Sailing on Biscayne Bay is not easy. First off it starts with a dock launch then a couple few hundred meters of rowing out of an calm intracoastal channel. Once on the bay there are tons of shallow areas/sand bars that easily cause the rudders to kick up all the time (the whole bay is very shallow other than where the channel has been dredged). In addition there are many small islands, tons of other boaters all the time and fully developed shoreline everywhere other than the small islands, which on any good days have lots of beached motor-boaters. The only ocean access for good open sailing where there's actually room to breath besides sailing 9-10 miles down to key Biscayne where the bay mouths into the ocean, is the haulover/bal harbour cut high level bridge. But this also basically the only real tide inlet/outlet other than the south area, so the current is quite strong. Additionally as with passing through any of the other high level or open drawbridge (which are hard to catch right btw), there are inconsistencies in the wind. Any tricks other than luffing the sails and having a little electric motor mounted to get through this outlet to the ocean? Really I am more or less planning on having to get a motor/small marine battery (fairly cheap and not the problem) as well as a proper mount (expensive and I don't fully understand how it works well) but I was wonder what else could be done while remaining a true sailor. BTW I tried going through the channel once against the wind but with a strong out current. It worked but we were bumping along the side of the bridge pilings because the current pushed us sideways hard (plastic covered but also lots of barnacles) and it didn't seem like something I'd want to do every time. We had to use our paddles because the current seemed to push us as harder laterally that outwards.
Thanks
Sailing through causeways/channels/tide outlets with high current and or wind dead zones
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- Rank: Lubber
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 10:36 AM
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 11:17 AM
I'm not familiar with your are but in general when sailing on the Atlantic it pays to plan to have the tide on your side. That way the current is helping you and your not fighting it all the time. -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 11:29 AM
catsailor, sounds like you definitely need a small outboard motor, there is a cheata motor mount for sale in the classifieds, it's in VT which is not too far from you, If I were you I would grab it asap. That mount will put the motor behind your tiller crossbar, out of the way, all you need then, is a small motor with the built-in fuel tank and you're good to go, mount pivots up and locks the motor out of the water.
http://www.cheatabrackets.com/
http://www.thebeachcats.c…-cheata-motor-mount.html -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 11:41 AM
PS - you don't say what cat you sail, you might have to get a mount specific for your catamaran as the rear beams differ slightly in shape and thickness. -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 12:44 PM
Have an old 16 I picked up cheap, probably will re sell it cheap or disassemble it for parts and junk the hulls. They are delaminating. I just bought a 2000 17 sport yesterday. Supposed to put it in the water today. Was gonna get an SX 18 (what I really wanted and was also half the price) but it got sold too quick. -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 12:51 PM
Actually took the 16 out last sunday when we had a 25-30 mph wind with gust a little over 30 and capsized it (not roughly, it didn't slam down as it wasn't a pure wind capsize, it was an almost backwards pitchpole after sheeting out before jibing that turned into a pitchpole because the waves were deep in that area. Long story short somehow it broke the masthead off with the pulleys and bubble. Rivets broke, 1/6 was missing in first place. Amazingly, mast was positively buoyant and it did not turtle. Flipped it up and sailed home with masthead hanging down by tramp and sail about a foot down, boom laying on the tramp almost.
A good day at sea.
Edited by biscaynecatsailor on Mar 30, 2013 - 01:54 PM. -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 01:46 PM
if by "bubble" you refer to Hobie Bob......
.....by all means, refrain from re-installing. As you already realize, the mast alone has enough positive buoyancy to keep the cat from turning over. Re-install mast head sans Bob, make sure mast is well sealed by floating in water and checking for bubbles, seal all rivets, mast base, mast tang, mast head and sail it like you stole it -
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Posted: Mar 30, 2013 - 05:12 PM
Yeah that was the plan. I notice the 17 sport mast tapers a lot at the top. Hope it is well buoyant and I can't see a bob connecting to it. -
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Posted: Mar 31, 2013 - 06:03 AM
you should take the mast off the boat and throw it in a pool or at the beach and look for air bubbles escaping. Try to seal your mast with marine grade silicone. That will help prevent your mast from filling wit water and sinking after a capsize
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