ICW Gulf Coast

[keith]

I have purchased a new Ranger 25 which is in Mobile, AL and will pick up in April following installation of all the nav stuff, etc. and I finish my chemo therapy. Plan is the cruise the ICW from Gulf Shores to Key West. Ideas on marinas, anchor type, extra gear. type of inflatable, would be appreciated. I will be doing most of this alone. My only experience with power boats includes USN Destroyers, and bass boats. I can do this!
Thanks
Keith Schultz

[marvin4239]

Welcome to the sight Keith and good luck with your chemo therapy. I don't know anything about the Gulf Coast but I'm sure Doc Bob and others will chime in. If you aren't familiar with them two good sites I like for trip planning are Activecaptain.com and Cruisers.net. You've picked a fine vessel to cruise in.

[Captains Cat]

Welcome Keith! You've got a great boat. If you haven't found Tug-Nuts yet, the link is at the bottom of the home page on the left hand corner. It's especially for the Ranger Tugs but you're certainly welcome here too! What Destroyers were you on, I sailed on a couple and built even more as Program Manager in DC.

Charlie

[JamesTXSD]

You've got a great boat to do this with, Keith... and from your post, a great attitude. Pick up a copy of the current Southern Waterways as a guide to the Gulf Coast; it will give you info on marinas along your proposed route. For anchor type, I like the Delta Quickset with 50' (or more) of chain and a danforth as a secondary. The bottom will determine what anchor you'll be using along the way. Most of that route is going to be sand/mud bottom. For extra gear, that will depend on how you like to travel. I like to have satellite radio and a couple comfortable campchairs to use in the cockpit; most important to bring along is a sense of humor and a spirit of adventure. Inflatables come in two basic flavors: flat floor and some sort of keel. We picked the slatted floor for use on our boat, but it isn't a planing boat; that's never been a problem for our usage. Another good option on the Ranger Tug is a hard dinghy, like the Livingston... you can get an attachment set up for your boat that allows you to carry it on the swimstep. If you haven't posted the same thing on the Tugnuts, check that out and you'll see other tug owners who have done that.

Good luck with your trip, your medical situation, and the new boat. Keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[Doryman]

Another resource for you is Skipper Bob, which has a guide devoted to the Gulf Coast. Other than the Southern guide Jim mentioned there are far fewer resources available than for Florida and the east coast. One publisher, Campbell, canceled their 2009 Texas guide because there was too much hurricane damage to produce a reliable guide in the time available.

Warren

[thataway]

Welcome aboard. I sent some local suggestions via PM, but will expand on those.

The Skipper Bob guide has good anchorage suggestions as Warren suggested. These are now published by the same folks who do the "Waterway Guide".

Anchor: My tests last year lead me to purchase a Manson Supreme 25#. I also use a 22# Delta. Along this area, I would also carry a Fortress FX 11 as a stern or mud anchor. The Delta is not the best in soft mud.

I would have 25 to 50 feet of chain backed with 200 feet of line. This will cover anything you will find on the coastal areas. (You could get along with 25 feet of chain and 100 feet of line if just on the ICW-but might as well get more). You will want 1/4" G4 chain, and 1/2" line (some use Plait and some use 3 strand).

I like air floor inflatables in the 9 foot size but you can use a a boat as small as a slat floor 6' 7" inflatable--either will work fine with a 2 to 3 HP outboard. You could plane with one person and 8 hp--but as you get the bigger inflatables and motors, they weigh more, and are more difficult to get aboard. Hypalon Fabric is tougher and more sunlight resistant.

We also have a couple of Hobie Mirage Kayaks, which are a lot of fun in this area.

Other gear: I keep a hand held GPS (Garmin 76 Cs and a hand held VHF marine radio (Icom or Standard Horizon)--waterproof, a whistle and ACR flash/strobe light in my personal waterproof bag, along with some extra AA batteries.

Other gear: LED headlight, Consider a PLB or 406 EPRIB. Inflatable life jacket, Class III life vest for the dinghy. Lights (LED) for the dinghy. Cable and lock for the dinghy, Motor lock for the dinghy.

Tool kit for the boat--fill in the blanks. I am sure that others will jump in.

