# Sailing across the Florida keys



## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

I am interested in bringing my sailboat from the northeast around Florida and up to the St. Petersburg area. Can I get some input as to where to go through the Keys and the shallows which is the safest. My boat is a Beneteau 49. It draws 7' of water and has a mast height of about 63'. I obviously do not know the area around the Keys so I have major safety concerns. I'm sure there are many hazards that may not appear on charts and Chartplotters. I would be planning this for late Sept./12. Any and all advise would be appreciated.


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

If your thinking the iCW your draft is going to be a problem and that time of year is not a good time to be outside. Hurricane season.
Jim


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## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

Would not attempt the intercoastal with my draft and understand the hurricane concerns. I probably have soon flexibility with delivery date. Want to make it safe and sound.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

As far as the Keys are concerned, your only viable route is the Hawk Channel on the ocean side of the Keys, no way is the ICW route down Biscayne and Florida Bays an option with your draft...

The first place I'd recommend cutting through with your draft would be the Moser Channel at Marathon... You could probably make it thru the Yacht Channel up from Channel Five west of Islamorada, but you'd be VERY close to the bottom thru there. Since there's not that much to be gained distance-wise, I wouldn't recommend it, I'd go on to Marathon, instead...

However, as long as you're that far west, you may as well consider going out to Key West, anyway - if you're inclined to spend any time there, that is...

Main problem with the Hawk Channel and your draft, is the dearth of good, protected anchorages or marinas between Miami and Marathon... The Ocean Reef Club is your best bet, but it's a private club, and I'm not sure what their policy is towards accepting transients is at the moment. Otherwise, you'll likely wind up anchoring somewhere in an open roadstead, tucking in behind Rodriguez Key is one of the few spots you can gain any protection at all, but not if the breeze is NE-E... And, you really don't want to be running the Hawk Channel much after dark, plenty of crab pots thru there, for one thing...

As for the ICW between Norfolk and Miami, don't necessarily rule it out because of your draft... Most of it will be do-able, you can certainly go inside Hatteras to Morehead City... Between Morehead and Little River, and then Georgia and some spots in FL north the St.John's River are the most likely trouble spots (don't even THINK about doing the ICW in Georgia south of Sapelo Sound), but otherwise most of the ICW can still be an option for you... Not to suggest you'll never find the bottom somewhere, but by playing or waiting for the tide, you should always be able to make it thru...

And, for the most up-to-date info on the changing conditions along the ICW and east coast, this is probably the best resource:

Cruiser's Net


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## Melrna (Apr 6, 2004)

Like others have said the ICW is not doable with your draft. You will have to be careful about Marathon Bridge because it is not the normal 66/68' height that most bridges are. You might have to wait until very low tide to get under it. I would go to Key West and around. Key West is way to much fun to miss if one hasn't been there before especially on a boat.


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## whroeder (Aug 20, 2007)

I wouldn't attempt to sail "acroostss the Florida Keys." Too much rocks, roads, cars and houses. I would keep the boat in the water.
Plus what they said


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

> I wouldn't attempt to sail "acroostss the Florida Keys." Too much rocks, roads, cars and houses.


Hey, if they can do it in a motor boat, why not with a sailboat?


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## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

I certainly appreciate any and all input to my questions, especially from those that may have first hand knowledge of the keys and what would be best for my situation. Having said that, safety is the most important thing, but would also like to get through the trip as fast as possible as its a long way from Nova Scotia and its a long time at sea for my delivery crew. I was anticipating staying outside for as much as possible to avoid the obvious shallow water hazards. First stop somewhere around the Carolina's and then maybe in the Keys. 

It's great to get this help from you all. Thx


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I would think, even with that draft, you could do most of the ICW down to Charlestown, SC. You probably could not navigate through those Georgia swamps at all and should consider heading offshore at Charleston, then you can duck back into the ICW at Fernandina Beach, FL. Keep in mind that you'll have lots and lots of bridges to contend with, but overall the depths appear to be more than adequate.

Now, if you have a crew, and the weather cooperates, the coastal passage would be very doable all the way to Key West. Like others have suggested, I would consult the Cruisers Net for the most up to date information. Additionally, I would wait until at least October 1 before making the trip.

Good Luck,

Gary


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

I've gone down the inside...and I specifically remember staying *IN* the channel and sounding 5'. Especially at Marker 74a near Islamorada. This was at Thanksgiving time-frame. Don't recall the tides, but I want to say I was seeing 5' with some tidal help.

Take that for what its worth.

