Taking a 460 DA from Ft. Myers to Boynton Beach

45Gunner

45Gunner

Active Member
Sep 22, 2019
191
Boynton Beach, FL
Boat Info
2000 460 Sundancer. Garmin 8612 XSV, GHC 20 Autopilot, GMI 20, 215 VHF, GC 12, Fantom Radar.
Engines
Twin 450 Diamond Series 6CTA 8.3M Cummins.
I researched this on the forum and everything I found was at least two years old. I am going to survey and sea trial on a 2000 SeaRay 460 Sundancer in two weeks. The boat is located nearly at the entrance to the waterway/river that goes thru Lake Okeechobee to Stuart. I have toyed with doing this but several people told me it is a miserable trip while others have said it's the fastest way to make it from the west coast to the east coast.

My dilemma is my wife has zero boating experience and I would not burden her with helping transition the locks. A friend with lots of boating experience has volunteered to go along. Everything I have read says have at least a crew of three. One pilot and two crew mates to handle the lines/fenders/etc. I am short one crew member.

I think I can run south from Ft. Myers just to the west of Key West, head out a couple of miles and possibly make it to Marathon the first night. Depending upon the weather, I would then run outside if good seas and inside if bad seas. So this could be a two or three day trip depending upon the weather. Yes, more fuel...but also a good way to get comfortable with the boat.

I would like some input from those that have crossed the Lake and from those that ran south. All suggestions, ideas, and insight welcomed.
 
Paging Captain Higgins.... You have a call on line one.
 
45Gunner said:
I researched this on the forum and everything I found was at least two years old. I am going to survey and sea trial on a 2000 SeaRay 460 Sundancer in two weeks. The boat is located nearly at the entrance to the waterway/river that goes thru Lake Okeechobee to Stuart. I have toyed with doing this but several people told me it is a miserable trip while others have said it's the fastest way to make it from the west coast to the east coast.

My dilemma is my wife has zero boating experience and I would not burden her with helping transition the locks. A friend with lots of boating experience has volunteered to go along. Everything I have read says have at least a crew of three. One pilot and two crew mates to handle the lines/fenders/etc. I am short one crew member.

I think I can run south from Ft. Myers just to the west of Key West, head out a couple of miles and possibly make it to Marathon the first night. Depending upon the weather, I would then run outside if good seas and inside if bad seas. So this could be a two or three day trip depending upon the weather. Yes, more fuel...but also a good way to get comfortable with the boat.

I would like some input from those that have crossed the Lake and from those that ran south. All suggestions, ideas, and insight welcomed.
Click to expand...

If you go south there is no need to go to Key West. Go through Florida Bay. Channel 5 is much shorter. It will put you into Hawks channel well north of Marathon.
 
I would not go to key west, would go outside of Marco shoals, then into Florida bay, follow the channel south of Bullard bank into Marathon.

My preferred route but you are exposed to weather conditions.

First time you cross the lake it is fun. It’s the 3rd + that gets old. Not as much weather impacted.
 
We’ve done both ways, twice. So from the perspective of someone that hasn’t done it a lot, meaning we are not well versed in it, I’d go through the lake. You and your experienced friend will have no problems with the locks. 3 people always make lock transits easy, but thousands of retired couples have taken their single screw trawlers through just fine. But if you haven’t done locks before, I get it and if the weather is good, you will only loose 2 days going around. Go as fr8dog said, or at least to Marathon and go under the bridge there. Key west is way out of the way. Enjoy the trip and congrats on the new boat.
 
Fort Meyers to Miami, with good weather I feel like the keys route costs me .5 to 1 day, tops.


Big difference bad weather leaves me sitting in Marathon.

This time of year the biggest risk is the north to east wind. I don’t go inside from Marathon to miami due to draft, so I am in hawks channel.

Fort Meyers to Marathon, if a front does move in, likelyhood it’s on your stern. Going north in the winter, can get interesting.
 
