Transforming the Non-Skid Decks

This article appeared in the July/August issue of Good Old Boat.


Anyone that owns or is considering the purchase of an older boat that is in need of some renovations has wrestled with what to do with worn or faded non-skid surfaces on the decks. There are several options including artificial materials glued to the decks, paints and coatings. Our Mariner 40 ketch, Sea Trek, has just had the 30th anniversary of the laying of her keel. We  lived aboard and cruised her extensively for 17 years and the repairs and renovations were ongoing from the beginning. While she had not been abused, she had not been used and was allowed to simply sit at the dock uncared for. Simple cosmetics like redoing the extensive teak trim was easy although time consuming. Our plans were two fold; first to bring her back to like new condition, and second to make her as safe and comfortable as possible for offshore and coastal cruising.


After a few short term cruises on the Chesapeake Bay, we came to several conclusions. One that stood out was the fact that the non-skid was non-skid no longer. Also, the finish was badly faded and worn, despite the lack of use. So we began our research of just how we might do this without spending serious dollars or hiring a professional. One of our goals was to do any repairs or renovations ourselves to save money, to improve our skills and knowledge, and to know that the boat was done to our liking and expectations. Our first attempt was to try the easiest and most obvious. We decided to paint the surface close to the original non-skid color and not change the surface texture. This first try was done using Awlgrip paint for it toughness and ease of application. We used a flattening agent to take the high gloss out so it would not be so slippery. This looked great but the reality was that underway with rain or seas breaking on the deck, we still had to crawl down the deck to go forward because you had a hard time keeping your footing. So it was time for plan B, and there is always a plan B.


With more research came several expensive and very labor intensive choices. If we went this route, the cruising would have to be delayed and we would have had to plan for a fair amount of our free time to complete the project. Almost by accident, we came across a post on a cruisers web site about a product called Tuff Coat by Ultra Tuff Marine www.tuffcoat.net that could be painted on the deck, came in different colors and was touted as a true non-skid that would not break the bank. The manufacturer claims the product is used in industrial applications and is used by military and commercial shipping alike. It sounded like the answer to our dilemma and more web research brought very positive feedback. And also as important, it fit into the budget. While we waited for the product to arrive we studied the installation requirements and even began preparations.

The first requirement was to thoroughly sand the surface to be covered with a 40- to 60-grit sand paper. Needless to say, this did a number on our painted surface and almost completely smoothed out the texture on the non-skid areas. We had to be very careful not to sand into the adjoining painted surfaces. Did I mention that we had completely Awlgripped the entire boat from the waterline to the masthead? Once the sanding was completed we cleaned all surfaces with soap and water and waited for the product to arrive.


For the square footage of our decks that needed to be covered we calculated three gallons and decided to order four. An epoxy primer recommended by the manufacturer was also needed so we ordered a gallon, plus the special roller applicators needed. The entire process was a bit more time consuming than we anticipated. As with any project like this the preparations are not only important but can take up the most time. The first step was to remove any deck hardware we were able to or felt that it would be more beneficial than leaving. There were some items such as handrails that would mean removal of interior headliners and such that we chose to leave in place. Once the items were removed, the painted areas and whatever was left in place needed to be taped around securely. Rounded corners and odd shapes required a bit more effort, and then a strip of 9” paper was added to the taped strips to prevent splatter. Getting all of this in place took much longer than the actual painting of the coating.


Once all of the taping was finished, we laid on the first coat of primer. This was in two parts that need to be mixed in the correct proportions. Once mixed, it must be used, since it cannot be kept for very long even in a closed container. We were able to mix enough to cover all of the decks on the first pass. A small paint tray and a 4-inch closed foam brush made applying the primer a quick and easy task. The primer is little more that the consistency of milk and only a light coat was needed. There is no need to sand the primed surface prior to the top coat. Once done, a 24 hour wait is required before the coating can be applied.


The final finish needs to be done in two coats. There is a special foam roller that is used for the application to give the surface a uniformed textured look and an ordinary brush to “dab” the topcoat in areas that the roller won’t reach. The coating has suspended particles that require thorough mixing throughout the process. We use a mixer attached to an electric drill to get a good mix in the can. The first coat is laid down in strips of about 3 feet rolled on alongside each other but not overlapping. Complete coverage is not important at this point but keeping the roller moving in the same direction is. Once an area of about nine square feet is covered, the coating needs to be rolled at a 90-degree angle to the first application and worked in until there is a pretty uniform coverage. Total cover is still not important yet, but a uniform texture is. In a short period of time, you get the technique down easily. This whole process is continued till the entire non-skid areas are covered.

Once the first coat is dry to the touch, the second coat needs to be applied. It is important that this be done quickly and not left until the next day. For us, once we were finished with the first coat it was dry enough for the second. The process is the same as the first coat, except that attention should be paid to getting complete coverage with this coat. To cover Sea Trek’s decks with two coats took us a total of three hours. Once the second coat is completed, the paper and tape must be removed immediately. Leaving the tape too long can pull the coating off of the edges when the tape is removed. As soon as the second coat was completed, we pulled first the paper then the tape around the edges. This can be a bit acrobatic while trying not to walk or lean on the coated areas. Once all of the tape and paper was removed, we had to just stay off the decks for several hours. After that, we were able to walk carefully on the surface in stocking or bare feet. Ideally we wanted to stay off for 48 hours to give it plenty of time to dry. The final step is to re-install and re-bed the hardware that had been removed. Any time hardware is removed and re-installed on the decks, we soak the holes for the fasteners with thinned epoxy to completely seal the deck core so it can not leak or absorb water if the bedding fails.

One of the big challenges in this project is not letting the decks get wet for 48 hours. Careful planning for weather, keeping your dock neighbor from hosing it down and other considerations come into play. One of our concerns was evening dew settling on the surface. We waited until there was no rain in the forecast and the relative humidity was projected to be low. This can be difficult with a boat sitting in the water. Perhaps done on the hard or in a shed with a controlled environment would be the best way to go. As it turned out we had no problems. The finished result looked fantastic and was better than we expected. Taking our time during the application process we were able to get a good looking uniformed texture that rivaled or bettered many factory finishes on the dock. But best is the entire surface was indeed a true non-skid which did not seem to be affected by water or the kind of footwear, or lack thereof, you might be wearing. It appears to be rugged and has held up to anchoring, piling chain up on the foredeck and whatever else we have done in the normal process of sailing the boat. Our entire time invested to completion was about three days. How long the finish will hold up and how long it will continue to look great…only time will tell. But for now we are very optimistic and would recommend anyone contemplating the refinishing of their non-skids to consider this option.

