"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...

Can anybody provide any useful info on inlets south of Saint Lucie for
a 28' sailboat with 13 hp engine? What about Jupiter inlet? What
about Hillsboro inlet? If Hillsboro inlet is ok, it would be good to
use it to get to West End because it lies enough south of West End to
be able to use a SE wind AND the Gulf Stream current to good effect.
Sailing direct from Lake Worth Inlet which is what most people do
would involve fighting the Gulf Stream.



Jupiter Inlet can be tricky. It is unmarked and considered
"non-navigatable" according to the Coast Guard.

That said, many people use it daily and I've been through it several times
on a 52 footer. The approach shoals and changes depending on the season and
recent storms, so it is recommended to get current, local knowledge of where
the deep water is. I used to call SeaTow on the radio to get current local
knowledge. They were always very helpful and responsive.

If the seas are rough, I'd avoid it altogether. The area surrounding it is
shallow and the incoming tide builds into enormous waves sometimes. In
general, it's usually best to come down slightly south of the inlet before
turning in towards it. The first time I approached it I came in too far
north and was running in 5-6 feet of water for about 15 minutes.
Fortunately it was high tide, otherwise I would have been aground.

Several years ago a 60 foot Sportsfish piloted by an experienced captain
broached and flipped trying to exit the ICW to the ocean via Jupiter Inlet.
He decided the seas were too rough, tried to come about and the gigantic
waves produced by the shoals flipped the boat.

Eisboch