Just got home from taking a 650FLY to Miami this morning from Port Canaveral...... this is an easy one to me. For ease of navigation, comfort for her and saving fuel, I would cross the Lake for sure. Stuart is one side and Ft. Myers is the other, piece of cake. I used to this trip by myself all this time but I am getting older and really enjoy a swabby to abuse for a couple days.
You say you are headed west to east. Tie three fenders (or 4) down the starboard side of the boat, at gunnel height. Meaning the rubber fender you hang will only be down far enough to layover the stainless steel rub-rail. That is the widest part of your boat and therefore will be the first to touch the concrete wall of the lock, so put fender there, all the way down the side.
You will go through 5 locks, from west to east they are Franklin, Ortona, Moore Haven...then cross the Lake and to Mayaca and finally St. Lucie lock. The Lucie lock is the biggest drop in 8-10 feet but no big deal. Each lock has its own lines hanging so do not get yours out. And it stands to reason that when going up, towards the lake, you just keep slowing pulling in the slack on your line as your boat comes up, NEVER TIE-OFF......well, you can but that takes a lot of experience. And MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT TIE-OFF when going down in elevation on the other side, in Mayaca or Lucie lock, just have the line around a cleat with the bitter end in your hand and let out slack as need to hold position (not hard) and go down a few feet. If you tie-off while going down, Murphy's law is going to come into affect, with an effect!
The Keys are Great, was just there with All's Well crew last week, but the northern fronts are coming in and when making the Florida Bay crossing, you are really hung out there, should she turn angry. Going around will also cost you more in fuel if traveling on plane. Crossing the lake is safe and fun when planned correctly. The locks open at 7..ish. Those boys don't get too riled up in them there parts, so be polite and thank the man for the opening when leaving. They close at 5p, but you aren't getting him to start a lock cycle after 4:30. 5pm means he's in the truck, not starting a locking just for you...point being, go all the way across in one run ( 6-7 hrs) or stop half-way and see my buddy capt. Sam at Roland Martin's Fish Camp in Clewiston, They got all ya need, for a super reasonable price. My normal run is from Port Canaveral to Roland's and then out the other side in Ft. Myers for points due north, south or west....

Take the lake the first time..... as Frank Thomas says in the commercial..."and she will like it too!"

-PDF's on
-Radar off
-Fenders at gunnel height down the stbd side (if coming east)
-Locks VHF CH13 - Bridges CH9 - Railroad bridges CHgoodluck
-Check weather prior to journey as the lake can kick up since it's so shallow...20feet
-Plan your day(s)

R
 
Capt. Rusty Higgins said:
Just got home from taking a 650FLY to Miami this morning from Port Canaveral...... this is an easy one to me. For ease of navigation, comfort for her and saving fuel, I would cross the Lake for sure. Stuart is one side and Ft. Myers is the other, piece of cake. I used to this trip by myself all this time but I am getting older and really enjoy a swabby to abuse for a couple days.
You say you are headed west to east. Tie three fenders (or 4) down the starboard side of the boat, at gunnel height. Meaning the rubber fender you hang will only be down far enough to layover the stainless steel rub-rail. That is the widest part of your boat and therefore will be the first to touch the concrete wall of the lock, so put fender there, all the way down the side.
You will go through 5 locks, from west to east they are Franklin, Ortona, Moore Haven...then cross the Lake and to Mayaca and finally St. Lucie lock. The Lucie lock is the biggest drop in 8-10 feet but no big deal. Each lock has its own lines hanging so do not get yours out. And it stands to reason that when going up, towards the lake, you just keep slowing pulling in the slack on your line as your boat comes up, NEVER TIE-OFF......well, you can but that takes a lot of experience. And MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT TIE-OFF when going down in elevation on the other side, in Mayaca or Lucie lock, just have the line around a cleat with the bitter end in your hand and let out slack as need to hold position (not hard) and go down a few feet. If you tie-off while going down, Murphy's law is going to come into affect, with an effect!
The Keys are Great, was just there with All's Well crew last week, but the northern fronts are coming in and when making the Florida Bay crossing, you are really hung out there, should she turn angry. Going around will also cost you more in fuel if traveling on plane. Crossing the lake is safe and fun when planned correctly. The locks open at 7..ish. Those boys don't get too riled up in them there parts, so be polite and thank the man for the opening when leaving. They close at 5p, but you aren't getting him to start a lock cycle after 4:30. 5pm means he's in the truck, not starting a locking just for you...point being, go all the way across in one run ( 6-7 hrs) or stop half-way and see my buddy capt. Sam at Roland Martin's Fish Camp in Clewiston, They got all ya need, for a super reasonable price. My normal run is from Port Canaveral to Roland's and then out the other side in Ft. Myers for points due north, south or west....

