs got a lot of
bad press, but it is closed now and last time we were in Belhaven we
went to the Belhaven Waterway Marina which is new since 2000.

We almost always go to Oriental between Belhaven and the next place

Yes, I forgot, we stayed in Oriental with friends we fortuitously met
at the marina.