03/05 - 03/07 - Hontoon Island, Florida CBGT

Something I noticed in those photos. Only saw 2 radars. Maybe they don't have fog on that eastern half, but the ICW and the rivers have bends. Curious how many have AIS?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Yes, you can swim in the Springs, and we did at Silver Glen Springs. Water is always 72 degrees. Blue Springs where the Manatees winter, you can also swim, when the Manatees are out. As for AIS Harvey, only Cat-O-Mine and I had AIS transmitters. Many have receivers. i believe at least half a dozen boats have radar that were at the gathering. I don't remember seeing that many radars during my west coast events either. (Friday Harbor, California Delta, Columbia/Snake Rivers.). I suspect there are more C-Dorys running without radar than with. I suspect most folks don't run in the fog, or find in necessary to own radar.

I just got home a bit ago, and will get the rest of my photos uploaded likely tomorrow. Colby
 
Radar, Interesting! I think that more C-Dorys have radar than others of the boat population, at least in comparative sizes. The AIS receiver would be vital, I would think, for boating on the ICW and the navigable rivers, for communication with the tugs, and from my experience, if you are transmitting an AIS signal, you will more likely get reciprocal courtesy from the big traffic. They receiver would at least allow you to call them by name or call sign, and that would help.

Looking for ward to seeing the pix, Colby, and glad you made it home safe.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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The AIS is very handy for radio calls. I used it several times to call some tugs while navigating on the St. Johns as we got closer to the ocean. Otherwise, there are very few tugs on the St. Johns south of Jacksonville. And I've used it in other waters as well. I've only had one tug call me because of my AIS, and that was while operating in the FOG on the Columbia River a year or two ago. As AIS transmitters come down in price, I suspect we'll see a few more C-Brats pick them up. Other than Cat-O-Mine, I've only known one other C-Brat with the AIS transmitter, and that was out on the West Coast. One of the other guys on the California Delta cruise. But I know many that have kept track of me with their receivers. :mrgreen: Colby
 
I think that radar can be quite useful, particularly at night or when navigating in foggy conditions. But how many times do C Dory boaters do that?

AIS is even less useful. Unless you boat in a major port area you won't see many AIS targets. Look at Marinetraffic.com which uses shore based partners to pick up AIS signals and repeat them through the net.

I am looking at Charleston Harbor right now and all is see is a tug, a passenger ferry/tourboat and a big freighter underway. Another dozen or so targets are stationary which usually means a big commercial vessel that keeps their electronics on while docked.

The targets that we would like to see, the commercial fishermen, don't seem to use AIS.

David
 
David, you are right about how many C-Dorys boat at night, but here in the PNW, fog is a common weather pattern, and if you are cruising you are going to have foggy conditions. There is a month called "Fogust", and it comes between June and September.

As to the AIS. First, be careful with any Internet based AIS monitoring. The time delay is real, and can be anywhere from 30 second to as much as 10 minutes. (I track myself, on them just to see where I "was".) It depends on where you are boating, but anywhere with busy commercial traffic, I would trade my AIS for radar if I had to. It enables crossing situations to mostly not be any issue, as you can use the "Closest Point Of Approach" and "Time to Closest Point of Approach" (Both off the AIS signals), to minimize any negative approach or following distances. For me, crossing Juan De Fuca Strait, that means I can watch a 900 foot long freighter travel at 22 knots from 24 miles away and set up my crossing, usually without any need for VHF radio contact. (All of that can be done with just an AIS receiver, though I do have a transponder.)

The Victoria Clipper that is a foot passenger ferry travels at 30-35 knots, and hardly makes a speck on Radar is the main reason I started thinking about getting AIS. They are stealth boats that run from Seattle to Victoria and through some of the SJ Islands. Always nice to see them before they come around the corner at me.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Boating down here in my experience is much different than the PNW. Barely anyone uses their VHF except to brag on a fishing report to a buddy boat. There's an occasional foggy early morning but it burns off quickly and predictably. The biggest difference is the lack of traffic. There's just not nearly as many boats on the water, little commercial traffic in comparison. The go fast offshore fishing boats are the biggest concern. They don't give a damn about anything, don't use their radios or comply with no wake zones, and generally captain like A-holes. A radar might help but they're still gonna buzz by you with a 4 foot wake regardless. I always wanted radar and AIS when we cruised back home, but I don't see a need for it here.
 
Harvey,
On the West Dock photo, you can see radar domes on Thataway, Grace Full, and only half the dome on Midnight Flyer (because Colby had it in ‘radar Cloak mode’). I believe Tully B’s was cropped out and maybe the first boat on the left, plus Bill Smith’s boat isn’t in view and I think he has radar too.
On the East dock pic alone, you should see domes on Mystery Girl, Cat O’ Mine, and Fan-C-Dory.
So Colby's estimate of six was not far off.
I know C-Otter, Thataway, and Miss Jill have rx-only AIS. The others who do can reply. At today’s prices for a black box unit (under $250) I believe it’s a great safety item in that it can enhance ease of comm with larger vessels.
As always, much depends on how and where and your style of boating. And on how many boat units you are willing to invest in things you may never really need, but are nice to have if conditions go south. Or in the Key West ship channel on a busy day.
I agree with Colby that if I had to give up one, I'd give up radar over AIS at today's prices. As always, YMMV.

