From the Northeast to FL - ICW - Good 'Instruction Tour' for a Newbie?

"What do you think about the idea of riding her down the ICW to Florida?"

It's a great idea.

"Does it make for a good instruction trip to start learning?"

Yes, very good.

"Is it a 'scenic' trip my wife and I would enjoy?"

I don't know your wife, but I would certainly think so. Lots of cool places to stop and see.


"Any particular time of the year you would prefer or avoid? (I guess wintertime is a 'no go' unless you like the cold ... and probably 'hurricane season' is an issue as well.)"

Correct on both counts. But it can be done safely in hurricane season. As long as you keep a close eye on the weather as you move South. But fall and spring are perhaps the best times.

Places to look for more info on such a trip on the Internet are https://******************/X.php and http://cruisersnet.net/

And here of course.

I do the round trip from Miami to Nantucket every year with the 70 that inrun plus the occasional delivery

It is a nice trip personally i like the scenery and there are many nice towns and spots along the way. On a delivery schedule (80 to 100nm a day at hull speed for economy) i takes me 3 weeks from Miami to Nantucket

So if you want to enjoy some of the sights figure 4 weeks from the NE, 2 1/2 weeks from the cheasapeake

It's a nice way to learn the boat and get experience as you'll dock and anchor quite a bit.

As bill posted, salty cruisers and active captain are yr best online resource. Also check out what posted a few days ago, it's my notes about the shallow stretches, not an issue if you pay attention and time them right

I posted the name of the site...

From NJ to So Fl, you can do it in under 2 weeks but if you want to enjoy the sights, figure 3 weeks

If you want to play tourist Plan a full day in Annapolis, Beaufort-cape look out, savannah, charleston. And like half days in beaufort SC, st Augustine, southport

St. Micheal's Maryland, Baltimore MD, Hilton Head, SC, are also nice stops.

My favorite area and most scenic of the ICW is from Fernandina Beach, FL to Hilton Head SC. BUT, I think that it is a great idea and would be very nice..........If you spend a full day in each of the spots mentioned by Pascal and I, and given that you can run at cruise a lot in a 40-45' I think you could accomplish all of that in 3 weeks. IMO, it's well worth it.

St michaels is indeed nice, Hilton head isn't my cup of tea..

Forgot Cumberland! Very nice full day stop...

Active Captain (dot) com

As others have said, I'd look at 3 - 4 weeks to really enjoy it. And if you can't do it all in one chunk of time, remember you can always leave the boat somewhere and return to it to finish the trip.

Unless you have tons of free time on your hands, I wouldn't recommend taking the inside route in a sportfish boat for several reasons.

1. You will spend a lot of time running at inefficient hull speeds due to traffic and shoreline proximity.
2. You will wear out a set of throttles/controls speeding up and slowing down to pass all the slower boats (everyone else on the ICW).
3. You will get called bad names by a lot of bridge tenders for requesting unnecessary openings instead of dropping all your riggers and antennas (like that is easy!). Oddly they don't say a word to all those boats with big sticks on them that have never seen canvas???

From what you said on the other thread, you intend to do some distance running in open ocean once you get home. I would suggest doing it the outside in legs like virtually all other sportfish boats do. You will gain a lot more knowledge of fuel consumption and sea handling and can still drop in at all those cool places Pascal mentioned to visit every time you pull in to fuel.

While it IS a beautiful trip and I have done it many, many times, you normally only see trawler yachts and sailboats making the journey, very, very few sportfish. I just did it on a trawler yacht a couple of months ago and it was a pleasure but I've only done it once on a sportfish and I vowed NEVER to do it again! Ok guys, I've just put on my flak jacket, let her rip!

Assuming a seaworthy vessel and decent weather inside versus outside is money versus time issue (with a dose of crusing range in the mix too)

You will probably find that idle speed is slightly too fast for parts of the AICW but you will be very fuel efficient at those speeds.

I would not worry about wearing out shifters and throttles - they are designed for this type of duty.

As for outriggers, it is illegal to request bridge openings if there are removeable parts (antennas, outriggers, etc.) that would allow you through without an opening. Masts, radar arrays, sat tv are not easily removeable so they are in a different category.

To each his own. But you won't learn as much about boat handling just running 10 -12 hours a day on the outside as you would running inside.

You can lay your riggers down aft as apposed to out if you know you will be running on the inside daily.

And I can't say I've been call names by the bridge tenders as long as I made an effort to lower what I could.

"1. You will spend a lot of time running at inefficient hull speeds due to traffic and shoreline proximity."

can you explain this one? hull speed is usually the MOST efficient speed typically resulting in under half the fuel usage over a set distance.

There are not that many bridges on the ICW until you hit jupiter. Most of the bridges north of Jupiter are too low for flybridge boats so you usually need to request an opening.

"2. You will wear out a set of throttles/controls speeding up and slowing down to pass all the slower boats (everyone else on the ICW)."

that must be the reason why so many sportfish jocks dont' slow down when passing LOL... and... when fishing, engines controls dont' get a work out?

I knew that post was going to stir things up a bit and it did!