A Hatch From Scratch

Our article from the May/June 2009 issue of Good Old Boat

Sometimes a simple solution to a problem is not always simple. Although Sea Trek is a great cruising vessel, there are a few things we wanted to change. One draw back was the lack of good ventilation below. With six opening ports we thought it would not be a problem. But with ten-inch high bulwarks around the deck it left something wanting. The only deck hatch is forward over the vee-berth. This is great for sleeping but still not great for airflow thru out the main cabin. We added strategically placed solar vents and cabin fans but in the tropical areas we usually cruise it was still not enough.

Our main salon is very open and airy. We knew a center hatch was the perfect solution. It should have been an easy project to accomplish. Not being an experienced woodworker I knew I needed to seek professional help. I am not sure why but we just couldn’t get a carpenter to even come to the boat to look at or estimate the job for us. Some were willing to give us an exorbitant estimate based on my measurements, sight unseen. Believe it or not we went back and forth with this for six years.

One day I met up with a friend that had recently relocated back to our area. I knew he was a very good woodworker and had all the tools and skills necessary. When I mentioned my attempts to get someone to build a hatch he immediately offered to help make it happen. I was delighted to finally get this project started. Sea Trek is a very traditional looking vessel. The off the shelf hatches available just would not do. It had to match the forward hatch as closely as possible. Since that hatch was teak, this one needed to be the same. It also needed to be strong enough to withstand heavy breaking seas and handle the weight of someone walking on it.

The actual hatch size was to be 24 inches by 24 inches. We found a single piece of teak at a local wood shop that was ¾” X 10” X 9’. Cost was just under $200.00 including having the shop do some of the finished planning for us. Since we wanted the hatch to open in both directions, two sets of hinges with removable pins were needed. We also needed to dog it down in both positions, so two sets of latches were needed. A good strong pair of hatch holders to allow us to hold it open in any position rounded out the hardware. Total cost for the hardware was about $95.00. The final piece would be the Lexan top for the finished cover. We chose the dark smoked to again match the forward hatch. It needed to be very strong so we decided on ½ inch. This was slightly thicker than the forward hatch, but in it’s center location it would get walked on quite a bit. Cost for the Lexan locally was $81.00.

Then the construction was to begin. There would be two finished pieces. The main hatch itself measured 24”X24” on the outside and needed to be only 3 ½ “ deep. This would give us a low profile on the deck and fit flush with the headliner inside the cabin. A strip frame was added to the area that would sit above the deck. This would position the hatch frame at the right depth on the inside and give us an overlap on the deck for thorough bedding. Deck leaks are always a concern for us. All pieces were screwed and epoxied together with the screws countersunk and bunged. Next we needed a 1 ½” finished frame for the underside that would attach to the very bottom of the hatch. This was to nicely finish off the bottom that was flush with the headliner.

The second piece is the hatch lid. It needed to overlap the main frame so that water could not work it’s way under it. We decided to allow the lid to sit on the strip frame we added that would rest on the deck. This gave a nice even appearance when the hatch was closed. Everything gave the same appearance as the existing forward hatch. The hatch frame stood 2 ½” above the deck. The lid was 3”tall. But when it was closed, the entire hatch only stands 3 ¾” off the deck because of the overlap. We flush mounted the pieces of Lexan to the top and used a polysulfide sealant to make the Lexan watertight. All fasteners on the Lexan were counter sunk for a nice finished look. Next we added five, ¾” wide strips across the lid. This was both decorative and functional. It hides some of the fasteners in the Lexan and keeps it from getting too scratched when we have to walk on it. We decided that all corners would be overlapped instead of being mitered. This would give us greater strength. Also the finished frame and top needed to be square.

The next and most important step was the placement. I had designed it so that it fit nicely between two teak crossbeams on the headliner. Using the frame itself as a template, we drew out the inside area with a pencil on the interior headliner. Before anything else, we checked to be sure the template we had just marked was truly square. Next we checked to be sure the interior finishing frame would fit clear of any obstructions. I believe I rechecked each of these about ten times. Once I was satisfied that this was the spot, I drilled a ¼” hole through the headliner and deck at each corner. Now I was committed. The main section was then taken on deck and lined up with the four holes I had drilled. Once I was again satisfied with the positioning I drew an outline again using the frame as a template. This time using the outside dimensions. Once again, everything was check to be sure it was square. Then it was checked again….and again….and again.

Now comes the scary part. I was about to cut a two foot square hole right in the middle of my deck. I can’t tell you how many times I asked myself if I had totally lost my mind. We needed to do this in the neatest fashion possible. The executive officer was already making threats if one ounce of fiberglass dust got into the cabin. By taping plastic trash bags to the headliner outside of the area we were working in, we just about eliminated that problem. The exec stood by underneath with a vacuum running just in case. I was concerned that we might have wires for the cabin lights in the area so the saw blade was set to just cut through the deck. It was do or die time. When I get myself to this point I go a little crazy. I ask myself over and over, did I miss something? Was one small calculation off? This is major surgery. Finally, we cut off the power inside the cabin just in case and fired up the trusty power saw. Even with a good carbide blade, Sea Trek was not giving up this section of her deck easily. Finally the cuts were finished on four sides. Because the power saw blade is curved, the cuts did not go all the way to the corners. I needed to finish off with my saber saw, also with a carbide blade. Once the section of the deck was removed the headliner was exposed and no wiring was present. In hindsight, I might have cut out the headliner first to make sure. With that, I adjusted the power saw blade and retraced my steps to cut through the headliner. I now had a perfectly square two-foot hole in my deck. I was sure we would have torrential rains beginning in about three minutes and lasting for days.

