[Rhodes22-list] Florida Keys Sailing by Bryan

[ed kroposki]

-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Childs [mailto:bchilds1 at peoplepc.com] 
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 1:37 PM
To: ed kroposki; 'The Rhodes 22 mail list'
Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Trailer Retrieving

 

Presently I have a Mercury 2 stroke 9.9 which wieghs about 75 pounds.  I
would like a 4 stroke but I got a good deal on this one so I could pass it
up.  It is manual start so it does not have any charging capability, which I
really miss when cruising.  I only leave the motor on the boat when I bring
it back from the harbor to the cottage which is only 4 miles.  I am in
Michigan so the boat is out of the water and being preped for the journey
south.

 

I retired last Jan and set off in April with the boat to the Florida Keys.
I had not been there before so this was an exploritory trip. I belong to the
Trailersailor club and discussed the trip with others that had been there.
Many trailer their sailboats down and put them in at Stuart (way north of
Miami) or Falmingo at the end of the everglades park.  I dicided to put in a
mile marker 115 which is on US1 from the mainland to Key Largo.  There is a
small marina (actually a dry sailing storage and launch facility) on the
east side. I was able to leave my truck and trailer there in a locked up
area. 

 

I travelled on the gulf side through the western intercoaster waterway. The
winds were strong 20-25 knots, from the NE. For all the way SW I only used
the Genny, and moved briskly along at 5-6 knots. I sailled for about 5 - 6
hours each day, achoring is various area and travelled down to mile marker
25.  (Key West is at mile marker zero.)  I crossed over to the Atlantic side
a Channel Five where there is a tall bridge.  After getting to around mile
marker 25 I beat windward back up to Marathon and Boot Key harbor.  The
person that was with me needed to get home so we got a bus to where we
launch, got the trailer, and pulled the boat out at Marathon.

 

 This year I will probably start at the same place but I want to include
John Pennacamp Park and the Dry Tortugas.  I plan to be there the month of
March. 









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