Certainly the most economical speed will be near idle on most boats but it's not the best speed to run high performance diesels at all day. A planing sportfish hull usually has a "sweet spot" just above planing speed where you get good economy AND can cover some ground but it's way too fast for the ICW. I also think running in the open ocean and through different inlets each morning and afternoon is much more real life experience for the OP than put-putting down a ditch all day. Sure you will spend a lot of time watching the autopilot but you can also slow down and fish a little on the way when you come across some promising water too.

I've yet to see a set of riggers that can be dropped and secured without disconnecting the lay out arms, even with collapsing back bars you can't just lower them and you would need another set of holding arms to properly secure them. Big stick antennas need additional holders as well and sadly, most boats aren't rigged to do it. I sure wouldn't want the riggers and antennas just lashed to the cabin sides with line!

IMHO there is an unwritten speed limit in the tight spots along the ICW which may as well be made official. Most sportfishers at idle with both engines in gear are faster than the average sailboat on it's auxillary and you end up crabbing along on one engine hoping they notice you and slow down to allow you to give them a slow bell pass but many will stare directly ahead and ignore you coming up astern before begrudgingly answering your hails. Maybe it's just me but I have always got the impression you were somehow in the wrong for passing them and interrupting their solitude, or maybe it's because they were just rocked by some sportfish with NY or NJ on the stern .

First, you could have the boat shipped from up north in Newport.
That said, I consider a run down the coast to be a college education in boating. You'll learn about your boat, weather and how to be courteous on the water. You'll also learn to read your charts and the water. I generally vote for as much outside running as possible, but with a 40-45 you'll spend a fair amount of time on the inside if you want to stay comfortable. The scenery and wildlife along the trip is awesome, as are the people you meet, especially if you need help. Once you get south of Norfolk you'll develope your slow pass skills and know immediately when you blew it as "Thanks for the wake skipper" crackles over your radio. Hopefully, by the time you hit the Florida border that will change to " Thanks for the nice pass skipper". I've done Long Island to Miami in as little as 5 days, but that is pushing it. Plan on 10 days-2 weeks, 3 if you want to be a tourist (it's worth it, especially if you've never visited much of the U.S. east coast). Don't worry about the outriggers. With a SF you won't be clearing many of the low bridges anyway, and most of the low bridges along the route have been changed over to 65'. You'll be needing an opening at most of the others anyway. Forget the worry about hurricane season. Forecasts let you know days, if not weeks, in advance of their approach. Most boats move north in early spring and south in mid to late fall due to insurance restrictions, but those are the stormiest times. Summer brings the calmest seas, generally best weather and bikinis . However it also brings the heat, especially once you get to Florida (Florida is a loooong state unless you can get outside). Late spring brings flies to the Carolinas, and especially Georgia. It's a good idea to skip outside for most of that section at that time. Besides cutting off a lot of miles, those flies are big and hungry. Enjoy your adventure.
My favorite times to make the run are May/June or September. Unfortunatlely that's not when most boats make the move because of insurance restrictions and because most docking contracts keep the northern boats from April 15th through October 15th. If you're boat is only going to Florida to pick up a transport out of the area, insurance shouldn't be a problem. They're worried about the boats that will be sitting in Florida through the whole hurricane season.

"I've yet to see a set of riggers that can be dropped and secured without disconnecting the lay out arms, even with collapsing back bars you can't just lower them and you would need another set of holding arms to properly secure them. Big stick antennas need additional holders as well and sadly, most boats aren't rigged to do it. I sure wouldn't want the riggers and antennas just lashed to the cabin sides with line!"

Yes you have to disconnect the arms. But other than that it's not a big deal to secure them.

But if the boat has a full tower there is rarely a need to bother to drop them back anyway.

If you ever get a bridgekeeper who tries to give you a hard time about unnecessary openings, just nicely explain that you don't have a qualified hand on board to take them down. Besides there are enough boats floating around with bent outriggers from trading height for width at the bridges.

It is to easy to run aground and cause a lot of damage to your boat running so many miles inside. The ICW is not a well maintained system like you might think.
Plus there is a lot of corruption along the way. If you get pulled over by the local law enforcement, they will find something wrong and ticket you to take your money. If you brake down and need help.. well there's another story of possible issues.
Parts are nice and parts are not nice. You should travel back and see the nice parts, like the Chesapeake bay area with nice deep water and great cities to see.

Lots of corruption along the way? Never heard any search story and certainly never experienced it.

I find it well maintained and except for a few problem spots that are well documented.

Offshore your chances of hitting something are probably about the same, from containers to logs or other shaft rippers...

Although getting out the inlet and setting the AP is indeed a lot easier!

Of course running aground can happen in the ICW. But I'd hardly call it easy. In fact with all the online resources like Active Captain, people like Pascals notes, real time tide tables on plotters, etc., I'd say it's easier to NOT run aground in the ICW than it's ever been.

"Lots of corruption" along the ICW by the local marine police, towing and repair services!?

I'd love to see hard proof of that?

As to what parts are nice and what parts aren't, a matter of taste. It's really something no one will know till they do it at least once themselves.

I just speak of what experiences I have experienced in the 20 past years I have been apart of this yachting industry. The corruption is there and I will not try and convince you other wise.
I just finished a 70 thousand dollar repair job of a 45 meter vessel that ran aground in the Miami ICW in well marked waters with all the latest greatest map chart software depth sounders and everything else installed on board. Groundings happen A LOT!