Movin a boat from Maryland to charleston. 40 footer,36 inch draft. Recommendations on routings???
If you got the wheather, go off shore! to slow and crowded in the ditch
I brought a 48’ motor yacht down from Annapolis to Savannah. We tied up every night before dark at a good marina with close food and bar. We came down the bay following the marks, hung a right on the Intracoastal at Norfolk, and kept red on the right all the way to Savannah. It was winter and blowing like stink so we stayed inshore all the way. It wasn’t a fast boat but it was plush. It took us 6 days and 5 nights.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
The ICW in North Carolina has some places where you may be waiting on high tide. The ICW project depth is supposed to be 13’ at mean low water. Its been poorly maintained. As the tourist season winds down , the crowds of boats will ease up. Still there are lots of no wake zones. lots of slow draw bridges . . . If I could do 15+kts in the open ocean without it beating me up too bad, I would. The ICW between Norfolk and Pamplico is probably the worst passage.
I’ve done it several times. Down the Bay to the ICW at Norfolk. ICW to Beaufort, NC. Offshore to Charleston if the weather allows. Assuming 20 - 25 knot speed, 2 days to Beaufort inside, 1 day offshore to Charleston.
As said above, the ICW in North Carolina is full of shoals, no wake zones and restricted bridges. You could do it once to say you’ve done it, but I doubt you’d do it twice on purpose.
There is a bridge about every city block, and the bridges are on odd schedules. Some open on the hour and half hour, some on the 1/4 and 3/4 hour. Seems like you are always late or early and have to wait. The locks below Norfolk take some time too, and the no wake zones seem to go on forever. It’s a slow trip down the ICW. I’d also run it offshore, weather permitting.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
I might revise my answer a bit since you said Crusin, not Deliverin. There are hundreds of places to stop in the Chesapeake. A couple of my favorites are Chrisfield, Tanger and Smith Islands where they still speak Old English, and Solomons, but there are many more.
On the ICW, you have to stop in Coinjock at the place on the left (Southbound) for Prime Rib. In Albemarle Sound, you can go upriver to Elizabeth City or down and around into Pamlico Sound and Manteo which you could use as a base to visit Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, as well as the lost colony of Roanoke. Then continue down to Ocracoke and over to Oriental and then back down Adams Creek (screw the no wake signs) to Beaufort. Not sure how you work Bellhaven into that route, but it’s worth a stop too.
From there, the next point of interest is probably Wrightsville Beach and after that Southport is a cool little town.
Then, the Wacammaw River, which I think is the prettiest part of the Waterway and on to Georgetown. You know the way home from there.
So there you have it - a 3 day trip or a 10 day trip, take your pick
Thank you gentlemen, u guys are great. Been doin some reading. Some caution the area around hatteras, but I guess that for the stick boats. I have 1 week to get it to charleston. Gonna go outside. Maybe. I hear there’s a storm abrewing.
Stay in the Channel in the NC sounds.