Dry Tortugas Bound.

[DaveB]

It's a 138 nm trip from Cape Coral Yacht Basin. I have done it a few times in power boats and would love to do a overnight trip getting there and spend a week Gunkholeing.
I need to get a Auto Pilot and get my running lights in new condition.
Just went Sailing today on a 37 Cat with a 18ft beam, nothing like a Mac.
Dave

I might be interested as well, although going to have trouble taking too much vacation this year. I guess for the West Coast route, you could hug the coast down to Cape Romano and then its about 90 nm shot SW to the Dry Tortugas. Without a rotatable crew, that sounds kind of like a difficult passage, compared to leaving from Key West and having to do only 18 nm to the Marquesa's and then another 40-45 nm to the Tortugas. I've also thought about Cape Romano to Key West which is about a 75 nm passage. And on that kind of route, you are never more than about 20-25 nm from shelter.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Sure, if you can do it in a fast powerboat with at least 300nm of range, that wouldn't be such a big deal but last I checked, there is no fuel in the Dry Tortugas so even high speed Mac running would take you 100 gallons of gas and I don't typically carry more than 15-18 and would want to save that as much as possible for the return trip just in case...so it would mostly be a sailing trip and that would take more than 24 hours in each direction...which is tricky for a single hander. So its no wonder that the preferred route for sailboats is via Key West and the Marquesas.

I suppose one day I'll have to figure out how to put a couple 12 gallon tanks in and then with that and another jug, I could carry closer to 30 gallons, but thats stll not even enough to power at high speed in one direction. Anyway, safety in numbers with a passage like that, be good to have at least 2-3 boats going together.

[DaveB]

Get the tail end of a Norther, after a week there you will pick up the SE-SW winds on way back.
Cruiseing at 5 knots no wind you get 8-11 miles per gal.
Just add two more 5 gal. jugs of water and one 5 gal. jug of fuel. I have 18 gals tanks water and aditional 8 gals in containers.
On a Tail end of a Northern front you should just sail there.
Comeing back may be the time to motor if the SE-SW winds don't happen, you can always stop at Marco Island to fuel but will take you 15 miles off the dirrect course.
Whe are sailers and boat would do just fine.

Dave

Sure, if you can do it in a fast powerboat with at least 300nm of range, that wouldn't be such a big deal but last I checked, there is no fuel in the Dry Tortugas so even high speed Mac running would take you 100 gallons of gas and I don't typically carry more than 15-18 and would want to save that as much as possible for the return trip just in case...so it would mostly be a sailing trip and that would take more than 24 hours in each direction...which is tricky for a single hander. So its no wonder that the preferred route for sailboats is via Key West and the Marquesas.

I suppose one day I'll have to figure out how to put a couple 12 gallon tanks in and then with that and another jug, I could carry closer to 30 gallons, but thats stll not even enough to power at high speed in one direction. Anyway, safety in numbers with a passage like that, be good to have at least 2-3 boats going together.

[Ixneigh]

Beh. You are not doing it right. Tow a fuel barge with as much fuel on it as you need! You could probably sell extra fuel to other sailors who foolishly left their barges at home
Ix

[Sumner]

I might be interested as well, although going to have trouble taking too much vacation this year. I guess for the West Coast route, you could hug the coast down to Cape Romano and then its about 90 nm shot SW to the Dry Tortugas. Without a rotatable crew, that sounds kind of like a difficult passage, compared to leaving from Key West and having to do only 18 nm to the Marquesa's and then another 40-45 nm to the Tortugas. I've also thought about Cape Romano to Key West which is about a 75 nm passage. And on that kind of route, you are never more than about 20-25 nm from shelter.

We went from Little Shark (Cape Romano) over to Marathon and due to the wind had to motor the last 2/3's or so and there were hundreds of crab pots. That was ok, but the floating grass...



...was a real, real pain.....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... 11-16.html

The next time we go across Florida Bay I sure hope it is all under sail even if we have to wait for that to happen.

If going from the west coast I think Dave's plan on waiting on the weather and leaving from Ft. Myers Beach, Naples or Marco Island and straight there would be the plan I'd take. One thing to consider is that down there you are in the trades most of the time with the winds out of the east, so going from Key West to the Dry Tortugas might be easy, but going back could be a pain. Sailing mostly south or north might be easier even though it is longer,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links

[Sumner]

... Anyway, safety in numbers with a passage like that, be good to have at least 2-3 boats going together.

I agree if all of the boats are equipped well and maintained well. If some are not and are going relying on the others then things can get more complicated. If some need to maintain a tighter schedule and can't delay when they should due to weather then again maybe not so good. I read about one party that went out together but coming back in high winds and waves could barely stay in contact with each other and probably couldn't of really helped each other much if needed.

I'm a firm believer that if you don't feel confident making the trip alone then don't do it with others. Ruth and I are not ready to go out there in the Mac. We will go after some time in the Endeavour, but it can handle a lot more weather than the Mac.

