Just wanted to let folks know that Miss Kitty made the trip from Deltaville VA. down the ICW and parts of the Atlantic Coast, across Florida and back up the west side in one piece for the most part. We didnt make our final destination as of yet as we had to lay-up for prop repairs after hitting a submerged object just north of crystal river FL . The Big Bend area of Florida has lots of skinny water and just scares the #@&! out of me!
What should be the proper prop size and pitch for a F-36 with Twin 454`s ? I`m having my damaged props fixed but looking to buy two spares.
Also need any local info. on the Big Bend FL. area. When we get back to the boat we will probably head for Stienahachee and then try to make the run across the Gulf to Carrabelle or Apalachicola FL. Any advise?
Thanks, Rick, 1979 F-36 Miss Kitty
What a long strange trip it`s been...
Moderators: BeaconMarineBob, Moderator, BeaconMarineDon
Don't know about your props but I am very interested in your trip. When did you leave and how many miles have you traveled? Care to share your fuel consumption and costs? Any other problems or advice for a long trip such as that? Our longest trip so far has been about 700 miles. I have an F-36 but it is a Tri-cabin with 255 Mercs.
We are planning a similar length trip next summer only ours will be from the great lakes down the Mississippi and into the gulf and then following the coast down around Florida and back up the east coast of Florida to around Daytona Beach.
We are planning a similar length trip next summer only ours will be from the great lakes down the Mississippi and into the gulf and then following the coast down around Florida and back up the east coast of Florida to around Daytona Beach.
Tim
"SeaDog"
1979 36' Tri-Cabin
"SeaDog"
1979 36' Tri-Cabin
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Danny Bailey
- Moderate User
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:44 pm
- Location: Oriental, NC
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prowlersfish
- 2025 Gold Support
- Posts: 12725
- Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2005 6:56 pm
- Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay ,Va
Long strange trip
Hey Danny & Tim,
My best advise is to take tools and spare parts and give yourself enough leeway to take your time. Getting in a hurry may cost you as I found out the hard way when I fetched-up hard aground in Saint Helena Sound. If you have the time to do a little site seeing by all means do it to break-up the trip. The Albamarle Sound was a SOB. with shallow water and cross currents so do not try to cross in poor weather as we tried. Got caught in 30mph. blow and 4 to 5 ft. rollers about 6 seconds apart. Very wet and bumpy ride. Wait for good weather. Stay on top of your charts from Charleston to Port Royal SC. as there are lots of twist and turns with very skinny water...best to do that part with a good tide. We found that we did much better running outside when weather and conditions permitted. If you are in no hurry I say stay inside and run the ICW. but take it easy.
Georgia is a slow go pretty much all the way. Stop at Fernendina Fl. municipal marina and go ashore...Pretty cool little town. From there to St. Lucie Inlet I would make the outside passage if conditions permit. The Big O waterway across FL. was a piece of cake until we hit the big lake where we got hammered by a summer T-storm with heavy wind, waves and lightning. So far we got about 1500 miles and a little over 900 gallons of fuel. Dont have exact figures as I left my paper work on the boat but those figures are close. Should be back to the boat and underway soon. Check out a group called the Salty Southeast Crusiers on the web. Lots of good info. that will help with fuel prices and other stuff along the way. Let me know if I can help.
Thanks, Rick...F-36 MissKitty
My best advise is to take tools and spare parts and give yourself enough leeway to take your time. Getting in a hurry may cost you as I found out the hard way when I fetched-up hard aground in Saint Helena Sound. If you have the time to do a little site seeing by all means do it to break-up the trip. The Albamarle Sound was a SOB. with shallow water and cross currents so do not try to cross in poor weather as we tried. Got caught in 30mph. blow and 4 to 5 ft. rollers about 6 seconds apart. Very wet and bumpy ride. Wait for good weather. Stay on top of your charts from Charleston to Port Royal SC. as there are lots of twist and turns with very skinny water...best to do that part with a good tide. We found that we did much better running outside when weather and conditions permitted. If you are in no hurry I say stay inside and run the ICW. but take it easy.
Georgia is a slow go pretty much all the way. Stop at Fernendina Fl. municipal marina and go ashore...Pretty cool little town. From there to St. Lucie Inlet I would make the outside passage if conditions permit. The Big O waterway across FL. was a piece of cake until we hit the big lake where we got hammered by a summer T-storm with heavy wind, waves and lightning. So far we got about 1500 miles and a little over 900 gallons of fuel. Dont have exact figures as I left my paper work on the boat but those figures are close. Should be back to the boat and underway soon. Check out a group called the Salty Southeast Crusiers on the web. Lots of good info. that will help with fuel prices and other stuff along the way. Let me know if I can help.
Thanks, Rick...F-36 MissKitty
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Danny Bailey
- Moderate User
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:44 pm
- Location: Oriental, NC
Thanks Rick and best of luck on the rest of your voyage. I know you are busy and may not have internet access all the time, but I sure would love to pick your brain on spares to take, what broke down and what didn't, percentage of time on the hook versus time at a marina, and about a million other things that run through my mind as we prepare to shove off come Nov.
Danny
Danny
1980 F-36 with 6BTA 250 Cummins enjoying the Sounds and coastal waters of North Carolina
Hey Danny,
Most of the time we tied up at the dock for comfort sake. The 6.5 Onan was locked-up when I bought her and we had to disconnect the toilet and shower as there was no holding tank so everything went straight overboard. The heat was so bad we just tied-up most afternoons so we could run the air. Just carry the usual stuff...fuel filters, water seperators, extra fluids and pump, impellers, lamps for light fixtures and nav. lights, basic tools and a spare bildge pump. Dont forget the fishing gear as you will be in heaven if you like to fish. Along the way look for the shrimp boats and get fresh shrimp and crabs as well as other catches right off the boat. So far we have replaced one transmission, two manifolds, both A/C capacitors and two rudders. The later as a result of not paying attention and running aground on an oyster bed at about 18kts. This also resulted in a $1,600 tow, fiberglass repair and bottom job as well as side window replacement and re-work both props. Other than that...everything has gone well so far.
Thanks, Rick
Most of the time we tied up at the dock for comfort sake. The 6.5 Onan was locked-up when I bought her and we had to disconnect the toilet and shower as there was no holding tank so everything went straight overboard. The heat was so bad we just tied-up most afternoons so we could run the air. Just carry the usual stuff...fuel filters, water seperators, extra fluids and pump, impellers, lamps for light fixtures and nav. lights, basic tools and a spare bildge pump. Dont forget the fishing gear as you will be in heaven if you like to fish. Along the way look for the shrimp boats and get fresh shrimp and crabs as well as other catches right off the boat. So far we have replaced one transmission, two manifolds, both A/C capacitors and two rudders. The later as a result of not paying attention and running aground on an oyster bed at about 18kts. This also resulted in a $1,600 tow, fiberglass repair and bottom job as well as side window replacement and re-work both props. Other than that...everything has gone well so far.
Thanks, Rick