Small boat cruising tactics, & coastal cruising 'strategy?'

[s/v Faith]

I don't know if this topic will merit it's own thread or not, but thinking about some of the things Rose and I look for makes me wonder what others might be doing.  I am not just thinking about coastal / ICW anchorages, but will start there.

  For instance, marinas are our absolute last resort.  ;)

  We have and use the various cruising guides to find anchorages, but often (at least on the Atlantic ICW) there are long stretches that have no recommended spots.  This is where it is good to be small.  :D

  Using our snubber at the waterline, and short scope we can anchor is a pretty small patch of water.  These may not be apparent on the chart so we look for;

  1). Public boat ramps.  They usually are on a small basin, that ususally has enough extra room to snuggle in without affecting the flow of traffic.  Added bonus is the ability to dock your dink (and sometimes the boat if the ramp is not busy and you are just staying for a few minutes).  There is also a good chance you will find a place to dump your trash, restrooms, and often even water.

  2). Canals.  Many times small drainage canals empty into a river or waterway.  They are often not very deep but sometimes we are surprised.  They usually do provide just enough room to get out of the channel, even if you have to use a stern anchor.


3). High Rise Bridges.  Many times there will be a wide area near a high rise bridge.  The noise can make these less then ideal places, but sometimes they can provide just the right combination of a little water, and a wind break to get some rest behind.

  What Small boat cruising tactics have you found?


 

[Lynx]

Raise every thing up and drop the hook in less than 2 feet of water.

Search around in the shallow areas for a good spot.

Go where they cannot. that is, shallow entrances.

[Tim]

Get local knowledge on prevailing wind patterns/shifts.  I've found particularly in the NW islands and Inside passage, that small boats can tuck into some pretty small coves keeping in mind to avoid a lee shore. Often the wind blows down the straits and the smallest hook of the cove can aford protection.

Tim

[CapnK]

Re: anchoring 'off the beaten track' is a lot easier with a small boat - A lot of times areas of charts which show a depth of 1' or 2' are actually plenty of water for a boat which draws 3-4', especially depending on the bottom type. The numbers represent an absolute minimum of water, which is actually a rare occurrence, not the typical normal low water depth; that is usually a bit more water than indicated. If you have a bottom of soft mud - like you see a lot of in the Ga/SC/NC area - it doesn't hurt your boat for it to settle in a bit at low tide, either. I've waited to go into an anchorage at an hour before low tide, anchoring when my keel was raising dirt plumes in the water.  ;D

Big storm anchoring: My hurricane hole of the past few years is a place I cannot get into except at high tide, due to shallow water at the 'mouth' (which is simply a breach in an old rice field dike). Once inside, the channel is too narrow to be able to turn my boat around under sail or power, but is just wide enough to warp around on the rode at mid- to high tide, with the bow or stern (or both) brushing against the reeds and banks. It is shown on no chart, and you'd have to get up close to even see the entrance from the ICW. But finding a small place like that is much easier with 'sailFar-sized' boats, and the payoff can be quite good. I'll attach a couple images of the 'hole' - I think this was during Hurricane Charlie, and just after, on my old boat, a Com-Pac 23D. They'll give you an idea of how tight it is - you can see my proximity to the reeds on the bank during the storm in the second pic. (You can see a big bundle of line drying in the first picture, hanging off of the pushpit. I make a spiderweb for the storms...  ;) )

[CharlieJ]

Laura and I tucked into a place under a high rise in the ICW in Louisiana once. We had two anchors out and a line to shore to hold us still when the tows went by 30 feet away, just out from the bridge fendering we were hiding behind, snug and safe.

It WAS noisy until about 10, then the traffic just stopped.

[CharlieJ]

And in some spots you can feel REALLY small ;D

These two shots were taken at Intercoastal City at a place called Shell Morgan. Note the two guys on the equipment in the background, one waving at the camera.

[CapnK]

"Tehani" makes a great contrast there! :D

[AdriftAtSea]

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned is that most smaller sailboats, like most of those found here on Sailfar, can lower their masts without assistance from a crane.  That often means we can go places where larger boats would not be able to go.  Air draft restrictions are almost as important as water draft ones.

[CapnK]

There's a guy on the Ariel board who keeps his boat at a marina on the wrong side of a low bridge. He rigged up a tabernacle and crane system, because he has to lower-raise-lower-raise his mast *every time he goes sailing*.