Another decision I made was to not use fasteners to attach the hatch to the deck. Because the deck works to some extent and I wanted the hatch to work with it I decided to use a liquid fastener we commonly know as 5200. After carefully taping off the deck and the frame around the hatch I applied generous amounts under the lip and were the frame went through the deck. I used the mahogany color since it was kind of close to the teak. Next I positioned the lid on top of the frame without adding the hardware yet. And finally a five gallon bucket of water added just enough weight to the whole thing as to seat the frame solidly in the 5200 but not squeeze it all out. Then the messy part, cleaning off the excess. And this is how she sat for a week. I wanted it to be undisturbed until the 5200 had completely cured.

One week later the finishing work began. Before the hardware was attached we did the required varnishing. The interior headliner frame was fitted and since we wanted a screen to keep out the bugs we worked on that. A simple wood frame was made that fit inside the opening. A ¾” strip was attached at one end, which ran the length of the inside. At the opposite end on the corners two small 1 ½” strips were attached that could be turned to allow the screen frame to get past them. One end of the frame sat on the strip on one side and the other end sits on the small pieces on the corners when they are turned inward. A quarter turn of those two small strips lets the screen drop right out. I added some molding just above the screen frame so it could not be pushed or blown out the open hatch. Finally all the hardware could be attached.

This has more than surpassed our expectations. The difference this hatch has made in comfort and appearance to the boat was well worth the effort and the wait. The interior is even brighter than before and the amount of air circulation we have now is enormous. We now find we have to chase every piece of paper we put down, all over the cabin. It is not a project I would enter into lightly. The design and planning must be well thought out. I thought ours out for six years. A mistake could be very costly. But for those willing to tackle it, the rewards are wonderful. Careful consideration of structural integrity of the hatch and the decks, once these modifications are done should be at the top of your list. Our total expenditures for materials was about $400.00. This does not count the sweat equity. The satisfaction of such a project cannot be calculated.

Check Your EPIRB Registartion

We posted earlier about what happens when you activate your EPIRB. Now comes a notice that perhaps there is a problem with the EPIRB registration at NOAA.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - APRIL 23, 2009 - Cobham Life Support, ACR Products, the world's leader in safety and survival technologies, is urging all EPIRB and PLB owners to double check their 15-character identification code registration.

According to a recent Marine Board of Investigation inquiry, which is looking into the sinking of the scallop boat Lady Mary on March 24th, there was a discrepancy in the EPIRB's identification number, marked on a decal that the boat's owner had received from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after he registered the EPIRB.

In the case of the Lady Mary, the emergency signal initially received by authorities was regarded as unregistered which may have led to delays in response time while emergency center controllers waited for additional satellite passes to fix a location. Had the controllers been able to pull the Lady Mary's registration data, they could have contacted emergency contacts to confirm the status of the boat and its general location prior to a satellite fix.

"Because this situation came to light, we are urging all beacon owners to compare their 15-character identification code printed on the beacon with the registration sticker they receive from NOAA just to ensure they both match," said Chris Wahler, Marketing Manager for Cobham Life Support, ACR Products. "If there is a discrepancy, we urge the owner to contact NOAA immediately to correct the information."

An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) or PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) is a satellite-signaling device of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted and where the situation is deemed to be grave and imminent, and the loss of life, limb, eyesight or valuable property will occur without assistance. All US beacons must be registered with NOAA following purchase. Registration, including the beacon's unique 15-character identification code, often is made online at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov.

Despite the requirement to register all EPIRBs and PLBs, some reports show that up to 40 percent of EPIRB activations are from unregistered beacons, a possible deadly mistake when minutes can make the difference between life and death.

In an emergency, the EPIRBs and PLBs transmit on 406 MHz via the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system with the sender's unique, registered, digitally coded distress signal. The code allows emergency officials monitoring the system to tell who is sending the signal (thanks to the coding and registration data). Once the emergency is confirmed and location data is received from the satellites, a search can be authorized.

Wahler said proper registration is vital in the early minutes of an emergency so rescue center officials can obtain critical data about a boat's owner, home port, emergency contacts and other information to begin a search even before a satellite gets a fix on a beacon's location.

See our previous post at http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/search/label/You%20activated%20your%20EPIRB...%20now%20what%3F

Cruising On a Working Class Budget

Our Mariner 40 ketch, Sea Trek, has been our home for 17 years. In that time we have lived aboard and cruised her whenever the kitty reached the magic number we had set for our next voyage.

Since leaving our previous home base in the Florida Keys for this most recent trip we have put a bit more than 3,000 miles under her keel. We visited four countries and transited the coastline of five states — two with the largest coasts in the United States and two with the shortest. We have put 750 hours on our engine and that means eight oil and filter changes and five changes of our three fuel filters.

Our unscientific estimate of anchoring is that we have dropped and raised the anchor more than 190 times (and with a manual windlass). We were very fortunate in only having three pieces of equipment break down and we believe this is a result of good preparation and a good maintenance schedule along the way.

We only spent 127 days at a dock out of 20 months. We anchored behind a reef with nothing but ocean on the other side for thousands of miles. We visited remote Mayan villages and dispensed medicine to a people that once ruled the land in a grand civilization. We visited thousand-year-old ruins of that civilization. It has been a grand adventure. We also spent a few hard-earned dollars. Walk any dock or visit any cruisers’ hang-out or surf the Internet and stop in at any boater’s discussion board and the “How much does it cost?” question always pops up.

Our expenditures presented here are for one year only and do not include preparation, gear, provisioning purchased prior to leaving or money needed to get by once you return to reality, but before the paychecks start coming in again. It includes actual money spent from the time we left the dock until the end of the 12th month. Our cruise began April 1, 2005 and the figures are through March 31, 2006.

We enjoy eating out occasionally, and love to travel and explore the countries we visit. Boat maintenance and repairs are a fact of life and how much you need to budget for repairs is going to be mostly guesswork based on the condition of the boat and the age of your equipment.

Assuming that you have fully outfitted your boat with all the gear — watermaker, life raft, wind generator, solar panels, dinghy and outboard — that you feel you must have to enjoy cruising and to be comfortable and safe, you will then have to provision the boat with foodstuffs and other non-food items. Again, I am not counting this in our expenses, but mention it because there are some items we generally stock up on prior to leaving U.S. waters because they are often difficult or cumbersome to get in remote places. We buy toilet paper and paper towels in large quantities and store them in our largest hanging locker. (The clothes that resided there are packed away for the duration, off the boat and in storage in a friend’s garage.)

