Those channel markers are NO JOKE

[Matty1000]

Third trip out on Barnega Bay in my new 24' Cruisers. Cruising down a channel, realise its not the way I want to go, so I look around, make sure no one is behind or around me and start to pull a nice tight U-turn. Well, I was all of about 18" outside one of the marker bouys watching the depth gauge, 5.5, 5.5, 5.0, 5.5, 1,0 !!<br /> Yuuuuup, abrupt stop in about 22" of sand and water. Picked up the drive, no damage (thank god) little bit of gas, littlewave push and got out of that one OK. <br /> Now I stay completely inside the buoys.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

yep. but I have pulled them off of 10" of water in the middle of the channel here at oregon inlet. a good friend of mine, also a coat guard aux capt, stacked up and sank his 33 wellcraft st tropez last winter in the middle of the channel. shoved the struts and rudders right through the hull. next tide it was all over. bad thing was i had just replaced the port engine less than 200 hours prior. so it also pays to look at how the wave action changes with water depth and keep towing insurance and hull insurance up to date .

 

[jy118lfd]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Oregon inlet <br /><br />The southern Barnegat inlet<br /><br />Both suck

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Welcome to south Jersey!<br /><br />Same thing in Great Bay, just to the south of you. My dad and I ran aground in his 20ft center console last summer. Luckily it was at about 40 and the motor just kicked up and we cleared the sandbar. It was interesting. And yes we have a new respect for the channels. <br /><br />Coming from Raritan Bay where we were originally from, it was a shock. The bay is 20 ft deep up there and the channels go to 40-50. Down here the bay is 3-6ft and the channels are just a consistent 3-6ft. <br /><br />PS - Rodbolt, that SUCKS. <br /><br />Have fun!

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

It can happen to anyone..<br /><br />I hopped over a sandbar just out of ICW channel somewhere between Stuart and Ft.Pierce one hot and hazey day.... Had the marker eyeballed and the other eyeball on the bottom machine watchin the depth.. Thought I was all lined up.. WRONG... <br /><br />>depth machine< 12 10 12 15 2 1 0 <br /><br />That's how I found out that my flats boat will run 30mph in 12 inches of water.. Barely..<br /><br />Heard a saying one time... "There are two kinds of captains.".. "Those Captains who have run aground in the ICW, and those Captains who lie about not running aground."..

 

[ebsworj]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

This makes me feel better! I ran aground in my small 18' bowrider in the Puget Sound last weekend. There is a place near La Conner that the Skagit River runs into the sound,.. lots of silt there. It got shallow very quick and polished the tips of my prop as we used a oar to push off the bottm. Luckily we didn't have to get out and push since we had ladies with us!

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

There is a "Lost Island" on Coldwater Lake in Michigan. Depth sounder goes from 16.0 to 0.2 in a flash (at idle) Layed mine on top during a heavy localized rain storm. No damage but it is a awful feeling in a blinding rain w/ lightning. No markers at all. Still none today.

 

[jinx]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Yep, did the same thing in Chincoteague Inlet. Real inconsiderate of those sand bars to move into the marked channel. 25mph to 0mph in about 5 secs.<br /><br />Got off and no harm done, thankfully.<br /><br />Jinx

 

[3388sam]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Ebs,<br />I've seen a bunch of boats stuck on the flats between Whidbey and the cannel. I pulled a family off couple of years ago. He was able to walk up to about 10' from the marker and catch a line, the water was only up to about his knees!

 

[heyttown]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Originally posted by NYMINUTE:<br /> There is a "Lost Island" on Coldwater Lake in Michigan. Depth sounder goes from 16.0 to 0.2 in a flash (at idle) Layed mine on top during a heavy localized rain storm. No damage but it is a awful feeling in a blinding rain w/ lightning. No markers at all. Still none today.

Same thing at Round Lake(connects to Devils Lake) Island in the middle of the lake but it has a leg that sticks out about 200 yards.Lake goes from about 70 feet to 6" fast.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Went out today and bumped a sandbar near the inlet. I think it might have been the same one my dad hit last year. Stupid Sand. <br /><br />No damage, was just putting along about 8mph. Caught it happening on the depth finder so I wheeled over hard to the left, but still kicked up some sand.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Matty, I live on Barnegat Bay, and am (unfortunately) intimately familar with most (really all) the shallow spots. The main channel south of the Toms River bridge gets quite wide. North the bridge, it is quite narrow. I suspect you found this out. <br /><br />I ran aground one evening north of the bridge. Although I had the lights of the bridge lined up over the bow of my speedboat, there was a low (4" above the water) island between me and the bridge. I did not see it until I had left the water and skidded across this island for 75 feet. The motor kicked up, so there was no damage, however it took my wife and I, 3 hours to drag, slide and "hump" the boat back to the waters edge. Luckily it was late at night so there were no witnesses.

 

[Shepherds Ride]

Re: Those channel markers are NO JOKE

Rehoboth Bay in DE is bad too. Sand bars move with the tide. The channel is only about 6' deep in some places and that's at high tide.<br /><br />Two years ago I saw a cabin cruzer hit bottom at about 30 MPH. It looked like someone pushed the pause button on a VCR/ DVD player. Took him about 20 min. to get free.<br />Oh, and if you wonder why I did not help. I had anchored near a small island at high tide and now was waiting for the tide to come back in so I could go home (that’s why I now own a pontoon boat!)