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Keys trip 2010

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britinusa
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5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/13/2010 : 05:31:07

All of the mods are done (at least those I have time for).
New outboard motor storage mount is clamped onto the aft mast support tube, 2nd mount is attached to the lid of our Truck bed box for easy upright transport. Dinghy registration has been submitted but we don't have the tags yet ('In the mail') so we are laminating our application papers and will carry those on the dink.

With help from readers here, we named the dink 'Undecided' Tender to 'Joint Decision'

Our 12 day trip plans are: launch from Biscayne Bay (black point marina) head south and out through Angel fish creek, south and west on the outside of the keys. Perhaps making it as far as 7mile bridge, then head inside and back up through the lakes and sounds.

We're carrying a lot of water and non-perishable foods, one cooler for frozen/cool stuff and another for cold drinks. They are in the freezer right now. We'll be stopping for reprovisioning when chance occurs, Undecided will help us there. Plan is to take it easy, longest day will be 10 hours but probably less.

Paul

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

Moved up to C34 Eximius

Updated August 2015

Edited by - on

windsong
Captain

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USA
318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2010 : 06:56:24

Looks like 7-mile bridge would be about 200nm roundtrip, and I love that you can do it as a loop. What a great, 12-day sail! I hope you can post a map of your route and some of the sights along the way. My curiosity is piqued. I wish you fair winds and following seas.
Speaking of which, I know nothing about the Keys. What can you expect for wind?

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2010 : 08:28:01

Paul, hope you & Peggy have a great time. We're looking forward to the trip write up and pictures!

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 12:21:40

A lot of reef on the outside, are they marked well so you can hug the coast instead of going out and around them?

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 12:57:26

Lots of pics and a GPS plot please. We'd love to do this trip sometime.

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britinusa
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5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 15:01:10

Reefs really not an issue. We intend to go snorkling at some further south?west Took Undecided for first spin under power. .. running in at low rpm.
Anchored off Billy's point for the night
A/C working overtime feels like high nineties.
Steve & Dave are following on spot.

Sent via G1phone, one bar.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 17:29:50

What is the Spot URL???

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 17:59:14

Dave can you send Randy the link

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2010 : 19:44:12

Sent.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2010 : 07:00:07

Dave can you post the link? Or send it to me as well?

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 06/15/2010 : 15:17:23

[url="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CJ9cU8uTITDNBJr4iqVBvx27o0DvOEmE"]click here[/url]

We are currently in Garden Cove Marina, our 3G works on our Netbook.

Great day sail/motor-sail, ducked in here because we could not reach John Pennekamp on #16.

Paul & Peggy

Edited by - on

DaveR
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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2010 : 06:52:37

Very Cool Paul, did you eat at the Buzzard's Roost? (Found it on Google Earth). Love the tracking site!

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 06/16/2010 : 12:43:20

What are the prevailing winds there?

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 06/16/2010 : 14:53:50

Buzzards roost is now a member of MvbizX.com
Yep, had the hogfish awsome, Peggy had the shrimp ditto.
Great venue for c25s at high tides, very relaxed, capn Ron is down to earth nice Guy, no rip offs.
We loaded up with 5gals of gas & ice.
Great sail to Rodriguez key for swim and lunch on board, then anchored off rock harbor.
It's okay to post the link to spot. ...just awkward from my cellphone. Dave!!!

Paul & Peggy

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2010 : 15:03:43

No problem, here you go: [url="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CJ9cU8uTITDNBJr4iqVBvx27o0DvOEmE"]Joint Decision's Spot Track[/url]

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2010 : 05:25:01

Cool, thanks guys. Now I can vicariously vacation through spot and Google Earth

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2010 : 06:37:46

I think they forgot to turn off the GPS last night - I did the same thing on our cruise last summer a couple times.

Anyway, I had forgotten to turn off the tab in windows, and the map is auto-updating as data comes in. Cool. Today I will be sitting at my desk, but I will really be down there floating around in the keys.

Edited by - Prospector on 06/18/2010 06:41:33

britinusa
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5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2010 : 16:10:15

passed under channel 5 bridge into the bay, motorsailed to lignumvitae key, holed up during short storm, now hanging off a ball keeping the bugs away. .deet. keeping notes to update blog later .

