Cruise to Steamboat Creek and Dataw Island

Sadler

Sadler

Member
Nov 29, 2006
907
Live in Western NC, boat in Charleston, SC
Boat Info
2005 Nordic Tugs 37 FB
Mercury RIB dinghy with Honda 2 hp 4 stroke,
sold: 1997 290DA,
Engines
Cummins QSB 380
Our cruising group, Carolina Boaters, did a cruise this past weekend in the Edisto Island/Dataw Island area. We had a great time. We anchored overnight Friday on Steamboat Creek near Bohicket Marina (where Tiger Woods had his yacht "Privacy" for the PGA tournament at Kiawah), and then went off shore for a 15 mile run to the sea buoy into St. Helena Sound. We then made our way to Dataw marina and stayed Saturday night there. We did a low country boil at the marina Saturday night and talked boating until late Saturday night. Sunday, we departed for the cruise back up the waterway towards Charleston. If anyone boats in this area, please check us out. We're 90% Sea Ray owners, but inclusive of other boat brands. We have a cruise about every month in the warm months, and we pick a different destination each time. We are glad to help anyone who hasn't done a lot of anchoring or docking. Find us on Facebook. I've attached some photos of our weekend below:

View attachment 26406View attachment 26407View attachment 26408View attachment 26409View attachment 26410View attachment 26411View attachment 26412View attachment 26413View attachment 26414
 
Thanks Wayne and Chuck.

Chuck--Did you happen to see the trip planning for this trip on the Carolina Boater site? You could have joined us for the weekend and stayed at Dataw. I believe they have rental apts. for overnighting. They also have pool, tennis, and golf. Maybe next time!
 
Sadler,

I did. However, we were in the Destin and Panama City Beach area on vacation. I did not bring my 230 this time. However, I did rent a 17' Whaler. The weather was perfect and water was just like you see it in my signature pic. The picture was taken from a previous trip just south of the Destin Bridge (Hwy. 98).
 
Chuck,

I've visited that area but never boated. The water looks beautiful. How was the boating there with the Whaler? I have a 16' cc I could trailer down there.
 
I would highly recommend trailering either of your two boats. The 17' Montauk was fine. Generally speaking the Gulf is relatively flat in the AM. So we ventured out into the Gulf in the morning near Shell Island and then dropped anchors bayside for the remainder of the day. Shell Island is a fantasic spot as the kids and wife love hunting for shells flying kites and etc. Also, it's about a 300 yard walk on the white sugar sand from bayside to the Gulf. Destin (Choctawhatchee Bay) has Crab Island which is a large sandbar just north of the Destin Bridge is the popular hangout in that area. Baytowne wharf, located on the east end of the Choctawhatchee, has some great restaurants. Personally, I prefer Shell Island. Water conditions in the bays (Destin and PCB) are both very open and similar to conditions that can be found on St. Helena Sound. If you wanted to do a PCB/Destin trip, you can take the Gulf side in the AM and come back over the top via the intracoastal later in the day. You could also trailer back and forth with your 16' cc. In short, your little boat would be fine in either area just be prepared to get bounced around a bit in the smaller boat if/when the winds kick up. You will see plenty of small center consoles along the coast. The smaller boats also have the ablity to poke around many of shallow areas of the bay.
 
That trip looks awsome! What size boats do you usually have going along?? I have an SRV225 EC that I planned to do some lite "cruising" on and this looks like the exact kind of trip I want to do.

We're located in the Upstate and usually do the local lakes (Keowee/Greenwood/Jocasse) but could easily trailer down to Charleston for this sort of trip.

Thanks for any information you might offer.

Thanks

Travers
80 SRV 225EC
 
We usually have 240DAs to 290DAs, but have had 225s in the past. We also boat on Jocassee and Keowee like you do. We do a cruise together about every month and have a great time. We currently have about 52 members, with probably 30-40 active on the Facebook page; our cruises will typically have 4-6 boats. If you can, look us up on Facebook by searching Carolina Boaters, ask to join, and we'll approve you. If you're not on Facebook, PM me.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I will hook up through FB. One of the reasons I ask about boat size is that anchoring with my boat is a royal pain. Actually, the anchoring is a piece of cake it's the getting out to bow that is difficult.

These old SRV's really have no reasonable way to get out to the bow. Even if you climb out the forward hatch the slant of the foredeck (slopes down to the bow) encourages you to slip and fall off and if like I did you waxed up the boat all nice and shiny it's skechy.

Anyhow, it's better for me to just "raft up" with a bigger boat and avoid the drama.

Thanks for the reference I'll be in touch!

Travers
 
Travers,

You're in luck. We almost always raft up. It's more fun to all be together, and it makes things much easier. Whoever has the biggest anchor and the most chain is usually the anchor boat, and lately that's been my boat. And since I have a windlass, it's pretty fast and easy. All you'd need is fenders and lines. And you're welcome to plug an AC extension cord into one of the boats that has a generator for coffee, etc.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, that's awsome as I said I have plenty of anchor and rode but getting to it so as to use it is difficult. I have the boat set up so that I can (conceptually) drop the anchor from the cockpit. Retrieveing it is a little more sketchy. Haven't tried the whole process yet but might test it when friendly folks are around as support!

Will get onto FB shortly and get befriended.

Last pending item on the boat rehab is to get the out drive boots replaced. I take on water when running and I think the boot seals may be leaking. No water in the bilge when I run the boat for an hour on the muff so it has to be one of the boots.

The water's a minor irritant when on a lake as the bilge pump easily takes care of it but if the pumps ever failed (have 2) that would be a problem. Definitely don't want salt water in the bilge.

thanks

Travers
 
We've got some good expertise in the group regarding rebuilding and repairing transom assemblies to eliminate leaks. Mine was leaking a couple of years ago pretty much as you describe, and one of the fellows in the group generously pitched in and we fixed it. Mine it turns out was leaking around the swivel pin/steering arm and had nothing to do with the boots. You might want to discuss your issue with the group before tackling it.
 
Thanks for the tip. The fella that did the engine R&R mentioned that possibility and we've scheduled to replace ALL the boots AND the shift cable as well as the Gimble bearing and a few other sundry parts while I've "invested" in the labor of the out drive removal.

Hopefully, this will finalize the project into a relatively trouble free status. All the work he's done has apparently been thorough and the engine and out drive run great so since he "knows" the boat I feel reasonably comfortable in doing this last maintenance.

Thanks

Travers
80 SRV225 EC
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,241
Messages
1,429,123
Members
61,123
Latest member
Tim Duncan
Back
Top