We also buy as much soda and beer as we can stow on the boat because it is much cheaper in the United States and it is easier than bringing it by dinghy back to the boat. A year’s supply of vitamins, herbal remedies, prescription meds, over-the-counter remedies, etc., are also placed on board. The over-the-counter medications are generally cheaper in the United States and you might have favorite throat lozenges and if, by chance, you can find them in Belize, they will cost two to three times the amount.

Regarding paying the bills: If you have a boat payment to make each month, have those payments automatically deducted from your account. We only use our debit card from that same account when traveling so we don’t have to worry about monthly credit card bills.

We decided to keep our car instead of selling it this time around so we had the insurance automatically deducted from said account every six months. The car was left with friends, who drove it instead of just letting it sit and rot. Any other bills that may be floating around get sent to us periodically through our mail forwarding service. They are great and will even open the mail and tell us how much the bill is if we can’t access it online, or if we don’t want to pay exorbitant postage to have it sent to us outside of the United States.

We also have made the decision not to carry health insurance while cruising outside the United States. If we need healthcare, we have found it to be affordable everywhere we traveled (except the States) and there are competent physicians in most places. Knock on wood — we have not had any serious health problems in all of our years aboard. This is a personal decision that someone with specific health issues may not be able to make. We don’t own a home or any property anywhere that has to be maintained and the kids are grown so when we are ready to go, all of the strings and umbilical cords have been severed.

Breaking it down

Now, after spending $1,000 or so putting canned foods, paper products, snacks, cookies, juices, shelf milk, rice and so forth into every possible nook and cranny aboard Sea Trek, we are ready to go. The budget consists of about nine months spent in the Western Caribbean and three months in the United States.

The category for boat fuel consists of both diesel for the boat and gas for the dinghy. Boat repair consists of what we paid others, and parts and materials for repairs and replacements that we did ourselves. We have found this figure to be pretty steady throughout recent years. Remember, the wear and tear you put on your boat while under way is much more than it would be just sitting at the dock, so these repairs are inevitable even for a relatively new boat.

The amount we spent on dining out was a big shock to us, but we have included all trips to the local ice cream shop and stops for sodas and beer as well as lunches and dinners in restaurants. If it didn’t get consumed on the boat, it was considered dining out.

Dockage was a fairly large figure for us, but it seemed we spent more time in marinas for various reasons than we usually do. In some places, anchorages just aren’t available due to shoaling or the anchorages have been replaced by mooring fields. In other areas, like Belize City, services can only be accessed by going into a marina. Entertainment included Internet cafes, CDs, museums, concerts, visiting ruins, satellite TV and the like. Travel is taxis, buses, rental cars, etc. Housing was our boat payment. Miscellaneous was haircuts, insect repellent and strange things that didn’t fall into other categories or cash that was spent that we could not account for. Maintenance included any item that was purchased to maintain the boat in her present condition. Most of the other categories are self explanatory and should not require any further explanation.

So here is how it breaks down per year:

Auto insurance (recreational use only) – $378.20

Gas for borrowed cars and rentals – $130.21

Bank charges – $270

Boat fuel (diesel and gas) – $1,440.06

Boat insurance (covering Caribbean) – $2,631.92

Charity – $13

Clothing – $63.02

Dining – $1,792.05

Dockage – $1,833.07

Entertainment – $654.46

Gifts – $229.02

Groceries/provisions – $3,828.54

Housing (boat payments) – $4,479.36

Laundry – $165.10

Maintenance – $888.97

Medical/doctors – $242.50

Medicine – $233.09

Miscellaneous – $730.39

Port fees – $608.83

Postage – $17.28

Subscriptions – $52.86

Taxes and registration – $45.60

Utilities/electric – $161.99

Phone – $304.40

Hotels – $395.07

Travel – $369.66

Our total expenditures for the year were $25,805.10. If your boat is paid off, you’re down to about $21,500 and the amount can be even less if you only anchor out, don’t eat out, etc. Again, we feel this amount is fairly accurate as other friends of ours whose boat is paid off figure they spend about $20,000 for a year off in the wild blue yonder. Surprisingly enough, as I look at our budget for previous years, the costs have not changed dramatically except in the areas of insurance and fuel.

Behind the numbers

To give you an idea of what boat repairs we encountered, the depth sounder transducer needed to be replaced and it had to be a special length so it cost more than your standard transducer. We hauled the boat and had the bottom painted, which should probably be in the maintenance category, but we had the depth sounder installed at that time so we considered it a repair. We also had our outboard completely rebuilt when it was becoming sluggish. We decided that our anchor rode was a little tired and should be replaced. Also, we had to buy a new microwave oven in Guatemala when the old one gave up the ghost. If it was on the boat and had to be repaired or replaced, it was counted in the boat repair category.

The last thing you have to take into consideration over and beyond the above-mentioned expenditures is the amount you will need when you return to keep you going until you are gainfully employed once again. We generally like to set aside about $3,000 for this.

Let your needs and considerations be the determining factors to help you compute your costs, but by all means go and have fun.

Changing Plans

We have often said our cruising plans were written in the sand at low tide. I can’t recall when we last left on a “planned” cruise and it actually ended as planned. This time has turned out to be no exception. To help understand why, you need to know that we are not cruising on a retirement income nor did we make big bucks in the stock market. Each of the extended cruises means years of planning, saving and working toward that goal. We settle in for as long as it takes, find the best employment we can in our fields and work on the boat while we are stashing everything we can save in the bank. We try to determine what the trip will cost and how long we will be able to stay out there before the bank account hits the magic number, telling us it is time to go back to work to begin the cycle all over again. That means each cruise must have a beginning, a middle and an end. Our average timeframe for each is 18 to 24 months. This strategy has allowed us to have some wonderful experiences for many years without fear that our plans might never come to fruition because of health or family issues. Unfortunately, we have seen many of our friends whose dreams were quashed for these same reasons, just when their goals were in sight.

Waylaid along the way

Sea Trek and her crew left Marathon, Fla., on April 9, 2005, for a long planned extended cruise through the western Caribbean to include Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, a Panama Canal transit and a trip up the Pacific Coast to Southern California.

