I've just concluded a 10 day solo cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway from Hilton Head Island (SM 565) to the St. Johns River south of downtown Jacksonville and return.
I thought the TugNuts might like some of the speed and fuel data I collected during the cruise in Little Lady.
The First Mate had an invitation for a girlfriends reunion down in Vero Beach, Florida, so I took the opportunity to see what 9 nights would be like on my R-21EC.
I collected the appropriate charts through the maps-on-demand service at West Marine, studied the Waterway Guides Atlantic and Southern and kept the Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook close at hand.
The hardest part of the whole trip was to pilot the Ranger Tug, read the commentary about the route and follow magenta lines on the GPS and chartbook. (I only ran aground once as Little Lady plowed into pluff mud and reeds near Ft. Oglethrorpe on Jekyll Island. Full Astern is a wonderful concept.)
Provisions were stored primarily under the Vee berth. I took lots of bottled water, soda, cereal, boxed soy milk, pasta, sauces, nuts, crackers, and dried fruits. Breakfasts and Dinners were at the dock, but Lunches were taken underway. Multi-tasking quickly became a survival technique.
RPM remained fairly constant at 2600-2650.
Given my lack of experience, I had planned a marina-only trip and intend to save testing the hook for the future.
Day One: From homeport of South Beach Marina on Hilton Head Island (SM 565) to Kilkenny Marina in Georgia (near SM 615).
Total mileage: 47.5 NM
Diesel consumed: 5.9 gallons
Average moving speed: 6.3 kts
Gallons per hour: Approximately .75
Highlight: To go from the resort community of HHI to the rural haven of Kilkenny Creek.
Day Two: From Kilkenny Marina (near SM 615) to Golden Isles Marina at St. Simons Island, Georgia (SM 674).
Total mileage: 56.2
Diesel consumed: 7.1 gallons
Moving time: 8:27
Average moving speed: 6.6 kts
Gallons per hour: .84
Highlight: Experiencing the marina culture and vast differences of cruising boats and lifestyles.
Day Three: From St. Simons Island (SM 674) to Fernandina Beach Marina, Florida (near SM 715).
Total mileage: 39.2
Diesel consumed: 4.8 gallons
Moving time: 6:08
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Gallons per hour: .78
Highlight: Passing through the high-security area of Kings Bay Submarine Base without a hitch.
Day Four: From Fernandina Beach (SM 715) to south of Jacksonville on the St. Johns (and back to the city dock JAX).
Total mileage: 48
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 7:28
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Highlight: Cruising right through downtown Jacksonville and seeing the St. Johns River.
Day Five: City dock Jacksonville through Mayport and back to Fernandina Beach Marina (SM 715).
Total mileage: 44.3
Diesel consumed: 11.6 gallons
Moving time: 7:00
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Gallons per hour (two days): .80
Highlight: Feeling confident about navigating major commercial and military waterways.
Day Six: Fernandina Beach Marina (SM 715) to Lang's Marina in St. Marys, Georgia by way of Cumberland Island National Seashore.
Highlight: Piloting my own boat to a barrier island national park.
Day Seven: St. Marys to Jekyll Island, Georgia
Total mileage (two days for all these figures): 50.7
Diesel consumed: 6.53 gallons
Moving time: 8:08
Average moving speed: 6.2 kts
Gallons per hour: .81
Highlight: Using the marina's complimentary bicycle to get fifteen miles of exercise after being on a boat for a week.
Day Eight: Jekyll Island to City Dock in Darien, Georgia (Blessing of the Fleet) via Frederica River ICW Cut-off.
Total mileage: 26.7
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 4:31
Average moving speed: 5.9 kts
Highlight: Witnessing the local party of the Blessing of the Fleet -- complete with fireworks and rock concert (both RIGHT next to Little Lady).
Day Nine: Darien, Georgia to Delegal Creek Marina (near SM 605).
Total mileage: 55.5
Diesel consumed: 10.8 gallons
Moving time: 8:58
Average moving speed: 6.1 kts
Gallons per hour: .80
Highlight: Watching Bald Eagles engage in their morning routine.
AND -- Coming through the very rough sounds in Georgia at the Atlantic Ocean.
Day Ten: Delegal Creek (SM 605) to South Beach Marina on Hilton Head Island (SM 565).
Total mileage: 35
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 5:37
Average moving speed: 6.3 kts
Highlight: I learned that even in local territory, I can't just follow a GPS trail and give up actively navigating the boat.
Overall impressions:
A wonderful, confidence-building cruise.
The boat is more sure-footed than her captain, but I am learning.
My constant visual inspection of systems while underway discovered several potentially serious issues which were corrected in short order with no resulting problems (sea strainer clogged, bilge pump clogged, spotted alternator bolt working its way loose).
I'm trying to convince the First Mate that this family needs a bigger Ranger Tug for more extensive cruising.