78 degrees and damp today on the edge of the Everglades...thank goodness the air conditioner is working great.
Happy spring boating!
John
 
I want to thank everyone for such a warm welcome. I arrived as a boatless C-Dory enthusiast and left feeling like I was a part of the family. Tom and Joyce did a terrific job organizing the event. I was able to hitch a ride with Mike (Ms Jill) on a circumnavigation cruise of Hontoon Island - very interesting and a lot of fun! Pat (19 ft model) and Rick (22 ft model) were also very gracious in taking me out for test rides. I was able to check out pretty much all the C-Dory models from the 16 to the TomCat. Thanks to everyone that gave me a tour of their boat. I met with Dr. Bob and he provided me with an extensive tour of his 25 footer. As a result of what seemed like a couple hours of picking his brain, my search will now include the 25. I hope to see you all again sometime soon on my own C-Dory.
Dave
 
We came off the River today---After a wonderful post gathering cruise with several boats--the last several days were with Mystery Girl and Sea Otter. Tom and Joyce are such wonderful people to cruise with!!!!. They even tried to wash down our "waterline" as we got the boat out of the water.......

We made about 35 miles from Salt Springs, and hauled out about 11 AM-on the road a little after noon. Stopped for the night at an RV park at about. 4 PM.

Cannot wait until next year. So many wonderful friends to renew friendships, and new ones.

Thanks again, Tom and Joyce. Photos to follow when we get home.
 
Finally, all my photos are uploaded, including the last few personal shots of our time in Pensacola on the way home. Got most of Midnight Flyers cabin cleaned up today, and will finish cleaning her up the rest of this week. I can't say enough to encourage others to attend the St. John's C-Brat gathering. It's not just the official gathering itself, but all the cruising afterwards. And the history of and along the St. John's River is fascinating. Always looking forward to the next St. John's gathering. Until next year, safe travels and fair seas! Colby
 
During one of the gathering seminars, we had some discussion on trailer tires. The subject came up about speed ratings, and I believe someone brought up 81mph on a LR E tire. Well..... I was just looking at my Carlisle Radial Trail HD's ST205/75R14, LR C, and see 81 mph stamped on the sidewall! And no, I'm not recommending that speed. I do stand by my Carlisle's however, with averaging 15,000-16,000 miles annually the last two years, and at least 10,000 annually prior. The pressures are set at 50psi cold, and while I don't have a wireless monitor on them, I do a walk around every time I stop (anywhere from an hour or two, rarely longer than that) and before starting out. And I rarely tow over 65mph, and any more than that would be for a very short time. (Passing, etc.)

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Colby,
My chronic whining was about zero availability of US made LR E ST trailer tires prior to the introduction of the Goodyear Endurance Load Range E in Jan 2017.
Load range D and C (yours) and under in high speed ratings was and is and always has been easily available, but not LR E and F for any US-made ST trailer tire at that time.

https://corporate.goodyear.com/en-US/me ... _tire.html

I’m on record here (and at Tom’s off the cuff ‘trailer tire woes’ comments at Hontoon) that my whinings were in regard to ONLY those Brats towing heavy loads, which I arbitrarily and loosely define as 8,000 pounds and over (some 25’s and 26’s and TC24’s and virtually all TC 255’s) with a scale ticket to prove it.
In other words, tire companies that made low-load ST trailer tires did not make LR E ST tires.

I’m glad you’ve had great results with your Carlisle tires. I last bought 5 for the trailer from my tire expert (with a 22 year relationship) in 2010. At 18 months of very light duty, while towing the empty trailer 100 miles, it developed a hopping severe enough to break off both PVC guide pipes and send them skittering across I-10. Dealer found ALL FIVE TIRES (just under a Boat Unit) DELAMINATING and not under warranty.
I have avoided that brand since then, even though it was only a Boat Unit.

Glad your experience is very different.
Tom was very upfront in standing corrected that now Carlisle is making ST tires in the US (LR was not specified) according to another crew. I’m not current in research since buying 5 GY Endurance LR E ST trailer tires (over a Boat Unit) 18 months ago.

I must admit that I am very gratified that you pay any attention at all to what I whine about.

Thanks for using your antenna checker Tricorder device at Hontoon to discern that my VHF antennas were actually hooked up to something (the fridge?). The sausage has been complaining to the cheese lately about using channel 16 to exchange fishing lies, rather than using a ‘working channel.’

Happy trailer tire stories!
John
 
Hey John. And I wasn't even thinking about your whining. lol. Just that someone said the LR E were stamped 81mph, and even I didn't think that C's and D's were rated for that speed... FWIW, I'm not putting down LR E at all. When I had a car hauler, I ran E's on it. I can understand one's want for US made tires, but I personally don't care where a tire is made, just that it holds up. Carlisle's have been good to me. Whereas I did not have good luck with the Goodyear Marathons that came on the trailer. (But to their defense, they were several years old, and I don't think the guy I bought the boat/trailer from, trailered very far.) BTW, I just bought two new LR D tires (Carlisle, Trail HD ST 205/75R14) from Amazon for $67/each. I just bought two LR C tires last year and installed on the front axle. These I just ordered will be to replace the back axle after this season, but since I'm hauling out to Price Rupert, I wanted to have additional spares just in case. If all goes well, I'll install them at the end of this season. Colby
 
Yep--not a good landing. Rain, wet runway, maybe a pilot not familiar with field, coming in hot (looking at the video--bouncing swerving etc?) What say you Pilot Colby? Suspect the plane is gong to be a loss--with a degree of salt water at that part of St. John's river, and sitting there until TSB examines the wreck--note that the nose cone is missing.????
 
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