My recommendation, find a suitable 3 day weather window and stay on the outside and take Hawks Channel (watch for crab pots) all the way down from Miami. None of the cuts/inlets except Gov't Cut can support your draft - even Stiltsville/Cape Florida is spotty in a couple spots, but maybe doable. When you're down in the Keys, then cross as Channel 5 and pick up the Yacht Channel to the southwest. 

Whats your air-draft. If you're drawing 7 ft, I'd imagine its pretty damn close to 65. If you're over that...well, then you're making the trip down to Key West and coming around!


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

Woah - just looked at some of the recent Active Captain reports on the Yacht Channel...lots of shoaling to 5'. Maybe stay in open water a little away from the channel!


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## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

The air draft on the Beneteau 49 was made specifically to be able to do the ICW. I believe I'm a couple feet short of 65'. Are you saying you have done channel 5 and the water is more than adequate for this route with a 7' draft and will clear the bridge? I certainly would be comfortable with some room to spare and depths in taking this route. I'm all for short cuts if they are safe. Thx


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## BreakAwayFL (Sep 20, 2010)

Can't he go under the 7 mile bridge at that height? Where are my damned charts...


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## BreakAwayFL (Sep 20, 2010)

Yep 7 mile bridge just past Pigeon Key, 65 feet. Watch your tides and stay in the middle, otherwise it's Key West for you!


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## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm thinking I can pass under both the 7 mile bridge and the Channel 5. My big question now is depths getting to them and leaving them to deep water again.


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## BreakAwayFL (Sep 20, 2010)

Grumbling as I get out my charts again....

Look at the Moser Channel, you will have no problem getting through there from deep water.

Channel Five can be a little tight and is rife with drunken power boaters, with your draft and being new to the area I would not recommend it.


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## BreakAwayFL (Sep 20, 2010)

Who am I kidding I could stare at these damned charts all day!!!


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## festivus (Mar 8, 2012)

Thanks for your insight, and your charts! Lol


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

That 63-foot mast height could be a problem at 7-Mile Bridge, especially on a windy day. Even at low tide it's a tight squeeze for you, and I really wouldn't chance it. Key West is only another 40 miles and there are no bridges over the Northwest Channel. Lots of deep water and both sides of the Northwest Channel are protected with skinny-water flats, which makes for an easy ride--even in a 20-knot wind.

If the weather gets a bit snotty, which it sometimes does around Key West, you'll find plenty of sheltered locations to drop the hook near Tank and Tree islands. Unfortunately, you draw too much water to duck into Mule Key Basin, which is a beautiful place to watch the sunset from the cockpit.

Good Luck,

Gary


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## messer999 (Aug 3, 2009)

With full fuel and water tanks and watching the tide I'd recommend cutting thu Moser Channel at Marathon. Easy access from deep water on Atlantic side. Pick the correct channel and don't follow the power boaters (they don't have charts)


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## lowtide (Mar 23, 2008)

Just went through Moser Channel last week, and on to the open Gulf. There are a couple of shoals to miss but they are well marked. Crab season is over this week so the minefield we faced will be gone. I found the charts to be very accurate, so choose your waypoints carefully and slide on through.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

" I would go to Key West and around."
Even better if you can check out the cruise ship schedule for KW and get there on a day when 5000 of your new best friends _aren't _also going to be visiting.

Hurricane season, good weathercasting, flexible schedule, and a couple of ICW guides and charts with a red highlighter to mark off where you don't want to go. Parts of that trip will have to be offshore and that time of year, you'll need to know where and when you can or can't duck in if you need to.


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## Leocat66 (Dec 11, 2010)

Have you checked, Salty Southeast Cruisers Net, for specific info on the Keys and other FL info. Very good info.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

travlineasy said:


> That 63-foot mast height could be a problem at 7-Mile Bridge, especially on a windy day. Even at low tide it's a tight squeeze for you, and I really wouldn't chance it.


I believe you're the second poster who's mentioned a concern about the clearance at Moser Channel, I don't get it...

His rig was configured for the ICW, the clearance of the 7 Mile Bridge is listed as 65'... I just came thru there about 10 days ago on a fairly high tide, and of course my recollection may be a bit faulty on this, but I'm pretty sure the clearance board was still reading a bit over 66' ...

I really don't think that Moser Channel will be a problem for him, as far as air draft goes...


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I fished there a lot and have seen some pretty impressive tides when the moon, wind and tides combine to create some very unusual tidal conditions for the keys. Most of the time, the tidal change height rarely exceeds 1.5 to 2-feet, but add some wind from the south, some rollers and opposing tide and those waves tend to stack a bit beneath the bridge. If the weather cooperates, the trip beneath the span should be a piece of cake. If the weather's nasty, I guess you could hole up in Boot Key Harbor till conditions improve.

Good Luck,

Gary


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