Kent
I thought the TugNuts might like some of the speed and fuel data I collected during the cruise in Little Lady.
The First Mate had an invitation for a girlfriends reunion down in Vero Beach, Florida, so I took the opportunity to see what 9 nights would be like on my R-21EC.
I collected the appropriate charts through the maps-on-demand service at West Marine, studied the Waterway Guides Atlantic and Southern and kept the Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook close at hand.
The hardest part of the whole trip was to pilot the Ranger Tug, read the commentary about the route and follow magenta lines on the GPS and chartbook. (I only ran aground once as Little Lady plowed into pluff mud and reeds near Ft. Oglethrorpe on Jekyll Island. Full Astern is a wonderful concept.)
Provisions were stored primarily under the Vee berth. I took lots of bottled water, soda, cereal, boxed soy milk, pasta, sauces, nuts, crackers, and dried fruits. Breakfasts and Dinners were at the dock, but Lunches were taken underway. Multi-tasking quickly became a survival technique.
RPM remained fairly constant at 2600-2650.
Given my lack of experience, I had planned a marina-only trip and intend to save testing the hook for the future.
Day One: From homeport of South Beach Marina on Hilton Head Island (SM 565) to Kilkenny Marina in Georgia (near SM 615).
Total mileage: 47.5 NM
Diesel consumed: 5.9 gallons
Average moving speed: 6.3 kts
Gallons per hour: Approximately .75
Highlight: To go from the resort community of HHI to the rural haven of Kilkenny Creek.
Day Two: From Kilkenny Marina (near SM 615) to Golden Isles Marina at St. Simons Island, Georgia (SM 674).
Total mileage: 56.2
Diesel consumed: 7.1 gallons
Moving time: 8:27
Average moving speed: 6.6 kts
Gallons per hour: .84
Highlight: Experiencing the marina culture and vast differences of cruising boats and lifestyles.
Day Three: From St. Simons Island (SM 674) to Fernandina Beach Marina, Florida (near SM 715).
Total mileage: 39.2
Diesel consumed: 4.8 gallons
Moving time: 6:08
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Gallons per hour: .78
Highlight: Passing through the high-security area of Kings Bay Submarine Base without a hitch.
Day Four: From Fernandina Beach (SM 715) to south of Jacksonville on the St. Johns (and back to the city dock JAX).
Total mileage: 48
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 7:28
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Highlight: Cruising right through downtown Jacksonville and seeing the St. Johns River.
Day Five: City dock Jacksonville through Mayport and back to Fernandina Beach Marina (SM 715).
Total mileage: 44.3
Diesel consumed: 11.6 gallons
Moving time: 7:00
Average moving speed: 6.4 kts
Gallons per hour (two days): .80
Highlight: Feeling confident about navigating major commercial and military waterways.
Day Six: Fernandina Beach Marina (SM 715) to Lang's Marina in St. Marys, Georgia by way of Cumberland Island National Seashore.
Highlight: Piloting my own boat to a barrier island national park.
Day Seven: St. Marys to Jekyll Island, Georgia
Total mileage (two days for all these figures): 50.7
Diesel consumed: 6.53 gallons
Moving time: 8:08
Average moving speed: 6.2 kts
Gallons per hour: .81
Highlight: Using the marina's complimentary bicycle to get fifteen miles of exercise after being on a boat for a week.
Day Eight: Jekyll Island to City Dock in Darien, Georgia (Blessing of the Fleet) via Frederica River ICW Cut-off.
Total mileage: 26.7
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 4:31
Average moving speed: 5.9 kts
Highlight: Witnessing the local party of the Blessing of the Fleet -- complete with fireworks and rock concert (both RIGHT next to Little Lady).
Day Nine: Darien, Georgia to Delegal Creek Marina (near SM 605).
Total mileage: 55.5
Diesel consumed: 10.8 gallons
Moving time: 8:58
Average moving speed: 6.1 kts
Gallons per hour: .80
Highlight: Watching Bald Eagles engage in their morning routine.
AND -- Coming through the very rough sounds in Georgia at the Atlantic Ocean.
Day Ten: Delegal Creek (SM 605) to South Beach Marina on Hilton Head Island (SM 565).
Total mileage: 35
No diesel purchased
Moving time: 5:37
Average moving speed: 6.3 kts
Highlight: I learned that even in local territory, I can't just follow a GPS trail and give up actively navigating the boat.
Overall impressions:
A wonderful, confidence-building cruise.
The boat is more sure-footed than her captain, but I am learning.
My constant visual inspection of systems while underway discovered several potentially serious issues which were corrected in short order with no resulting problems (sea strainer clogged, bilge pump clogged, spotted alternator bolt working its way loose).
I'm trying to convince the First Mate that this family needs a bigger Ranger Tug for more extensive cruising.
Kent