A two-week stop in the Rio Dulce in Guatemala turned into a five-month visit — not only because it turned out to be a wonderful cruising ground, but because once we entered the river the hurricane season began with a vengeance. During that time we soaked up all that Guatemala had to offer. Inland trips to see the volcanoes at Lake Atitlan, several trips to visit Guatemala City, walks on the black sand beaches on the Pacific side and visits to the Mayan ruins in Copan Honduras. On two occasions we volunteered with other cruisers to do medical clinics in some of the remote Indian villages with “Jungle Medic” Bryan Buchanan and his wife Riechelle (www.junglemedicmissions.org). We watched as the months progressed and the storms marched across the Caribbean and took aim on the coastline of the United States. We actually left the river in October and only traveled 50 miles north into Belize when another storm chased us back.

The brute force of nature

The Gulf Coast seemed to become the primary target area for these ferocious storms. As we watched from the safety of the Rio Dulce, we also realized that time was going to run out on us and we would have to backtrack to the United States instead of pressing on south through the Panama Canal. As we watched the destruction along the U.S. coast on CNN through the local satellites, we began to wonder what we could expect once we returned. Our first glimpse came as we arrived in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to make the final jump back to the United States. As we approached the island we noticed that something was different, but we could not immediately put our finger on it. As we sailed closer it became apparent that it was the strange, almost reddish color coming from the shorelines. Finally we came to realize that this was the color of the mangrove trees that cover most of the western shore. They had been stripped of all green vegetation. Sunken boats and wreckage were everywhere and some facilities were still not operating as they had when we passed through eight months earlier.

Our stay in Isla during the Christmas holidays was still a pleasant one, albeit a little shorter than when we passed through the previous April. An excellent weather window opened for us to cross the Gulf Stream the next three days, so off we went on an extremely calm motor back to the Florida Keys.

An altered landscape

On New Year’s Eve 2006, we crossed the reef off Marathon and dropped anchor just outside Boot Key Harbor Channel at about 9 p.m. As we approached in the dark using known GPS coordinates and our radar, we noted what at first appeared to be an island showing up on the radar screen. We knew that was not possible so we approached carefully and realized as we got closer that it was a large group of boats anchored outside of the main harbor. This was the first indication that things had changed since we left — and not for the better. Hurricane Cindy crossed the Gulf and made landfall near Grande Isle, La., around July 6. Hurricane Dennis had passed just west of Key West around July 9 and made landfall near Gulf Breeze, Fla., on July 10. The now infamous Katrina made landfall Aug. 25 in the Miami/Dade area and passed just a few miles north of the Keys. Katrina re-entered the Gulf and we have all seen the devastation in the New Orleans area. On Sept. 20 Hurricane Rita intensified about 100 nautical miles east southeast of Key West and then increased in strength and passed within 40 miles of Key West. Rita marched across the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall Sept. 24 at Johnson’s Bayou, La., just east of Sabine Pass. And it still wasn’t over. On Oct. 24 Wilma made landfall near Cape Romano, Fla., just north of the Keys. These were all areas we were about to cover since we had decided to relocate our base of operations to Kemah, Texas, on Clear Lake, just south of Houston rather than the Keys — our base for 10 years.

Closed for business

We decided to make our transit via the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway instead of a direct crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. These decisions were made after a great deal of research regarding the condition of the waterways and what facilities would or would not be available along our route.

The most damage to the boating infrastructure in the Keys appeared to be on the gulf or “bay” side. The downtown waterfront of Key West also took quite a beating. The reason we found so many boats anchored outside Boot Key Harbor was the harbor had become extremely crowded, even more than normal for this time of year. Many marinas in the middle Keys on the bayside had been destroyed. To add insult to injury, one of the more popular marinas in Boot Key Harbor had survived but had been converted into private condo slips, selling for $225,000 and not available to transients. Two other marinas in the harbor have been taken over by a large corporation and have doubled their transient slip fees. Many boats had been damaged in the storms and repair facilities were stretched to the limit. The three marinas in Marathon with haulout capabilities were fully operational. An added problem for these facilities is that many of their former employees left to avoid the storms and did not return, leaving them shorthanded. We found this problem was not confined to Florida, but is a problem all along the Gulf Coast. Some marinas will only take transients for a day or two and another large marina with slips in Boot Key Harbor and on bayside closed completely this past June. Plans to renovate and reopen are up in the air, but we’re told this facility will be closed for quite some time.

Settle in and regroup

Our stay in Boot Key Harbor stretched on to six weeks. During that time we had strong fronts coming down from the mainland, bringing heavy rain and winds of 30 to 40 knots, sometimes for days. We took an unscientific count and estimated there were well over 400 boats in the harbor, anchored on top of one another. Each front brought boats swinging and dragging into each other and some interesting conversations on the VHF. Sea Trek was fortunate enough to find a small corner of the harbor that avoided the potential for disaster that seemed to arrive about every three days like clockwork. Having multiple anchors out and well- set was a matter of survival. We did use this time to relax as best we could, visit friends and take care of business that we could only do in the States. Things like renewing our communications source (a cell phone), restocking on good old American groceries and making a few minor repairs on the boat, since the marine supply store was a short dinghy ride from where we were anchored. It began to feel like we would be trapped in this harbor for months. Twice we had received weather reports of a break in the fronts, only to have those reports change significantly the day before we planned to leave. Anyone who has been following our adventure is well aware of our feelings about the ability of the NWS to accurately predict the weather anywhere near a watery portion of the planet. If sailing has taught us nothing else, it is patience and after what seemed like a long time, the front began to get lighter and soon began to dissipate north of our position. It was a good sign, and eventually our opportunity to escape arrived and we jumped on it. Once again we would be sailing into new territory and with all of the destruction we had seen from the media we were a bit apprehensive. But then that is the case any time we strike out for parts unknown. The entire Gulf Coast lay ahead of us with well over a thousand miles to go.

Welcome Home

After being in the Western Caribbean for well over 12 months, we expected some changes when we returned to the United States, but were totally unprepared for the extent of those changes in such a short time. This was especially true of what had been our home base for the past 10 years, Boot Key Harbor in the Florida Keys. Replacement and rebuilding of marinas and resorts are still in progress from the 2005 storm season and with the closing of a major transient resort in Marathon as well as conversion of several facilities to expensive condo slips, most anchorages that offer decent protection have become crowded. In the major boating centers of Marathon and Key West access to shoreside resources and attractions from anchored boats is also growing more scarce. 

