Tide Table & Boat Draft

[LuvBoating]

Do you use a Tide Table where you boat?
We put our boat into St John's River here in Jax......right across from NAS at Goodby's Creek Landing. Haven't thought much about looking at a Tide Table for launching or retrieving until lately. The area where boats "exit" from the creek into the river is pretty shallow. There is a new buoy there (wasn't there last year or before) and we've grounded a couple of times on both sides of it. Did lift the drive and get out, but sure did scared us. Wife told me, due to the draft of our 20' cuddy, we must have of 3 1/2 feet of water to run in. Our depth gauge warning is set to 4 in hopes we will have enough time to pull up the drive when we go by this buoy. I also figure that since we have a 5.7L engine and approx 90 gal gas tank, that makes us sit lower in the water? Right now, we have almost a full tank of gas. A 5.7L engine and 90 gal tank is some weight, right? Looking at a Tide Table for the area, we really do need to go out when the tide is in, but that doesn't always happen in the morning when we "put in" at 9:30AM or so.
We are planning a trip down to the Intercoastal Water by Ormond Beach (Daytona area) in a few weeks and I want to make sure we go on that water in near High Tide and come off about the same time. This will be our first time on any Intercoastal Waterway!
When we boated in Colorado, just south of Denver, we really never worried about "depth", but HERE is a whole different story!
This whole "tide" thing has me a little worried at times due to getting grounded those times near that buoy!
Any suggestions would really, REALLY help. Thanks!

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Here is a photo of our boat sitting on the trailer.......fairly deep hull/draft, right?

 

[Ned L]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

When boating in salt water the tide & currents are things that often need to be paid attention to. There are considerations like if you are running with, or against, a strong current (5 - 6 knots or more - they are out there) it can really affect how long it takes to get somewhere. OR, anchoring in five feet of water at high tide where there is a seven foot tide rise & fall.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Learn how to identify the symbol for, and use, a "tide station" on your electronic chart. This chart feature should appear in your boat's GPS/chartplotter, on your handheld GPS/chartplotter, or on your navigation app in your smartphone. You may find the tide station nearest your area of interest and look up what the tides are going to be as far ahead of time as you wish. This can be of great benefit for trip planning to new places.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

My boat will run fine in 18" of water, but I pay attention to tide charts for fishing the drift.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Our tides have about a 15' difference from high to low sometimes, so the tide is always checked before heading out.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

With the drive raised some, we made it by that Shallow Water Buoy (3') fine. Watched the depth gauge and when it read 4 feet, I raised the drive FAST. The Tide Table said High Tide during the time we left the ramp, but had the drive raised anyway at the buoy. When we came back, the tide was 1/2 out and I had to keep the drive part way up the entire way down the channel to the ramp. We looked over to our right and could see ground under the water! We were proud of ourselves that we made it past this buoy twice and didn't get grounded. So, with the drive up, we can go thru 3 feet of water with no problem. But sure wouldn't want to make it a habit being in that water during Low Tide!

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

My boat sets in the mud at low tide. So I watch the chart close. The tide can be a good buddy most of the time and a real pain on occasion. A five to six foot change is not unusual here. Saw a boat load of "lobsters " one time. They had run aground at high tide and decided to weight for the next high tide to get off. Problem was they went aground on a 6.7 and 12 hours later they had a 6'2. I pulled them off. Along with the tide comes a current. So you really need to know that the tide flow is somewhat like AC current. always changing in height and direction. This can help you or hurt your speed. Some fish bite at low tide. some at low tide coming in and some at high. If you are in a busy anchorage or anchoring around barges. ships, tugs, you really need to know what the current is doing and when it will reverse. crossing some of the sounds with out knowing the tide and current flow can really be dangerous. When you meet a sail boat you will know what he can and can't do. Really need to bone up on the tide effects.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

I, too, live by the tides, although at home I can get in and out any tide. Not so on the eastern shore. But a couple of things to keep in mind: tide charts don't factor wind. 2 days of a stiff breeze from a certain direction can add or subtract 25% or more. Sometimes the tide never comes back in; sometimes it never falls. Not literally but point is, sometimes it doesn't change like the charts say. Talk to your locals.
Second thing is to know your range. If you have only a 2' tide, it may not affect your boating much, but a 4' tide or more will.

As for your boat, next time you are loaded and in the water, mark your waterline at the stern. Then when you are back on the trailer, drop your motor and measure down from the mark to your skeg. Also check and see how much difference it makes when you run with the motor up.

You can set your depth finder for the surface, the transponder and the bottom of your motor. Although they are useful, remember that they show what you already ran over--or hit.

Talk to the locals about the area around that one bouy.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

We were told by a Marine Repair to watch how much we raise the drive when going thru shallow water........to high could put too much strain on the u-joints! Guess, if a person sees the prop spinning around, it's TOO HIGH, right? It's sort of hard to gauge just how high the drive is when the water is "brackish", as the river here is where we launch and cruise in. Actually, we call it "root beer water" cause it is so dark.

