marina water depth ???????

[reefrunner7]

Trying to pick the right marina, northern elk river in upper chesapeake bay, my boat draws 3' 6" there are a few marinas that tell me at ultimate low tides a few times a year the water can drop to 3'. I'm worried about the boat sitting on the bottom. Anyone else deal with something like this? what should I do?

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: marina water depth ???????

depends on the boat and the bottom. Mine sets in soft mud 6 hours everyday. I drive it on a sand bar and let the tide go out.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: marina water depth ???????

it also depends on the boat.... an I/O that draws 3'6" trimmed down will draw less than 3' trimmed up

 

[arks]

Re: marina water depth ???????

Reefrunner-
I boat in the same area (straight-shaft inboards- 3' 1"draft), and the upper Bay is mostly soft mud or sand. If your boat floats a MLW (average low tide) I wouldn't worry too much about it. Yes there will be times when the tide stays low all day, but you'll quickly learn when to stay and when to go. Part of the experience of boating here. It WON'T hurt the boat if it's soft.
My slip is in Havre de Grace and the marina is dredged every 5-6 years. They try to keep 5' MLW but it doesn't last very long due to sediment from the Susquehanna. TS Lee dropped enough silt to close our marina entrance channel. Hopefully it'll be fixed by spring.

 

[Philster]

Re: marina water depth ???????

Ask at link posted (Upper Chesapeake Boating thread here on iboats), but it's almost a guarantee that it's mud (from everything I've heard about that area) and you will be like thousands of other folks whose boats occasionally touch the mud at a marina. That is a couple of times per season... probably if the wind and tides and line up just right AND if you are ready to use the boat will you ever be presented with a three-hour problem window.

::shrug:: Almost a non-issue.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=189770