The situation in Boot Key Harbor will only continue to worsen for those traveling to the Keys looking for open anchorages for the winter months when the current plans to expand the present mooring field to more than twice the present size is implemented. On the plus side, it will bring some organization to the Harbor and the dangers of your boat being damaged from anchor draggers should lessen. The moorings will help alleviate the pressures left from the loss of slip space and the doubling of transient rates of marinas still open to the public. Another issue that compounds the crowding in these harbors is the weather patterns that prevail during most of the winter months. Even though the crossing from the mainland United States to the Bahamas is much shorter from West Palm Beach or the Key Biscayne/Miami area, many boaters come to the Keys for a period of time and then make a direct run from either Marathon or Key Largo to South Riding Rock on the Florida Straights of the Bahamas Banks. 

Typically the winter fronts extending from low-pressure systems moving from west to east across the United States will come off the southwest Texas coast and move southeast until they pass through the Keys. In the height of the winter boating season those fronts can push through every three days for weeks and weeks. They can pack lots of rain and winds up to 40 knots that might blow continuously for three to five days. As they blow out a new front comes through and the whole thing begins anew. Making the 48-hour run to a sheltered harbor in the Bahamas is difficult for many sailboats, so you begin to feel “trapped” after several weeks go by with no breaks in site. This was the case for us after an incredibly calm, quiet motor from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, across the Gulf Stream to return to the Keys.

Across the Gulf

After six weeks in Marathon, we began our slow transit along the Gulf Coast. From this point on we were entering new territory for us. Our first stop was Little Shark River on the west coast of Florida. From our anchorage in Boot Key Harbor to our planned anchorage near the entrance to the river we would cover 44 miles across the open Gulf. That meant we would prepare ourselves and the boat the same as if we were heading out into the open ocean. Even though it looked like we would have a good solid five-day weather window to move north, we had been fooled before.

As we headed out of the harbor and motored under the Seven Mile Bridge for the trek north, we found the forecast east wind coming out of the northeast at about 15 knots and the day was cloudy and cool considering how far south we were. That means motorsailing and that’s what we did for all but two hours of the transit. At around 3 in the afternoon the easterlies finally kicked in and we actually sailed for a couple of hours. The Shark River is a hurricane hole for boaters in the Keys and south west Florida so we know the river is deep enough for Sea Trek’s 6-foot draft, but we also know the entrance can be tricky since nearby shoals do shift around after storms.

As we approached the outer markers we were having a case of deja vu all over again. The same reddish hue over the landscape that greeted us in Isla Mujeres was clearly present all along the coast here. The damage to the plant life was quite stark since all of the trees were virtually stripped of leaves and other vegetation was dead from the intrusion of salt water from last year’s hurricanes. As we got closer to our planned anchoring spot, however, there was a hint of returning growth.

We were amazed since so much time had passed since the hurricane season of ’05. By our estimates, it may take another year or more for the area to return to normal, assuming no more major storms make landfall here. Facilities in Flamingo and Everglades City near Cape Sable were beginning to rebuild and recover but are still limited. One of our concerns was the availability of fuel since we knew this would be a motoring trip more than a sailing one. Prior to leaving Marathon, we collected the phone numbers of as many marinas and facilities as we could find along our route. The plan was to call ahead by cell phone to keep track of what was open and how far we might need to travel before food, fuel and whatever else we might need would be available.

From Little Shark we moved on to Indian Key just west of Everglade City and found the landscape to be the same. This was the area where Wilma made landfall and it took on a bleak appearance.

We dropped anchor just inside Indian Key Pass near our friends on the trawler Diamond Girl that we had met in Marathon. We had dinner together and did a little dinghy exploration.

The boat traffic from commercial fisherman and shrimp trawlers was pretty heavy and they ran all hours of the day and night. And they ran past us at full speed, some throwing up very large wakes.

In addition to Sea Trek and Diamond Girl, there were another three boats at anchor. It is a lovely anchorage, but unless you can find a spot well off the main channel we would not do it again. Care must be taken outside the main channel since shifting shoal areas will put you hard aground. The bottom is sandy so this can be no more than an inconvenience, but anytime you are anchoring you need to consider the boat’s draft, the current state of the tide and the tidal range for the geographic area you are in.

Feeling our way

From Indian Key our next stop was Marco Island and we already had received reports of the problems there from the storms and from proposed restriction of anchoring vessels. Many channel markers along this route had been damaged, destroyed or relocated and could not be relied upon. As we entered the channel into Marco Island, we paid close attention to our depth sounder and used our GPS with our electronic charts to try and maintain the channel and stay out of the new shoal areas that had shifted due to wind and seas from the storms. Just as you enter the main channel to Marco Island a very popular anchoring stop known as Coconut Island no longer exists and is now only a very shallow area that is completely submerged. The island was actually destroyed by a storm two years prior. Once inside the main anchorages of Factory Bay or Smokehouse Bay, you are completely protected from weather in almost any direction. In Factory Bay you can access shoreside facilities from the large marina at the north end of the bay.

In Smokehouse Bay access is via docks at a new and very large shopping and restaurant complex, and is completely free. We were anchored in Factory Bay with several other boats but only saw two boats anchored in Smokehouse Bay. Marinas are open, and fuel and groceries are readily available. Many restaurants, shopping centers theaters and marine supply stores are within easy walking distance from either bay. There has been a move to restrict anchoring here, but the local government has seen the light and for the time being that is not an issue, but as with all else in Florida that can change tomorrow. Boat traffic is very heavy here during the day but they all seem to go home after sunset. The currents run very strong in the channels but both bays are relatively free except for tidal changes. Our three days here were pleasant and relaxing and we highly recommend Marco Island as a must-stop if cruising this coast. 