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Regarding how high to trim... generally, when operating the engine (even on the trailer with muffs) you should only trim up as far as the TRIM switch allows.

The TRAILER button will raise it higher, but you ONLY use that for trailering.

Running the engine, even OUT OF GEAR will quickly trash your U-Joints if you're above trim range.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

ah, the beauty of the outboard

 

[emoney]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

42" of draft on a 20' Cuddy seems like a lot. We had a Glastron back in the day that was 20 1/2' (or very close) that pulled 33" and I thought it was deep.

Living on the Gulf Coast, we have no choice but to have tide charts. As a matter of fact, I've downloaded an "App" for my Android phone so I can check, as the water on top the shelf can get really shallow. Luckily, we leave on a main channel, but even it's narrow and if
you get caught meeting another boat of any size, it's pretty spooky. In the spring, our tables are so low that I've got a friend who can't even use their boat (4' draft on a 27' sailboat) because it's practically "grounded" at their dock most of the time. He's not on the channel and the developer seemed to take a lot of shortcuts when he/she laid this place out. I've taken my kayak out and followed the channel to get a real look, and man, it's short out there. I always thought you east-coasters had deep water in your back yard?

 

[nlain]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

We were told by a Marine Repair to watch how much we raise the drive when going thru shallow water........to high could put too much strain on the u-joints! Guess, if a person sees the prop spinning around, it's TOO HIGH, right? It's sort of hard to gauge just how high the drive is when the water is "brackish", as the river here is where we launch and cruise in. Actually, we call it "root beer water" cause it is so dark.

Idle speed only and just long enough to cross the shallow part, Mercruiser manual states that it is ok at idle.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Witht the drive part way up, we were able to go thru 3 feet of water by this buoy. With the drive all the way down, we got stuck twice by the buoy.
Gee, not to change my Thread, but I sure wish some boaters would keep to their side of the water when coming towards us. When "bow facing bow", I will turn our boat right of the boat coming at me, but then have had a boater turn his bow into me instead of going straight or over to his right more. It's also like when a boater goes under a bridge and stays in the middle instead of staying to the right like they are suppose to. Anyway, just had to add that little bit of "frustration" that happens, in.

42" of draft on a 20' Cuddy seems like a lot. We had a Glastron back in the day that was 20 1/2' (or very close) that pulled 33" and I thought it was deep.

Living on the Gulf Coast, we have no choice but to have tide charts. As a matter of fact, I've downloaded an "App" for my Android phone so I can check, as the water on top the shelf can get really shallow. Luckily, we leave on a main channel, but even it's narrow and if
you get caught meeting another boat of any size, it's pretty spooky. In the spring, our tables are so low that I've got a friend who can't even use their boat (4' draft on a 27' sailboat) because it's practically "grounded" at their dock most of the time. He's not on the channel and the developer seemed to take a lot of shortcuts when he/she laid this place out. I've taken my kayak out and followed the channel to get a real look, and man, it's short out there. I always thought you east-coasters had deep water in your back yard?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

half the boaters don't know which way to go, it seems. I hate it when it's busy and you have to keep reverse-guessing on everyone you meet. The recreational boaters are worse than the fishermen, but even a lot of them obviously are green.

"I always thought you east-coasters had deep water in your back yard?"

Funny, I always pictured the west coast as the deep water, with the mountains at the edge of the sea. Mid-Atlantic and down the coast, it's flat flat flat, and always shifting. But a soft bottom is a fair compromise.

 

[shrew]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

Keep in mind that charts show the depth is an avg (Mean Low Water) and can still fluctuate higher and lower. Tide charts are far more accurate and include the times.

Also, In most cases, the transducer on the hull is well below the actual waterline. If the transducer is 1.5 feet below the water line, and it reads you're in 3 feet fo water, you're actually in 4.5 feet of water. I don't care how much water is above the transducer. I only care about how much water is between the bottom and my running gear.

What I like to do is measure the distance from the transducer to the lowest point in the running gear. This gives you your actual draft based on the readings from the depth sounder. Whatever the distance from transducer to the bottom of the running gear, add your safety margin to that and set the depth alarm at that level.

 

[gimmieaclue]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

you can always just buzz through there on plane, won't have much in the water then and pretty sure most people are gonna get out of your way

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

shrew, you can usually adjust your readings to select water line, hull bottom or keel/motor bottom.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Tide Table & Boat Draft

We were told to use the Trim "up" button to bring up the drive when going to shallow water. We've been using the Trailer "up" to bring it up. Well, we decided to find out how far up the drive would come when using the Trim "up" button. I pushed the Trim "down" button so the drive went almost to the ground, but didn't touch......my wife was watching it. Then, I pushed the Trim "up" button and the drive only came up 3 1/2 inches (ground to stop) which isn't enough to get us thru 3 feet of water! So, it appears that I DO have to use the Trailer "up" button in order to get the drive high enough to get thru shallow water. The Trim "up" works fine when I use the Trim "up" and "down" level out the boat.