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Long channels - challenges. - Long post

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britinusa
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USA
5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/06/2006 : 20:31:32

Reading the post about 'right of way' brings to mind the situation we face every time we launch and retrieve.

As a preface, let me confirm that Sailing in Biscayne bay is a delight, challenge, and a great escape from the hetic south florida work place. We go out every chance we can, which is at least once a month for at least 2 nights, often more! We love it and go much further afield when chance permits. (and now that we have virtually completed all the repairs/upgrades required after the last hurricane season, we hope it will be even more often.)

Here's the common situation.
Black Point Marina(BPM) Biscayne Bay Florida.
Position: 25° 31.5' N., 80° 17.9' W. (outer channel marker).
Approach Depth: 4.9'.
Dockside Depth: 5.5'.
(Go to maps.google.com and type in "Miami-Dade County of: Black Point", it's at marker 'A' Zoom in and you can see the Ramps and the channel)

Returning to BPM on a typical Sunday afternoon.
It's just over a mile from the outer marker to the dockside.
There are 5 Double ramps and 2 single ramps
Most likely there will be a steady fleet of power boats of all shapes and sizes returning to the marina. The majority of them are going to the ramps and will be trailered out of the park.
To give a guesstimate of the number of boats consider that at peak times (3pm thru 6pm at least) there are 3 boats on each pier all the time! That's 30 Boats in some stage of retrieval/launch, and doesn't include the boats waiting at the ramp head, and those inline to the ramps and of course the dry storage hoist at the far end of the ramps.

In the channel the fleet of returning boats know that there is going to be a 'challange' getting alongside.

It's a well known spectical! You will often find in excess of 100 people sitting on one of the banks overlooking the NorthWestern Ramp so that they have a great view of the commotion.

Now, it would be very calm and orgainized if you had to take a ramp ticket just like waiting in line at the store deli. But it's not like that at all.

The channel into the marina is about 20-25' wide with coral/concreate rocks at the surface on either side, most of the channel is a no wake zone. Manetees are often seen, but many of the local boaters don't quite understand the meaning of 'no wake'.

There's the normal number of fishermen on the NE bank of the channel, their lines mostly kept near the edges. There'll be a number of kids of all ages playing on the walkway atop the peninsular where the fishermen hang out.

Hey, it's South Florida, so throw in a few well lubricated boaters, a number of boats with families onboard, often pretty crowded boats

Ok, that's the intro...

While navigating the channel on return to the marina, we'll be in that line. No wake for us is about 4-5 knots max. The channel is so narrow that there is no chance of sailing it, motoring is a must.
We all know that a C250WB does not have the manouvering ability of a 12' 250HP smudge bucket, so I instruct the first mate to stay her course and when possible get towards the center of the channel rather than near the rocks on the stbd side.

Almost every trip, some guy will fly by totally oblivious to the no wake zone, let alone other boaters. Heads up, "Stay the course Honey!" as giving way is just not practical. I carry on preping the boat for retrieval. By the time we're near the ramps, I have the sails stowed, all the lines out and fenders on both side.

Peggy has had plenty of experience now, I insist that she takes us all the way to the ramps while I pass on suggestions and get ready to tie up. Only occasionally will Peggy ask me to take the helm, most often when it's really busy at the ramps, and that is most Sundays! Pegs is gaining confidence each trip.

Once near the ramps, we join the queue of boats vying for a tie up point.

The Peanut gallery on that bank are pros! They have folding chair, umbrellas, picnics, occassional video cameras, they're there for the fun!

You'll see a variety of skill levels at the ramps. I recall when we first made the trip back to the ramps, how we were doing way to much stuff and worried about to many others. Now we know the drill.

If you hang out with the peanut gallery, you'll see boats pulled out the water listing on their trailer by about 20 degrees, frequent bursts of blue smoke as the drivers of underpowered/underweight trucks try to pull out a laden boat on a slippery ramp... The cheers go up every time! "Back up ! Back up!", "Wow did you see that guy"
We have seen a guy backup his trailer down the ramp, well almost, he actually backed it up onto the pier taking out the garbage can that was overflowing with beer cans and bottles. I wondered if any of them were his?

