Coastal Cruising

[CaptMac]

I am just wondering how important screens are when coastal cruising in the southeast, are there certain times you need to be below, and is there a distance you need to be from the shore line?
I would rather not learn the hard way

Thanks

[Captain Smollett]

I am just wondering how important screens are when coastal cruising in the southeast, are there certain times you need to be below, and is there a distance you need to be from the shore line?
I would rather not learn the hard way

Thanks

Do you mean hatch screens?  They are pretty important.  It's quite handy to have open hatches on hot days while having some way to keep the bugs out.

As for distance offshore - think 'sea room.'  Obviously, you need to be far enough out to avoid shoals, but you also want to avoid lee shores and being pushed too far in on a rising tide or swell or in a squall.

There is no hard and fast rule on how far out is safe since it varies from area to area.  I think 5-10 miles out is pretty good for a coastal run in many places in the SE, especially if you pay particular attention to the Capes (and their shoals that extend pretty far out) - Cape Romain, Cape Fear, etc.

One trick also is to stay inside the 100 Fathom line since that's the line the BIG ships run along when going from from one port city to another...it's kinda like a shipping lane.  By staying inside, you avoid much of the ship traffic except right at the major ports.  I think 100 fathoms runs 10-20 miles offshore, at least along SC and NC.

Does any of this help?

[newt]

I think where I am on the chart determines how far out I sail... (now is that an obvious answer or what?) But before you pass me off as stupid let me tell you what I mean. I have been shoaled 10 miles off shore in a sandbar that the GPS promised wasn't there. And I sailed within 20 feet of shore in the same general area- When the GPS promised I was on Land. The key was to watch and listen to the ocean. I looked at the chart as what the ocean had told earlier sailors and then understood that she is constantly changing.
Rather than get a rule of thumb, I would propose some parallel rulers...and some good sunglasses.
As for going below- as the capt said it is kinda hard to get in trouble when you are 10 miles off and nothing for as far as you can see... But I am a living testamonial that it can be done. ;D So I keep an eye out a porthole whenever I am down below.
He who does not pay attention can run into anything!

[Lynx]

no-see-um neting on everything put in with velcro. Bug tight. Nothing else will keep them out. Really bad in Fl at sunset and sunrise.

You need them year round in Fl. Also you will  want to put bug spray on them to keep them from matting up and getting through.

[dnice]

I think he was asking how far from shore to anchor out... (right?)
I dunno the answer to that one, I would guess that if you are concerned about bugs, the windier the better, and the farther the better.

down south the Roaches fly and the flies bite.

No-See-ums are bad, I have heard that 'veil' (as in wedding) material is a good, cheap method, and will let in at least a little more air than a closed hatch will.

keeping the mosquitos out at night is one thing.. the other thing to consider is how to keep bugs out of the boat in general, like I said, roaches fly, and if you find yourself swatting flies or gnats while onshore, chances are, you have the eggs on your clothes when you get back to the boat.
not sure what to do about that, just something to think about.

Bug spray. Maybe look into the 'camp spray', made for spraying around a campsite. in my experience, DEET sprays do nothing for gnats except kill them after they have bitten you... I would love to find a solution for that :)

If you find yourself surrounded by gnats, just move. thats all I can say. maybe get a trained pet Bat to live on your spreaders :)

[CaptMac]

Hey,
Thanks for the replies, yes I was thinking about anchoring out distance (although the fist two replies were very interesting), when I lived on my sailboat in the Keys back in the 80's I found that if I anchored out about 500 yards form the closest island I did not have a problem with no-see-ums and did not have to be fanatical about screens.

When I finish my refit I hope to explore the North Carolina coast and did not know the bug situation here. There is probably also seasons here for different bugs?

With the boat in the back yard I have found all sort of little bug's trying to move in :-\

[Lynx]

To keep the bug out when not in the boat you need to keep the screens on at all times.  Even underway on the ICW.

When anchored in the swamps in NC the bugs was bad in themps above 70.

I do advise a GREAT bug protection plan as you will not want to anchor out that far some of the time.

[s/v Copacetic]

Being a northerner I haven't tried this, but I read that baking soda, sprinkled in appropriate areas on the boat, will kill roaches. They eat it and it kills them.

Has anyone here done this?

[CharlieJ]

Being a southerner, we use something that really works- both in the house and if needed on the boat.

Laura mixes equal parts sugar, corn meal and Boric acid ( powdered of course), puts the mixture in small lids and sets those lids into darker places here and there- under cabinets, in under the tub, etc. The sugar draws them in , they eat the Boric acid, which drys up the insides, then they die.

Works quite well.

Never heard of using baking soda though

[Shipscarver]

Boric Acid does the trick.  :D
I am beginning to think only those of us with a southern farm background have ever heard of it.  When I moved to Chicago, I naturally treated all the rugs and cabnet bottoms with boric acid and never had the infestations others faced. I never realized others simply didn't know how to treat for the bugs. BTW -- we always used it in the barn and it never affected the cats, etc.
I keep a bottle of Boric Acid power on the boat always. You can order it cheaply via Internet, or expensively at the drug store.