Take the lake the first time..... as Frank Thomas says in the commercial..."and she will like it too!"

-PDF's on
-Radar off
-Fenders at gunnel height down the stbd side (if coming east)
-Locks VHF CH13 - Bridges CH9 - Railroad bridges CHgoodluck
-Check weather prior to journey as the lake can kick up since it's so shallow...20feet
-Plan your day(s)

R
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. You make it sound easy, which it probably is. I have not skippered a boat in over 20 years and I used to be quite competent. Getting use to a boat new to me and transitioning the Lake may be just the thing to do. I appreciate the words of wisdom....thank you.
 
Capt. Rusty Higgins said:
Just got home from taking a 650FLY to Miami this morning from Port Canaveral...... this is an easy one to me. For ease of navigation, comfort for her and saving fuel, I would cross the Lake for sure. Stuart is one side and Ft. Myers is the other, piece of cake. I used to this trip by myself all this time but I am getting older and really enjoy a swabby to abuse for a couple days.
You say you are headed west to east. Tie three fenders (or 4) down the starboard side of the boat, at gunnel height. Meaning the rubber fender you hang will only be down far enough to layover the stainless steel rub-rail. That is the widest part of your boat and therefore will be the first to touch the concrete wall of the lock, so put fender there, all the way down the side.
You will go through 5 locks, from west to east they are Franklin, Ortona, Moore Haven...then cross the Lake and to Mayaca and finally St. Lucie lock. The Lucie lock is the biggest drop in 8-10 feet but no big deal. Each lock has its own lines hanging so do not get yours out. And it stands to reason that when going up, towards the lake, you just keep slowing pulling in the slack on your line as your boat comes up, NEVER TIE-OFF......well, you can but that takes a lot of experience. And MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT TIE-OFF when going down in elevation on the other side, in Mayaca or Lucie lock, just have the line around a cleat with the bitter end in your hand and let out slack as need to hold position (not hard) and go down a few feet. If you tie-off while going down, Murphy's law is going to come into affect, with an effect!
The Keys are Great, was just there with All's Well crew last week, but the northern fronts are coming in and when making the Florida Bay crossing, you are really hung out there, should she turn angry. Going around will also cost you more in fuel if traveling on plane. Crossing the lake is safe and fun when planned correctly. The locks open at 7..ish. Those boys don't get too riled up in them there parts, so be polite and thank the man for the opening when leaving. They close at 5p, but you aren't getting him to start a lock cycle after 4:30. 5pm means he's in the truck, not starting a locking just for you...point being, go all the way across in one run ( 6-7 hrs) or stop half-way and see my buddy capt. Sam at Roland Martin's Fish Camp in Clewiston, They got all ya need, for a super reasonable price. My normal run is from Port Canaveral to Roland's and then out the other side in Ft. Myers for points due north, south or west....

Take the lake the first time..... as Frank Thomas says in the commercial..."and she will like it too!"

-PDF's on
-Radar off
-Fenders at gunnel height down the stbd side (if coming east)
-Locks VHF CH13 - Bridges CH9 - Railroad bridges CHgoodluck
-Check weather prior to journey as the lake can kick up since it's so shallow...20feet
-Plan your day(s)

R
Click to expand...

I've read your post several times, went to my charts, and have decided to give this a shot. Thank you for your insight. I'm sure once I'm back at the helm it will be a piece of cake. I saw an article in one of the boating magazines about making fender boards and might just make a couple in preparation for the crossing. Looking forward to it now and thanks again. Survey is a week from Tuesday and I do not anticipate any problems with it and I hope to be crossing the lake sometime during the first week of December.
 
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