Egads!

I bet that would get old fast, but, given the alternative...  ::)  ;) :D

[AdriftAtSea]

And I thought I had it bad, having to wait for a swing bridge every time I want to go out and play on Buzzards Bay. :)

[Captain Smollett]

It seems to me that most of the stories I read and people I meet who are cruising along a coast (in particular, the US SE coast) follow the pattern that I will call "day cruising:" they are underway for daylight hours and stop for the night.

As I consider our coastal plans for the next few months and into next year, I find myself leaning toward a different overall approach.  I envision us taking more 2-3 day "trips" to somewhere (ie, 48-72 hours underway nonstop), enjoying a visit, then 2-3 days back to where the boat is based.  This "base camp" for the boat will move up and down the coast to bring new cruising grounds within this 2-3 day window. It is having this movable base camp that partialy motivated me to learn and employ the 'portable mooring' my Bahamian Moor system provides; ie, I feel confident about leaving the boat anchored/moored for extended periods.

Anyway, I began wondering what 'strategic' approaches are favored by SailFar-ers.  There's no right or wrong, of course, no way that is better for all circumstances or styles.  I'm just curious.

For coastal explorations, have you, are you, do you plan to:

"Day Cruise" underway only during roughly daylight hours, stopping each night to anchor or at a marina?

"Overnight Cruise" going from destination to destination within a 24 hour window (whether offshore or not)?

"Short Jump Cruise" with destinations 200-300 nm apart?

"Other"?

Please post comments, experiences, likes and dislikes of the various overall gameplans.

[AdriftAtSea]

I think it really depends on what kind of crew situation you have. If you have the crew, and are comfortable with night sailing, I think your idea makes perfect sense.  For those who don't have sufficient crew for an 24-hour watch cycle, or aren't comfortable with sailing at night, the daylight-only sailing makes sense. 

However, I would highly recommend that you avoid landfalls at night, unless the harbors are well known to you personally. 

I think it also depends on what waters you're in.  Busy harbors, while usually far better charted and known than smaller ones, are also much more crowded, often with large commercial ships, and avoiding the shipping becomes a big part of your planning.  Some coastlines, like New Jersey's Atlantic coast, aren't all that conducive to short sailing, since the ports are fairly far and few between. Some areas, like the Gulf of Maine, have a lot to offer, and stopping after a relatively short sailing day might make a lot more sense.

I am curious as to what your "portable base camp" will consist of... is it just your bahamian rigged mooring, or did you have something more elaborate planned?

[Captain Smollett]

I think it really depends on what kind of crew situation you have. If you have the crew, and are comfortable with night sailing, I think your idea makes perfect sense.  For those who don't have sufficient crew for an 24-hour watch cycle, or aren't comfortable with sailing at night, the daylight-only sailing makes sense. 

However, I would highly recommend that you avoid landfalls at night, unless the harbors are well known to you personally. 

I think it also depends on what waters you're in.  Busy harbors, while usually far better charted and known than smaller ones, are also much more crowded, often with large commercial ships, and avoiding the shipping becomes a big part of your planning.  Some coastlines, like New Jersey's Atlantic coast, aren't all that conducive to short sailing, since the ports are fairly far and few between. Some areas, like the Gulf of Maine, have a lot to offer, and stopping after a relatively short sailing day might make a lot more sense.

I am curious as to what your "portable base camp" will consist of... is it just your bahamian rigged mooring, or did you have something more elaborate planned?

What have YOU done, or what are YOUR plans?  That's what I'm asking for no other reason than I'm just curious.

[AdriftAtSea]

I've done a combination of the different tactics... based on how many were aboard, what their comfort level with night sailing was, and what our destination was.  Personally, I love to sail at night, but I know many who aren't comfortable with doing that. 

On a trip around Cape Cod a few years ago, started from Salem harbor, and sailed down to Plymouth on day 1.  The next day, we went through the Cape Cod Canal... and went out to Cuttyhunk Island.  The third day, we went from Cuttyhunk to Menemsha, which is a pretty short sail, but we wanted to go to the Vineyard.  Spent most of that day acting as tourists.  Fourth day was a short hop to Nantucket--playing tourist again most of the day.  Fifth day, we did an overnight sail to get from Nantucket, around the outside of the Cape to Provincetown.  Last day was the trip from P-town back to Salem harbor. 