After three days at Marco we moved on to Fort Myers Beach but found that the entire anchorage had been converted to moorings and unless we planned to stay at one of the marinas or pay for a mooring buoy we were not welcome. Basically when we asked where we might anchor, we were told to either pay for dockage or leave — so we left. It did appear that most facilities were functioning here, but we know very little about service or availability. We anchored in San Carlos Bay for the night and headed north in the morning. From this point on we would be traveling on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway instead of in the open Gulf as we had been up until now. Mile Zero begins at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River where you can continue on along the GIWW or head across Florida on the Okeechobee Waterway. The stretch from Mile Zero to the southern tip of Pine Island Sound is known as the Miserable Mile because of the strong currents that sweep across the marked channel at a sharp angle and can put a slow-moving vessel in shallow water if the skipper is not paying attention.

We must have hit the “mile” at just the right time around slack water since we had no current and actually found it to be a picturesque section of the waterway. The only negative was the enormous amount of small boat traffic the skippers of which seemed to have no clue as to how to safely pass another vessel. Our mileage for this day would be a short 21 miles to a beautiful anchorage across from Useppa Island that we shared with six other boats. Useppa is a private island with restored cottages and a mansion built around 1912 complete with a museum, tennis courts and a 16-foot-by-16-foot chessboard with 3-foot-tall pieces. Our anchorage was just outside the waterway channel markers so once again we had the wakes from passing boat traffic to contend with. From Useppa we worked our way to Manasota Key, and anchored just behind the highway bridge. Anchorages here are few and are just outside the waterway channel. As the tide went out over night we found ourselves aground but by midmorning the next day the tide came back in and we were on our way.

Along the GIWW

This stretch of the Florida west coast seemed to be untouched from the storms of the previous years compared to what we had seen previously. All of the marinas were open for business except those being converted into condos and there were several of those. Fuel and grocery stops were plentiful and we enjoyed some great weather for the next couple of weeks. All of the cruising guides for this stretch warn about shallow water and with Sea Trek’s 6-foot draft we were a bit concerned. But as long as we did not stray outside of the marked channels, we found plenty of water and indeed only saw water below 7 feet in one area near an inlet. Most of the rest of the waterway averaged 10 to 12 feet. But keep in mind that depths and bottom configurations are constantly changing so finding and using local knowledge is important. We subscribe to one of the commercial towing services and armed with their telephone numbers all along our route, we only had to make a call to one of their captains and we could get up to date details on channel changes, shoals and missing markers. Our travels along the GIWW, through Tampa Bay, and on to Tarpon Springs and beyond were a very pleasant transit with great anchorages in charted deeper waters and beautiful scenery. Except for occasional fog, which is not uncommon in the spring and fall, it was a very relaxing cruise. But more about that later.

Feeling Our Way

One of the tensest days of our entire trip began on a beautiful morning as we left our anchorage at Manasota Key. The day started with us aground after a tide shift moved us over a shallow spot and the tide dropped to mean low. With a short hour wait and a bit of maneuvering through the soft mud bottom, we were back in the channel and under way with only a minimum of inconvenience.

Ninety minutes later Sea Trek was transiting the Venice Avenue Bridge at Statute Mile 56.6 and we noticed what at first looked like smoke just beyond the bridge. As we crossed under the bridge and it was closing behind us we realized this was a fog bank and it was quickly getting denser.

This stretch of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is very shallow outside of the channel and we knew of no place Sea Trek could pull over and anchor with her 6-foot draft. So continuing on was our only option and we could only hope the fog would soon burn off as it usually did.

In situations like this we need every electronic weapon in our arsenal. Our radar becomes the most important piece of equipment on board. We immediately slowed to idle speed but had to keep the engine running to maintain forward movement, which made hearing other boats more difficult. We also use our laptop with an electronic chart program running to have a better handle on our exact position. But exact is not always the case with these programs and having it interfaced with the radar would have made a huge difference. I added this to the to-do list.

One of us stood watch on the foredeck with binoculars and we communicated with FSR radios, but the fog had quickly increased so we could hardly see from the bow to the stern. We used the radar to try and find the channel markers and the chart plotter to keep us heading in the direction of the channel.

Soon several additional targets were picked up by radar, which turned out to be signs and abandoned pilings just outside of the channel in shallow water. Another problem soon popped up on the radar screen as a fast-moving target seemed to be heading straight for us. We came to a full stop and waited, and suddenly out of the fog came a small powerboat running what seemed to be far too fast for the conditions. This would happen to us several times in the next several hours and we were flabbergasted by their carelessness.

The fog continued all day and we slowly picked our way from channel marker to channel marker using the radar and plotter. Careful monitoring of the depth sounder was essential and the day turned out to be a real nail-biter. We eventually arrived at the anchorage off downtown Sarasota and found a spot clear of what seems to be a community of permanently anchored vessels. It had been an exhausting day and feeling the anchor take hold and finally shutting down the engine we sat back and let the relief wash over us. A nice surprise was to find free Wi-Fi service for downtown Sarasota easily accessible on the boat.

The comfort of old friends

After a two-day rest we moved on to Ruskin off of Tampa Bay to visit some of our old cruising friends from the Bahamas and the Caribbean. The large marina in Ruskin was being converted to condos but one of our friends was a manager of the project and was able to arrange a slip for us. Our sail up the bay under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was very relaxing after our previous experience.

It is always good to visit with old friends, especially fellow cruisers, and we had a wonderful visit. The three days went by fast, but we knew we needed to move on. We had other friends to visit just across the bay near St. Petersburg. A short 3-1/2-hour sail and we anchored once again just off the waterway behind Long Key.

The next day we moved to a dock behind our friend’s house. The charts do not cover the depths in any of the canals in this area so we tiptoed in slowly and paid close attention to the depth sounder. As it turned out the canals were much deeper than the waterway itself and we had no problems. We had not seen our friends for many years so we had a lot of catching up to do. It was nice being tied to a private dock instead of a marina for a change. After another few days we untied the dock lines, said goodbye and headed out for our next stop which was Tarpon Springs.

Our plan was to run the 30 miles to Anclote Island and anchor in the popular bay on the east side of the island. The weather forecast from the National Weather Service for the day would have made this a great sail and put us in the lee of the island — but this was not to be. The winds turned out to be 15 to 20 on the nose and the anchorage we planned to use was exposed and rolley. We had heard of an anchorage just inside the Anclote River near a park and boat ramp so we decided to give it a try. We knew we could not make Tarpon Springs before nightfall and did not want to navigate the river at night.