I've gotten into some of these messes with car buddies, but at least there we just sat along side the road fixing what the owner should of fixed before we left home,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Those are both good points Sumner, and I sure hope that someone wouldn't attempt the Dry Tortugas with not enough experience or not a good seaworthy boat/engine/equipment but I guess you never know with strangers. But yes, I agree that you can't "rely" on others for lack of experience...its just extra insurance and good company. Some folks like Dave B I've cruised with on several occasions and he has the same exact boat and engine as me so that would make for great company on a longer passage. That's of course the other thing I've contemplated before, ie, a fleet of Mac 26X's could all crank into high speed if there was enough gasoline aboard, etc. just to make some place before dark and that sort of thing. Kind of like what you wrote in your trip reports about the bigger boats, which I guess you also own now.

Your logs are very nice, you obviously have put a lot of time in them and I'm sure they will be very useful to others who are making the same trips...perhaps we will meet up one day since you are down in Florida a lot. I think that your prop guard probably did have something to do with your prop getting fouled with grass. Only thing that has ever stopped me is a plastic bag getting sucked onto the water intake..usually stuff like grass just gets chopped up and expelled..have picked up some gravel or shells into the water intake before too, but that can be backflushed out. Probably the 14 inch prop on my big foot is better at grass chopping too

Anyway, seems like if you have made the passage from Cape Romano to Marathon, it would only be slightly further to Key West or Dry Tortugas (as the trigonometry goes) and you would have the experience necessary to make the trip, even in your Mac. The good thing I guess about Marathon is that now your shelter options in the everglades are even closer. I'll try to read your whole log one of these days but just curious what you did with your trailer on these long cruises. Presumably you figured out some way to shuttle and didn't do round trips?

[Sumner]

.....perhaps we will meet up one day since you are down in Florida a lot...

That would be nice and it would be nice to meet some of the other Mac owners in the area (west coast). Ruth gets yet another eye operation in a couple hours. If it goes well then maybe we will finally get down there in about a month. 6 months ago we had hoped to of gotten down there in mid-Jan, but that didn't happen.

....... I think that your prop guard probably did have something to do with your prop getting fouled with grass...

You are right the guard could of been some of the problem. We have never seen grass that bad before or since. It was in continuous floating mats. Also we run about 5 knots and the outboard is not running at a high rpm. I'm going to put one of the cutters on the prop shaft of the Endeavour that will cut pot lines if one gets fouled around the prop and shaft. I haven't heard of the grass being a problem on boats with inboards.

.... I'll try to read your whole log one of these days but just curious what you did with your trailer on these long cruises. Presumably you figured out some way to shuttle and didn't do round trips?

We left the Suburban and trailer at All American Covered Boat Storage between Englewood and Port Charlotte for $75 a month. When we got to Marathon we found an Endeavour back over at Fort Myers Beach that we wanted to look at so put the Mac on a ball at Boot Key and rented a car and drove back over to look at the Endeavour. While there we drove up and got the Suburban and trailer and took them over and left them at South Dade Marina where we ended the trip. We had intended to go up the east coast and take the ICW back across the state to Charlotte Harbor, but ran out of time when we bought the Endeavour.

I hate to say it but we were really disappointed in Key West. We took the rental car down for a day when we returned to Marathon. I can see why it is popular with many, but I guess we are getting too old and would prefer sitting out on a lone anchorage some place vs. the night life of Key West. We will probably return there at some point with the Endeavour, but after reading stories of the dingy dock and the dingy police and such don't have a lot of desire to go there.

Saying that I'm really looking forward to gunkholing in the stretch of the Keys between Marathon and Key West on the Gulf side and would like info on that area from anyone that has it. The Endeavour has a draft of 4' 6" and I think we can get back into some areas there and yes we would like to make it out to the Dry Tortugas.

Hopefully all of you that go out there document the trip,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links

[cptron]

Hopefully all of you that go out there document the trip,

Wish you could make it as you document your trips so eloquently. however we will do our best.
Who ever is interested in making the trip could you please PM me so I can get an idea of how many we might have?

[Dry Tortugas 2013]

plotting to sail the adventure next winter.

[cptron]

Well we are getting ready for the big trip. Trailer is at the shop right now getting new bearings and brakes repaired, lights working again, and new winch installed. I still have to install the new 100 watt solar panel, new battery the quick disconnect and a few million other minor details before we will be ready to take off. It seems that I have lists for lists for lists all for the main list just in preperation. I recieved my paper charts a couple of weeks ago and have been drooling ever since. This weekend will be spent fixing cracks in the rudders and working on possibly tightning up the steering linkage and putting the auto pilot back in.
Wish us luck and we will keep you posted.
Hopefuly I can get the admiral to take over on the updates as she does a better job of keeping it interesting.

[Chinook]

Hi cptron,

Sounds like you're well into preparations, which means, of course, that you've already begun your adventure. I'll be interested in hearing all about the trip, since we hope to be in the same waters, including venturing forth to the Tortugas, some time next January. Best of luck with your prep projects, as well as with the cruise.

Chinook

[Azzarac]

Best of luck! I really wish we had the time to join the fun. It's high on my list of destinations.

[kmclemore]

Stay 'dry'!

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Two words... Float Plan

Two more words... Have fun!

Bob