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New Jersey ICW with 5' draft sportfish?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by incoming, Oct 1, 2021.

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  1. incoming

    incoming Member

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    We're closing on a 58' Viking in CT this week and want to bring it down to the Annapolis area over Columbus day weekend.

    Our nominal plan is to stay outside, at least from sandy hook to cape may. but we don't have much flexibility to wait on a weather window.

    Family will be on board so we won't proceed in anything dangerous for this class of boat, but i suspect anything above tightly spaced 3-4's could be uncomfortable for a ~5-6 hour passage.

    If we're getting beat up too much outside, is the New Jersey ICW an option we should even consider for this class of boat? Everything that I've read in forums suggest even 3.5' draft boats have touched bottom.

    In terms of experience, i've transited the ICW between Norfolk and FL in its entirety 3 times (albeit in smaller 4' draft sportfish), but have never been through the Jersey ICW at all.

    I doubt we'll have flexibility to wait for optimal tides. It looks like low tide in cape may is around 5pm the day we'd be coming in, so we'd likely be transiting the ICW from high tide on the way to low, getting pretty close to low by the time we get to cape may.
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I ve done the run from Miami to nantucket many times using the ICW but never tried the NJ section. Too shallow.
  3. Squan Stuart

    Squan Stuart New Member

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    Not recommended. Just brought a 48 Gamefisherman from Forked River just north of Barnegat Inlet to Brick on the inside and there were several skinny spots. You need 5 feet to stay safe , which means stay in the ocean until Cold Spring Inlet at Cape May.
  4. incoming

    incoming Member

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    Ok thanks for the responses. Will keep outside where this boat belongs anyway :)
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  5. Soulstice

    Soulstice Member

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    Overall, I think you will find the ride to be fine in 3-4’s even tightly packed. That is typical seas going offshore to fish and the Viking should eat it up no problem.

    Congrats and enjoy the new boat. Upload some pictures!
  6. incoming

    incoming Member

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    That’s what I’m hoping! We’re stepping up from a 38’ Bertram, which is a great head sea and decent following sea boat for her size but a bit “corkscrewy” in quartering and beam seas - even tightly spaced 2-3 chop got miserable after a couple of hours. I’ve tried not to overset expectations for my wife and girls but I suspect this Viking is going to be a decent upgrade.
  7. incoming

    incoming Member

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    …although as soon as I say that…looking at the forecast i’m seeing a front passing through with 5-6’ beam seas at 7 sec. So may be testing the wife right off the get go…
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    And you'd be a fool, failing the test miserably, if you took your wife and girls out in those conditions for the first major run. Later, yes, but not yet. Don't do it. My wife would be fine with those conditions but she's done this now for 9 years and a 500 Ton Master herself.
  9. incoming

    incoming Member

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    I certainly take your point but the family isn't exactly new to offshore boating....just to this boat. They've been with me for numerous offshore passages of similar length in our 38' bertram. And as stout as that boat was, it would have been miserable in the forecast conditions.

    I just don't have a feeling for how that experience on a considerably smaller boat is going to translate to being on a 58' enclosed bridge viking SF. In equivalent conditions, it certainly seems the ride will be considerably improved, and it certainly seems they'd be able to handle another 1-2' in size over what we were willing to do in the Bertram.

    Hopefully the forecast will improve and it'll be moot.

    Maybe its like you say - just have to get a feeling for it over time.
  10. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Experanced family or knot, remember, you all are new to the boat.
    Murphy luvs these events...
    incoming likes this.
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    New boat. Unless you know the history incl age of the fuel, last service, how long she sat for sale... don’t push it. A survey sea trial only and barely scratches the surface. I ve seen so many problems popping up after a couple of hours under way.
  12. incoming

    incoming Member

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    I have pretty detailed info/records on that stuff and feel as good as I can about the boat being ready for the trip south. I've also contacted the man service provider who has maintained the engines to get a full set of filters, impellers, etc. for the boat. But the point is still valid, especially with marginal (at best) sea conditions. Forecast now calling for 6-8' ...not exactly family friendly boating weather.

    Related - assuming we can't get the boat home this weekend, I may need a delivery captain. If anyone has any suggestions i'd much appreciate it. Bonus if its someone who like to fish out of Virginia Beach and/or the Outer Banks who we could use for fishing trips in the future. :)
  13. ArielM

    ArielM Senior Member

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    Do you have any pics of the the new boat to post?
  14. incoming

    incoming Member

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    Great question! Most of the pics i have right now are from the survey and stuff i wanted to follow up on, but here's a good glamour shot:

    7970772_20210802085506987_1_XLARGE.jpg
    chesapeake46 and ArielM like this.
  15. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Sure way to disappoint them the first time.
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  16. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    I have a 54 Viking sport yacht of similar vintage and came from a 42 Bertram. I get where you are coming from as you have no perspective on what to expect. I am far from a professional mariner but consider myself a fairly experienced recreational boater. I would not go in a 5-6 beam sea much less 6-8. NOAA is not always right and with an enclosed flybridge I bet she will roll a fair amount in the forecast beam seas. I am always amazed when it is rough and I go down for an engine room check and how much easier the motion is in the bottom of the boat. My point is that enclosed bridge is up there and the motion is going to be exaggerated. It’s a personal decision but I would be nervous as a cat being a maiden voyage. Wives are not homogenous goods but mine would not be a happy camper if i knowingly took us out in those conditions. By the way the boat looks to be in nice shape and I hope it does what my 54 did for me which was create a ton of memories.
    incoming likes this.
  17. incoming

    incoming Member

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    Thanks for this fantastic perspective - and TBH I wasn’t really considering venturing out in 6-8’s for 5 hours. Forecast has steadily been getting worse. Sometimes it’s good though because when it’s marginal you have to think about it, when it’s obviously no good, makes the decision easier.

    May also be a blessing in disguise - unless things suddenly trend a lot better, maybe now we can use the weekend to do a little shakedown cruise to block island or montauk or something reasonably close and protected to get a feel for the boat.

    Just curious, how would you compare the ride of the bigger Viking vs the 42 Bert?
  18. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    As you noted the Bertram’s do really well with a head sea but not so great with a following quartering sea. The Viking to me is a better overall ride. It doesn’t eat up head seas but it does better in a following and quartering sea. You don’t fight the steering wheel as much as the Bertram. I have a dinghy on the bow and a heavy anchor and all chain rode so it will throw the spray in certain conditions but I have a windshield and wipers so not a big deal. I assume you have MANs. I have 820s and they have been very good to me. Don’t know exactly where you are but if near Montauk you have an excellent MAN dealer across the sound from you. Bayside in Mystic were great to me. I think you are going to love the space in the engine room and just the space overall. Enjoy.
  19. incoming

    incoming Member

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    The engines are the 1200hp v12’s. AKA black hole that you pour diesel into. :)

    Engine room is palatial, at least for a sportfish, and certainly compared to what I was used to. I’m spending my first night on the boat tonight and considering putting a blanket and pillow down on the outboard side of the port engine.

    Boat currently lives in mystic and Bayside has maintained the engines for the previous 16 years. I keep hearing good things about them, including from my local man shop (Hild’s). Knowing the iron has been well cared for by a reputable shop was an important selling point for me.
  20. Squan Stuart

    Squan Stuart New Member

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    Bayside has a good reputation so those MANs should be fine. Not sure if you were planning to take a shot from Mystic around Montauk and head south, or Mystic west through Lomg Island Sound and then down the Jersey Coast. Manasquan Inlet to Cape May Inlet is about 93 miles sea buoy to sea buoy. You could always stop in Brielle for the night, if your crew prefers. Excellent MAN service there also.