On a trip to Maine a couple of years ago, we did a long hop from Padanaram, around the outside of Cape Cod to Portland, Maine.  That was about 50 hours or so of sailing IIRC.  Went up to Cousins Island from Portland the next day. 

[Captain Smollett]

On a trip around Cape Cod a few years ago, started from Salem harbor, and sailed down to Plymouth on day 1.  The next day, we went through the Cape Cod Canal... and went out to Cuttyhunk Island.  The third day, we went from Cuttyhunk to Menemsha, which is a pretty short sail, but we wanted to go to the Vineyard.  Spent most of that day acting as tourists.  Fourth day was a short hop to Nantucket--playing tourist again most of the day.  Fifth day, we did an overnight sail to get from Nantucket, around the outside of the Cape to Provincetown.  Last day was the trip from P-town back to Salem harbor. 

On a trip to Maine a couple of years ago, we did a long hop from Padanaram, around the outside of Cape Cod to Portland, Maine.  That was about 50 hours or so of sailing IIRC.  Went up to Cousins Island from Portland the next day. 

Cool.  :)

Where the pics of these trips?   ;D ;D

One of these days, I'm going to head up your way and I'd love to spend some weeks cruising Maine (and NS).  I have not yet worked out the logistics of such a trip, but I've been looking at it. 

We've toyed with the idea of towing the small boat up there.

[AdriftAtSea]

Both were pre-digital for me, and I don't generally carry my good Nikon 35mm on a boat. :) They're not very happy with saltwater.

Just be aware the tides in Maine and NS can be very nasty...especially if you forget to account for them.  Tidal currents north of Boston get pretty wicked. :)

If you want some recommendations for good places to visit or anchor out, let me know. :)

[CharlieJ]

WELLLLLLLLLL- that kinda depends.

Laura and I have no qualms about doing overnights or longer. Usually we've been inshore, and stopped to anchor at night. Running the ICW, it gets really hairy in some spots after dark. THEN we only make day trips. 

However, on our last trip over to Florida, we did a 30 hour offshore sail the first day and a half on the way over.   We had planned for 4 to 5 days offshore, but the winds were on our nose, building to uncomfortable strengths and we had 500 miles to make, as it turned out, dead upwind into 20 to 25 knots. So we came back inside. A 18 foot waterline is NOT conducive to 5 days of beating into 20- 25 knots ;D

Then on our return we did 2 1/2 days offshore and would have gone longer but logistics showed us it would be best to come in when we did. From where we were located the morning of the third day, our arrival at our home jetties would have been at 2300 and on a full outgoing tide. NOT conducive to entering those particular jetties- they call the end "the washing machine" on an out running tide. So we could have just hove to and waited til daylight, sailed on to the NEXT inlet or come in where we were. We at the time happened to be some 25 miles offshore, so we opted to come in an inlet early to enter in daylight.

Given decent weather and winds, neither of us would have any qualms about doing 4 or 5 days on the outside to get to a destination. Of course, leaving the Texas coast east bound puts you pretty much dead to weather for at least 4 to 5 days, unless you want to sail to Mexico first then lay her over for Florida, so it seems more sensible for us to stay inside until we get past New Orleans, THEN sail as we want from there on, which could also include a straight jump to some where in Florida, such as the Dry Tortugas.

[Frank]

Many variables to planning.Distance,number of crew,type of landfall etc. I always plan on a daytime landfall unless I am in familiar waters with 'local knowledge' (yes,I've got caught....but it wasn't planned).If that means leaving a 6pm the evening before..so be it. If travelling on the E coast, I'll take 'outside' to the intercoastal unless weather prohibits.Wind and waves are safer than bridges,traffic and sportfishermen....all are stressful.My longest offshore was 3 days but I had a buddy along for crew. We did 2 hrs on-2 off thru out the nights.I now enjoy night sailing but found it un-nerving at 1st between ships, weird lights, and my mind dreaming up partially sunken containers and sea monsters.Kind of like being out in the bush after dark till ya get used to it. (admit it...you know what I mean :o)

[Lynx]

Whatever makes you happy  ;D

[sharkbait]

Well,I head out optimistic and full of enthusiasm.
When the beer is about half gone my attitude shifts to pessimism.
By the last six-pack a clear sense of doom envelopes the craft and crew.
It is at that time that I begin to peruse my charts looking for the nearest liquor store.