# ICW guide recommendations



## glymroff (Apr 2, 2009)

I'm planning a trip from Mallets Bay, Lake Champlain, Vermont to Florida in late Oct.

A list of guides to accomplish this would be very helpful. Or link to an existing thread that speaks to this.

Thanks in advance


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

It depends on what route you're taking. You can go either north to the St. Lawrence or south to the Hudson river. One of the members on here has done the south to the Hudson route and posted about it. You do need to unstep the mast and re-step it for the canals IIRC. 

The next decision is whether you're going down the outside to Norfolk, VA, or up the Delaware to the C&D canal and then down to Norfolk. 

Then you have to decide whether you're going the Virginia Cut route or the Dismal Swamp route from Norfolk to the Carolinas...and so on... 

It would help if you said what boat you were doing this in, since deeper draft boats and larger boats with higher air drafts will have some limitations on where they can go.

As for guides, the MapTech Embassy Guides are excellent as are their chartkits. You'll also want to get the Skipper Bob's guides to the ICW, which really starts at Norfolk, VA.


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

The 'primary' guide for the AICW is "Skipper Bob" Skipper Bob

The Waterway Guide (Waterway Cruising Guide | Home) is OK(?) but (IMHO) is targeted mostly for frenetic 'stinkpotters' who absolutely NEED to be safely "tucked into' in a marina every night.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Leaving late October eh! Gonna be cold!

How far? ballpark distance say 1500 mils to Jacksonville 30 x 50 mile days! Gonne be tough! 

Doable but not a pleasure cruise at that time of year unless you get very lucky with the weather.


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## glymroff (Apr 2, 2009)

SD,

Pearson Triton (draft 4'6") w/ inboard diesel (8hp yanmar) that pushes pretty well. Sails are original for the most part and the working jib is definitely blown. Hopefully replacing that one in MD. Main and 170 are serviceable.

Hudson route. Mandatory stops at Mid-Hudson (Marlboro) area, St Michaels, MD and Charleston, SC for family visits.

Link to other thread?

TQA,

Being from Vermont the cold doesn't bother me much till -10F.  

I also figured it would take 6 weeks including visits, and maintenance along the way. If I get 'down south' by first part of December I'll be happy.

RichH,

Thanks for the book ref.


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## CrazyRu (May 10, 2007)

*Champlain to Fla*

Check canal navigations here. You will be restricted by open hours.
New York State Canals: Excursions and Vacations: Boating on the Canal
6 weeks is optimistic plan, doable, but optimistic.
Best waterway cruising guide, from VA to Florida, is "Managing the waterway"
IMHO
Amazon.com: Managing the Waterway, Hampton Roads, Va to Biscayne Bay, FL: An&#133;

I did waterway with this guide and non-maping GPS and 20 y.o. charts.
You need to figure out where to step a mast on Hudson.

From NYC to Atlantic City NJ no waterway, so it is ocean sailing. There is an option to jump inside at Barnegatt Bay, can be dangerous, if weather is not right.
From Atlantic city to Cape May, NJ, inside route is manageable on a boat of your size, however, it is one day sailing outside.
You can save about five days if you stay outside along DeMarVa Atlantic coast instead of taking Chesapeake bay route. However there is only one all weather inlet at Ocean city, MD, so choosing right weather is important.

I'm from Siberia, and I was cold, and very cold, and very-very cold when I was going north in October and November, however I was sailing against prevailing Northerly winds, you will have more downwind sailing, much easier.
Good luck.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Use Skipper Bob's guide to plan for bridges - with a GPS and a calculator you can figure out when to speed up or slow down a bit to avoid circling. 

After dinner each night, put together snacks and lunch for the next day. Get up just before dawn and have coffee (if so inclined) and breakfast. Anchor up at good light and get moving. It isn't so hard to make 70 miles / day instead of the classic cruiser 50, even single-handed. If you don't have fuel tankage to go three days between fuel stops carry jugs -- fuel stops are killers to making miles.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I'd second what SVA said. 

Also, a good place to stop as a jumping off point for the northernmost part of the ICW (norfolk headed south) is the Atlantic Yacht Basin. It is just north of the Great Bridge Locks and Bridge, and I would recommend doing this section of the ICW on a weekend or holiday, since the bridge opening restrictions are generally not in force then.

I'd point out that in LATE OCTOBER, it is very unlikely that you're going to be able to make 70 mile days regardless of what SVA said, because the days are too short to run more than 11 hours or so. Your boat has a cruising speed of 4-5 knots, based on a hull speed of 6 knots, and 11 hours @ 5 knots is a maximum of 55 NM. He's got a 40' boat or so...and goes a lot faster than you can.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> I'd point out that in LATE OCTOBER, it is very unlikely that you're going to be able to make 70 mile days regardless of what SVA said, because the days are too short to run more than 11 hours or so. Your boat has a cruising speed of 4-5 knots, based on a hull speed of 6 knots, and 11 hours @ 5 knots is a maximum of 55 NM. He's got a 40' boat or so...and goes a lot faster than you can.


Point taken. I made 70 mile days plus or minus a couple in January with quite short days, but ran between 6 and 7 kts.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Hmm Pearson Triton 20 foot LWL 8hp single pot Yanmar.

I suspect that averaging 40 miles a day for the canal / waterway stretches will be good going at that time of year with that boat.


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

The guides are helpful but often not accurate due to lag time from print to actual . 
A reliable efficient onboard heater is strongly recommended as is a cockpit encloser, unless your just trying to rough it ! 
The weather can really get nasty in Nov. in the Chesapeake. And the days are definately shorter.
If you choose the Hudsn route you should consider stepping the mast at Castleton-on-the-Hudson Bot club ($50) it's do-it-yourself (easy) they have an electricaly operated crane (easy to use,did my 46' mast alone,no problem). there is laundry,food, and other things you'll want in castleton as well.
I would highly recommend the dsmal swamp route, great provisioning opportunities in Norh lock , and free dockage along the way each night, a welcomed break from the tidal salt waters. The Virginia cut route is not as leasurly and fewe free docking for overnight. Coinjock is ALL pay-pay-pay as they have a captive audience.
After that I would recommend skipping the aligator river and go around Roanoke Island to Manteo , very boater friendly . then you can go behind the outer banks to Ocracoke then outside or to Orental and further south.
We like ths route, a bit off the baten path and nice anchorages and places not as eager to relieve you of your wallet.
But the most helpful is/are the other sailors you meet and pass along the way. 
Enjoy,take your time and don't hesitate to wait an extra day or two for better conditions.


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