Trevor Miller wrote:
Thanks for the reply...could I get a better definition of "rough"?

-trevor

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Trevor Miller wrote:
I just got a 2004 Searay Sundeck 200 and have been breaking it in on
local
lakes. Been planning a trip to the beach for August and am planning on
bringing it along. (Lewis, Delaware) I've gotten a radio on board and
am
planning (and learning) the required charts.

21' / 8'4" / 3500 dry weight / 220hp inboard

http://www.searay.com/Brochure_Photos/34819_splash.jpg

I'd like to be able to cruise down to Ocean City MD (30 miles)...what do
folks think about making this trip in my boat?

-trevor




Start checking the ocean weather reports in that area, call a few
marinss, and plan your trip carefully. Stay in sight of land, a mile or
two offshore, leave early in the morning, and don't go out if it is
rough or predicted to be rough. The boat certainly is big enough to go
out in the ocean if you are cautious.



Well...

It's kind of relative, and there are many conditions that produce what I
would call rough water. I don't mind ocean swells much, but if there are
breakers on top of them, I'm concerned. Two to three foot waves with
peaks close together...that's pretty rough water for most boaters, but
two to three foot tall waves out on the ocean, with the peaks widely
spaced...most ocean boaters wouldn't blink an eye over such conditions.

If there is spray in the air, you don't want to be out on the ocean in a
20' boat. And sometimes near shore and especially in and on the edges of
inlets, you get seas moving in several directions, propelled by tides,
current and wind.

Make sure you have a good chart aboard so if you have to duck in
somewhere, you can find some shelter. Do you have a GPS?

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 19:11:12 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Trevor Miller wrote:
I just got a 2004 Searay Sundeck 200 and have been breaking it in on
local
lakes. Been planning a trip to the beach for August and am planning on
bringing it along. (Lewis, Delaware) I've gotten a radio on board and
am
planning (and learning) the required charts.

21' / 8'4" / 3500 dry weight / 220hp inboard

http://www.searay.com/Brochure_Photos/34819_splash.jpg

I'd like to be able to cruise down to Ocean City MD (30 miles)...what do
folks think about making this trip in my boat?
[..]
Make sure you have a good chart aboard so if you have to duck in
somewhere, you can find some shelter. Do you have a GPS?

One little problem... I've sailed down that portion of the coast once a
few years ago and I don't remember there being anywhere to duck in for
the 30 miles between Lewis and OC. I don't have a chart handy so I
could be wrong though.

Pick your weather and you should be fine. But if things kick up on the
way you're gonna have to think hard about which way to run for shelter.
Going back up to Lewis could get rough depending on the wind and current
direction since you're going into the mouth of the Delaware Bay and I've
seen conditions there that would flip your boat no problem. Random
steep closely spaced 6-8' chop is no fun. Or it may be the better
choice depending on where you are and the conditions.

I've never gone into OC, MD so maybe someone else who has can tell you
how the entrance is and whether it's better to head that way no matter
where you are if the weather kicks up.

Again, just pick your weather and you'll be fine. Lucky for you, the
trip shouldn't take very long.

Steve

Thanks much...yes - 6 to 8 close doesn't sound like fun.

How hard is it to get past the breakers on the way out and then back in?

-trevor

"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 19:11:12 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Trevor Miller wrote:
I just got a 2004 Searay Sundeck 200 and have been breaking it in on
local
lakes. Been planning a trip to the beach for August and am planning
on
bringing it along. (Lewis, Delaware) I've gotten a radio on board
and
am
planning (and learning) the required charts.

21' / 8'4" / 3500 dry weight / 220hp inboard

http://www.searay.com/Brochure_Photos/34819_splash.jpg

I'd like to be able to cruise down to Ocean City MD (30 miles)...what
do
folks think about making this trip in my boat?
[..]
Make sure you have a good chart aboard so if you have to duck in
somewhere, you can find some shelter. Do you have a GPS?

One little problem... I've sailed down that portion of the coast once a
few years ago and I don't remember there being anywhere to duck in for
the 30 miles between Lewis and OC. I don't have a chart handy so I
could be wrong though.

Pick your weather and you should be fine. But if things kick up on the
way you're gonna have to think hard about which way to run for shelter.
Going back up to Lewis could get rough depending on the wind and current
direction since you're going into the mouth of the Delaware Bay and I've
seen conditions there that would flip your boat no problem. Random
steep closely spaced 6-8' chop is no fun. Or it may be the better
choice depending on where you are and the conditions.

I've never gone into OC, MD so maybe someone else who has can tell you
how the entrance is and whether it's better to head that way no matter
where you are if the weather kicks up.

Again, just pick your weather and you'll be fine. Lucky for you, the
trip shouldn't take very long.

Steve

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 14:47:45 -0400, "Trevor Miller"
wrote:

Thanks much...yes - 6 to 8 close doesn't sound like fun.

How hard is it to get past the breakers on the way out and then back in?

I never went that way. Every time I've gone from the bay to the ocean
I've gone through the Cape May canal, which goes from the Cape May Ferry
terminal to Cape May harbor, and then out to the ocean from the harbor.
While overnighting in the harbor on a windy evening I talked to someone
on a 40+ foot sailboat who wanted to go the other way, i.e., up the bay
to the C&D canal. But they couldn't go through the Cape May canal and
had to go out and around into the mouth of the bay. They had already
been waiting for 3 days for the weather to clear up enough for them to
do that. I had just come from the bay via the canal and it was pretty
exciting. I might have tried going out and around with my boat if I was
on a schedule. They were not. They had young kids and were living
aboard the boat and homeschooling the kids, traveling around the world.

Steve