The anchorage turned out to be deep enough, but is very narrow with no swinging room and a very busy boat ramp gave us incentive to be up and out early the next morning; but only after we waited for the tide to come up enough for us to power off the bar at the entrance.

We had a wonderful weeklong stay at the City Marina and enjoyed the sights, sounds and tastes of Tarpon Springs.

Bridges and shallows

From Tarpon Springs to Carrabelle or Apalachicola, the trip is offshore into the Gulf of Mexico. Most skippers choose to either run along the coast just far enough offshore to avoid the shallow waters found in what is known as the Big Bend or make a direct run from Tarpon Springs to their destination. We chose the direct route to save mileage and time.

The distance to Apalachicola across the Gulf is only seven miles longer than to Carrabelle, but if you make landfall at Carrabelle and take the inside route to Apalachicola it is 25 miles longer. There is also a 50-foot bridge on the inside route, which we could not pass under with Sea Trek’s 57-foot main mast. We went directly to Apalachicola and entered the Bay through St George’s Cut, more commonly known as Government Cut. All of our guide books told us this was a well-traveled deep cut used by commercial vessels.

As we entered the cut at half-tide, the depths went from 30 feet to 20 feet to 6 feet inside the cut with a very strong current. At 6 feet we were aground but Sea Trek has a wide full keel so grounding usually means we just park.

But there was also a pretty good swell running in from the Gulf since the winds had been out of the south for the previous few days. Each swell lifted us off the shallow bottom and pushed us a little farther through the cut until we were in deeper water. Fortunately Sea Trek is a well-built vessel and is completely unaffected by this kind of punishment as she has proven over the years. We would not recommend this for vessels of less sound construction and one should take care making this entrance.

Once completely through the cut we found 12 and 15 feet of water inside the bay and anchored behind St. Georges Island for the rest of the day and that night.

Early the next morning we hauled up anchor and moved up the channel to Apalachicola, where we had planned to do a quick haul out to check our zincs and the prop and running gear. We had not done this since Guatemala. It was routine maintenance for us and had nothing to do with the grounding.

The only facility in Apalachicola turned out to have a very small lift and after a brief attempt, we called off the haul out since it was obvious that it could not haul a boat the size and weight of Sea Trek.

The manager also informed us that this marina was being closed soon and torn down to make way for a condo complex. We heard this same story over and over again along the entire Florida coast.

Although there appeared to be some storm damage here, mainly to waterfront docks and restaurants, all marinas and fuel docks we encountered were open and operational.

Stopovers quiet and crowded

We continued along the waterway to Saul Creek, a small narrow tree-lined creek six or seven miles farther on. Here we spent a few days in quiet solitude, our only visitor a Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer in his patrol boat, who stopped by for a friendly chat.

From there we moved on only about 14 miles to White City, where there was a (according to our FWC officer) free tie-up at the town’s launch ramp.

The name White City is a bit misleading since we did find the free tie-up at a nice park setting with a small boat launching ramp. But there is no city, only a handful of private residences and a small convenience store about three-quarters of a mile from the park. The store mainly sells beer and soft drinks along with bait and snacks. They do have gas pumps, but do not sell diesel. You can leave trash and take on water at the dock.

From here we needed to re-enter the Gulf of Mexico as there are a few fixed 50-foot bridges along this section of the waterway that we cannot get under.

From our tie-up at White City, out to the Gulf by the five-mile-long Gulf County Canal and into the entrance at Panama City was only about 32 miles. After passing under the 65-foot bridge in Port St. Joe, we followed the deep ship channel out of St. Joseph’s Bay into the Gulf. From this point we stayed a few miles offshore and quickly arrived at the entrance to St. Andrews Bay. Upon entering the ship channel, Grande Lagoon to port is a favorite stopover here. The channel into Grande Lagoon has been recently dredged and channel markers installed. Entrance is easy, but be aware that boat traffic is very heavy.

As we entered the lagoon we noticed a number of vessels both power and sail still pushed up on the shoreline of the State Park on the south side of the bay. Boats were also sunk and sometimes upside-down outside the marked channel a bit farther in. Construction on the north shore was going on for both new buildings and repairs of damaged buildings. All of the local marinas were open and fuel was also available here.

This is largely a powerboat community, but the channels are deep enough and dockage can be found for deeper-draft sailboats. Haul-outs for sailboats are not available in Grande Lagoon, but powerboats can be hauled.

The wakes from passing boats makes this an unpleasant anchorage for anything other than a short time.

After resting overnight we moved up into the Bay to Watson Bayou. On the way we passed the municipal marina downtown, with all facilities in the heart of Panama City. But we usually opt for the more out of the way anchorages and were soon comfortable in Watson Bayou. There is a nice small marina that has been here for many years, but has apparently succumbed to condo fever. It, too, is to be closed soon and all of the slip renters displaced.

Several boats are anchored in the Bayou here and have obvious damage, some with masts down and hulls cracked and scraped. There are also a few boats washed ashore including one that is sitting perfectly upright, as if it was in storage. This entire bay will soon be developed into a large condo complex with access to slips and shore-side facilities only available to owners. We spent more than a week here waiting for some cold heavy weather to pass since it is well protected.

One last offshore run

Once again we needed to head out into the Gulf because of the height of the fixed bridges along the waterway. This was another overnight for us and we left Panama City in the early afternoon and arrived in Pensacola early the next morning.

Even though our runs offshore should have allowed us to do some sailing, we found the lack of wind and the direction made it necessary to motor most of the distance we covered. We were, however, pleasantly surprised with an eight-hour sail at the outset of this passage.

The entrance to Pensacola is a military and ship channel so it is deep and well-marked. There are marinas with transient slips, haul-out facilities and fuel available in Pensacola, but keep in mind they are out of the way and off the waterway. We entered the bay then continued west and anchored behind Perdido Key in Big Lagoon. We had planned our fuel stops to skip Pensacola and fuel up in Orange Beach, Ala., only about eight miles from our anchorage stop. This area is still recovering from Hurricane Ivan, two years prior, but the two main marinas directly on the GIWW in Orange Beach have been repaired and reopened with full services including a couple of great restaurants and some of the friendliest folks we have met along this route. We stayed a couple of days longer than we had planned.

From Pensacola on, the rest of our trip to Texas would keep us on the waterway and on the relatively protected inside.