[damason]

Keith,

Be sure to stop at the Panama City Marina (it has a yellow tile A-frame roof) in Panama City, FL.

You will like stopping in Apalachicola with several marinas and lots of good restaurants. I like The Owl Cafe, Boss Oyster, and for breakfast Dolores. There is a good Ice Cream shop on the main street.

Steinhatchee is a good stop at the Sea Hag Marina.

You might enjoy the manatees in Crystal River and stay at Pete's Pier.

Plan to stay several days at Tarpon Springs as they have the best Greek food anywhere.

If you are retired military when you go to Key West plan to stay at the Naval facility at Boca Chica. The dockage cost is much cheaper than staying in Key West. There is a city bus from Boca Chica to downtown Key West. Plan to see the Dry Tortugas National Park while you are there.

[TomRay]

If you like to anchor out, Pelican Bay near the mouth of Charlotte Harbor is a great spot. At nearby Cabbage Key you can get a decent expensive hamburger in a most interesting atmosphere, rumored to be where Jimmy Buffett wrote "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

Good marinas in our area if you won't be anchoring out include Gasparilla Marina, Burnt Store Marina, Laishley Park Marina, and Fisherman's Village. Laishley Park and Fishville as it is called locally are both near downtown Punta Gorda.

[Bill and Brenda Russell]

Keith

It's good to have another boat in Arkansas, now there are three.

There is a daily post under FORUMS of this C-Brats site ICW KEY WEST tracking a cruise from Shreveport LA to Key West by my brother and I JANUARY 2007 1,600 MILES 30 DAYS.

I also have a written hard copy this adventure. I can mail you a copy so just call me.

Bill and Brenda Russell 870-533-2663
2 Lafayette 24
Stamps, AR. 71860

[Carlton Corbin]

Keith, I am old lurker and new member on this site. I have found it to be nearabout as good as being on the water and whole lot cheaper. Wisdom abounds in these printed words sometimes, so read it often, keep notes and you will be all the better for it. Because of this site Bill Russell and I are darn good part time friends and I look foward to meeting you.

The main thing about that trip along the Gulf Coast is to take it. Go slow, stop and visit, stay awhile here and there. I've boated 35 years and during that time I"ve made the run across there 9 times. The first 3 trips there was no GPS, VHF had 5 channels, I used an old ADF to plot positions and there were no C-Dorys or C-Brats yet. It's a wonder I made it.

All these sugestions here are good ones but remember this. On one of these trips I saw an old boy unload his boat in the Biloxi, Miss. Small Craft Harbor. When she came off the trailer it went to the bottom in short order. He had taken every suggestion made to him except putting in the plug. Keep the basics at the top of the list and everything else will work out just fine. Have a good time on your new boat. Mine is 30 yr. old but it still seems new to me.[/b][/i]

[Bryant]

Keith,
Good luck with your trip. Check out Pirates Cove just west of P'cola. Bluewater Bay East of P'cola is great as is Destin, Fl and Apalichicola is a good place to stop. There is a place on Navarre Beach (just before you get to Destin) called "Juannas Pagoda" that is a great anchorage and a great place to stop. Tarpon Springs is also a good destination. If you are military then the marina at NAS P'cola is a good place to stop too. I don't know anything about the waters south of there but in Key West you should check out Schooner's Warf and Turtle Kraals. It's a bit pricey there but worth it. Have fun!
Bryant

[capnruss]

I did the trip from Clearwater, Fl to Key West about a year ago. It's a wonderful trip. As others have mentioned, stop and enjoy the local fair. One of my favorite stops was Pelican bend at the Isle of Carpi in the Ft. Myers area. One thing you need to know is that there is a short cut that I took through the ten thousand islands hoping to go through the lock at Flamingo. This didn't work. The trip through the islands was great although a bit buggy but the lock at Flamingo was closed due to damage from the last hurricane. I had to go back through the islands and around the long way. From there I cut across the Florida straits to Marathon. There I cut through to the Atlantic side and on to Key West. Average about 50 miles a day. Good luck with the chemo and have a great trip!

[Wefings]

Be sure to look us up when you come through Apalachicola !
Marc