Sometimes the peanut gallery exceeds expectation, they may even start to offer suggestions on how to tie up, how to prep the boat for the trailer, and of course, how no two of them have a clue of what it is like to be on the driving end of the melee.
Someone will be trying to clean out his mega hp engines, smoke hanging around causing folks to cover their faces. Oh, don't forget the 'babe' boats, they will have a few scantily clad yutes hanging around while the macho guys do all the prep work.

Occassionaly you'll see someone power their boat up onto their trailer, ok, so they didn't quite get it right and now have the bow upon top of the winch almost over the tailgate! The look of 'hey man, stuff happen's is common. You have to wonder if they thought they were impressing the peanut gallery!

After making a few 360's near the ramps at very low speed, we'll eventually be near the end of one of the piers, heading in the right direction and no other boats jumping in front of us to squeze ahead to the pier. Peggy will aim the bow towards one side of the pier, I'll have the ropes in hand and be ready at the front of the boat to step off as she applies a brief few seconds in reverse to bring JD to a stop bumpless at the pier. Applause from the peanut gallery. We bow with a smile on our faces and hi five each other on a job well done.

Peggy will get busy pumping out the water ballast, I walk to the parking lot to get the truck and trailer. By the time I have moved to the front of the line of waiting trucks most likely we don't have a boat in front of us (ramp end) on the pier. So with the winch strap unwound by a few feet, we'll have the trailer in the water so that the bow bunk is almost at water level.
With the trailer setup for retrieval, we'll untie JD from the pier, push it off a bit so that she lines up with the trailer centerline, and then walk her with the lines onto the trailer. I'll step onto the trailer tongue from the back of the truck and hitch the winch strap to the boweye. A couple of cranks, pause, check to see the back of the boat is still aligned, and finally winch it up snug to the trailer bow rollers. In 4WD low gear, we'll pull JD easily out of the water. A quick inspection (had to put her back twice) to make sure all is well once clear of the water and then it's off.
Stopping by the wash station, we rinse off the boat and trailer.

For the next couple of hours, we'll be derigging JD for the 60+ miles back home while the power boats fly past us on their trailers heading out of the park.

Another great weekend, more lessons learned, more pages in the note log book, and more ideas for future projects.

You have to love doing this.

We do, and that's a Joint Decision.

Paul

Joint Decision. (Sold)
PO C250WB 2005 Sail # 841.

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2006 : 23:13:21

You must be a big disapointment to the Peanut Gallery.

Interesting to hear this, as I was recently ranting about how bad the local loonies are. My loonies are loonier than your loonies, but its somehow comforting to know that I'm not the only one affected by loonies, however loonie and numerous they may be.
(sometimes we say powerboater rather than loonie, but as a former powerboater, we at least give them the benefit of the doubt)

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bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2006 : 23:31:12

Paul - This gives me a much greater appreciation of what people go through who trailer their boats. I'm not sure that I would be so enamored of this sport/activity/hobby if I had to do all that.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3502 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 05:10:37

Was this the pleasure part ?

I think I am getting interested in being one of the peanut gallery. Lot's of entertainment and low cost.

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 13:17:51

It was while occupying a lawnchair in the Peanut Gallery next to a ramp on Lake Allatoona in Georgia that I decided to buy our first boat. I knew I could do a better job than 90% of those clowns.

Steve

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britinusa
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5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 20:35:46

Thanks guys,
just like Jodie Foster in 'Contact'
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">It's good to know that we're not alone<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

We'll take some pics of the peanut gallery next trip.

Paul

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OJ
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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 22:05:01

Long story short, we've installed a pair keel guides on our C25 trailer to eliminate the guess work of getting the boat centered on the trailer during retrieval.
Someone from the peanut gallery couldn't resist expounding on the process . . . but before he was done talking we had OJ on the level, the wife jumped in the Suburban and we were off to the wash down area.

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