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DaveR
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Response Posted - 06/22/2010 : 09:22:03

Yeah it was a little tough last September when I was out for a few nights. Deet is the operative word. Of course staying away from the shore and in a breeze helped huge too and kept it a bit cooler too.

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 06/25/2010 : 07:49:16

Wrap up.

We got back on Wednesday night (as you can see from the spot link). Tuesday night we were off Pumpkin Key in the lee but still getting banged about by 20+ knots wind, no sleep that night, so we pulled both anchors and headed up the channel to Billys Point, same thing but in less than 3' of water, too risky. So we motored up to Elliot key harbor.

The channel is not that wide, 100'ish. So I steered for the posts with the flashing lights as we could not see those that were unlit. The wind and waves made it an interesting passage, but we really had no issues other than high anxiety.

Our first time entering the harbor at night, full moon but still could not see the entrance. The million candles helped. We were the only boat in the harbor and it was calm. Don't remember hitting the sack.

Wednesday we reviewed the forecast, more of the same, wind reported 20-25knts in our area, choppy, and us on the wrong side of being exhausted. Stay in the harbor a day or two or head back to black point. I stowed the gib and main, did a lot of the pre-trailering prep and we motored over to the launch ramps for pull out. Home by 8:30pm. We took our time prepping for the trail home, better than wearing ourselves out. Had a cabin shower before leaving the marina parking lot.

We put 35 hours on the outboard this trip. That was due to little wind on the outside leg of the trip and excessive wind on the nose on the inside leg. The sailing we did get was awesome, but I must admit that we had too much heavy weather (I know, JimB would laugh at our definition of heavy weather

)

We returned using only about 50% of our bottled water, less than half the beer and wine, and have lots of non-perishables left over for hurricane season. Our budget was $1,500 but we came in at less than $900 despite the gas usage, which was included in the budget.

A few things to fix. We punctured Undecided on the hard link when I pulled the dink too enthusiastically, so have to fix that. The Garmin GPSMap 192C had a hiccup (will have to review spot at Channel 5 bridge as that's when we could not see the markers and the GPS went off line!) The gasket on the water ballast screw down valve gave out on return to the ramp - easy fix. And we grazed a stop sign in Calooso Cove, so I'll have to look at the keel.

The Nissan outboard performed perfectly, now at 110 hours so time for an impeller change and upper/lower oil change (and you know that I'll make sure to replace both this time!)

We may be in the market for a replacement GPS, ours is not upgradeable to the new G2 map format, so the charts are 5 years old and the issue we had was due to physical electrical connections to the unit. We managed to fix it, but you know how that goes... will work fine till we really need it!

I have finally given up on my cabin table mod. It is just too much hassle to raise and lower the table. So I'm back in the 'Table Project' mode.

We did not use the outboard hoist that I built, it was too easy to just lift the outboard from the dink to the mount on the mast support using the doggy hitch.

Things learnt..
.. Preparing the dink for docking! by the end of the trip I figured out that it's best to move the dink so that it is alongside on a painter from the bow cleats. We always back into a slip (need to be close to the power pylon) so the dink can be easily moved out of the way when backing into a slip.

.. If you think that the water is going to get skinny, then pull up more keel than you need!

.. Refueling the main tank from a 5 gal is easy using a siphon, but make sure you stop the flow early, and always have paper towels/rags handy just in case there are any drips. We don't want any oil in our water here in Florida !

.. Don't use cheap sunscreen! it stains fiberglass. Early attempts to remove the stain with the waxes/cleaners we had on board were unsuccessful.

.. We have lazy jacks: Always make sure that the lazy jacks or topping lift are under tension prior to letting the main halyard fly..

.. If you don't get a reply on hailing the marina on approach, call them on cell phone.

.. Best marina in the keys - our vote goes to Plantation Yacht Harbor Marina on the Bay side. Really well maintained, Fuel, water, cable, Air Conditioned showers, Bathrooms and laundry (all A/C'd) Really friendly staff. $2.50 per foot per night, well worth it!

.. Best food in the keys - our vote goes to Buzzards Roost in Garden Key Marina. Their Hog Fish was the best, we'll go back there again even without the boat!

I'll put up some pics and video later.

Paul

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