How to get started navigating a trip route?

[jimrockireland]

We are planning a boat trip from Hampton, NH to Damariscotta, Maine this summer. I have a 1983 Wellcraft 196 Sunhatch with a MCM228 engine and a Standard Horizon GX1600 radio with external GPS receiver antenna. We will stick pretty close to shore and hope to make the trip in 1 day. Looking for advice on: best place to get navigation charts to plan best route and info on re-fueling along the way. Up until now all our boating has been on inland lakes. I would welcome any other advice you might have.

 

[shaw520]

'Active Captain' is a app you can download to laptop or phone,... can provide charts and marina info, area specific.

 

[shaw520]

Also,..with a 19 fter, your going to want to keep a close eye on the weather and sea's,... NOAA

 

[redneck joe]

Buy the hangeld standard horizon as well. The one that floats

 

[SeaDooSam]

That should be a nice ride! I would probably stop in Portland for gas if you can make it to there- not a bad place to explore either! Navionics had a pretty good trip planner I believe in their website and there is a very good app.

 

[wrvond]

Active Captain is what I use most to plan my river trips. If you have an iPad, Aqua Map US is a great app that integrates with Active Captain.

 

[dennis461]

We are planning a boat trip from Hampton, NH to Damariscotta, Maine...... Up until now all our boating has been on inland lakes. I would welcome any other advice you might have.

Do you get seasick? My first time 'out front' as we call it down here, I got terribly sick as soon as I hit the swells.
I was mostly in rivers and small bays in NJ with my 20' IO, never sick boating rivers, bays, and ICW.

 

[jimrockireland]

Thanks for the advice. I registered with Active Captain and the maps are awesome. I don't have an ipad, but will take a look at Navionics to see what they offer. I've been on the ocean a few times - mostly when we lived in Ireland.- and have never really had a problem with sea sickness. The only time I felt a little queasy was on a ferry from Galway to the Aran Islands one night. The seas were really rough and you could smell the diesel fuel all through the boat. There were a lot of rail huggers on that trip.

 

[southkogs]

Navionics is what I use the little bit that I'm on big water. iPhone screen can be tough to see in the sun, but I got along fine. I did a little write up on the app HERE.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Yep buy a chip plug it in and go, should be readily available.

 

[dennis461]

..... I've been on the ocean a few times - mostly when we lived in Ireland.- and have never really had a problem with sea sickness. .....

Great to hear!

Next learning from my families mis-adventures.

Our day trip in a 34' sailboat turned real bad when thick fog rolled in and all on-board electronics died.
Luckily I had my automobile GPS with me and we used to to figure out where we were as we tacked down the coast.

Kept close to shore to determine distance from shore and find our destination inlet.

 

[redneck joe]

You going tto document trip here? I'd like to follow it.

 

[dingbat]

Looking at the map, your journey involves navigationing a number of areas where rivers and inlets enter the ocean.

Tides can turn an otherwise managable body of water into raging river in a matter of minutes. Waves can come out of nowhere from unexpected directions. Make sure you know your tides before leaving. Be prepared for the sea breeze that picks up late afternoon.

Suggest you check the coast guards local notice to mariners the day before for any problems along your route

 

[shrew]

I would suggest taking the boat by trailer

1) That is not a suitable vessel for that trip.
2) If you are unfamiliar with how navigate with a chart, compass and GPS, then you are not suited for that trip.
3) That area is prone to fog. You really should consider radar.
4) It will be very hard to remain near shore passing Casco bay
5) In a 19 ft. boat 4 ft. seas will significantly slow you speed. Expect the potential of having to run at 10-14 kts in a boat that small. (14kts would put you in a 10-12 hr day)

 

[redneck joe]

All above is accurate however a canoe can make it in the correct conditions. Weather, prep, knowledge and plans to get out of big water at every step.

 

[jimrockireland]

Shrew's comments are somewhat alarming. My daughter has proposed this trip and researched using our boat on the ocean. She claims if the seas are calm people take this model boat out for whale watches. Does anyone have any info on the suitability of a 1983 Wellcraft 196 Sunhatch for this kind of trip?

 

[redneck joe]

There are weather days an ocean liner is not suitible for that trip.

closed bow boat, I'd have no issues doing it. That said be prepared. Be ready to cancel if any questionable weather. Know the tides and the inlets to use as 'escape routes'. Wear life vests.

 

[dingbat]

Shrew's comments are somewhat alarming. My daughter has proposed this trip and researched using our boat on the ocean. She claims if the seas are calm people take this model boat out for whale watches. Does anyone have any info on the suitability of a 1983 Wellcraft 196 Sunhatch for this kind of trip?

My first boat was very similar to yours.

I was fearless and got beat up more than a couple of times in the process. I never felt in any "real" danger but had several humbling experiences along the way.

The boat just wasn't heavy enough for open water on all but the calmest days. If you can keep forward speed up you're in pretty good shape but when things got even mildly rough it boobed like a cork. That good size boat on the trailer suddenly became a not so big, wish I had a bigger boat once you leave the inlet.

It looks like your trip is 100-125 miles. You could increase that distance considerably should you need to hug the coast and can't cut the corners off. That's pretty ambitious plan for a first time in a 19 ft.boat out front.

Having said that, pick your days and make contingency plans for a two day trip and hope to do it in one.

Just remember....not leaving the dock is an option....returning to the dock is not.

 

[shaw520]

Like stated above,...on the right day the trip could be made in a rowboat,... on a bad day you may need a bigger boat with a more advanced navigation system. Its always better to be over prepared than under prepared. That being said, safety equipment,.. a very close watch on weather and sea's, (just because its sunny out doesnt mean there wont be 4-6' breakers) Watch wind and wind direction,.. plan/plot/ and chart well ahead and have all and any escape routes well marked.

 

[redneck joe]

And if you can break into two days, with a hotel and dinner out along the way - why not?

i'm planning a run ~250 miles each way (on a river) which I could do in a long day but i'm planning to split into three days.