Groundhog Day

Stodge

From the WashingtonPost:

Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most famous furry forecaster, failed to see his shadow on Tuesday morning, meaning spring is right around the corner, or so the folklore says.

The groundhog’s prediction came around 7:25 a.m. in Punxsutawney, Pa., with fair skies and temperatures in the mid-20s.

If this winter’s days truly are numbered, it will be remembered for both its mildness and brevity. Since December began, most of the Lower 48 has experienced above normal temperatures, the Blizzard of 2016 on Jan. 22-24, also known as Snowzilla, notwithstanding.

Michael T

Not asking for trouble up here but we NEED some snow now or a lot of rain this Spring. If not the prop shops will be busy with prop repairs and skeg re-builds!

Stodge

Actually the predictions are for better than average but less than last year.

http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/GreatLakesInformation/GreatLakesWaterLevels/WaterLevelForecast/MonthlyBulletinofGreatLakesWaterLevels.aspx

Michael T

@Stodge, thanks for the info - fingers crossed! I have to bring our boat down the Rideau Canal System through 15 locks to the St. Lawrence River.

Parks Canada guarantees 5 feet of draft. Of course, there has to be enough water to do that! 

My 2014 EC 360 draws 47" draft - not much room for error - or low water!

Dream_Inn

Really MT, 47" draft?  That's like a foot more draft than my 400 (with drives down).  I've actually taken mine several times thru areas under 30" cause when tide is high (with drives up), I can't fit under a bridge back to my marina and have to go a back way.

Michael T

Yes @DI. I have measured it from the waterline markings to the skeg and then in the water using my scuba gear. I was really taken aback and not too happy. A friend's 350 with 6.2s sits way higher.

Remember your boat is a LOT wider and longer than mine and therefore has dramatically different displacement data and front to rear pivot points.

Straight laws of physics at play here. My engines and drives are heavier than yours and I also have 5 AGM batteries.

I wish it weren't so but it is. 

Stodge

Move your booze to the bow and your stern will sit higher.  

jme097

Lmao^^^

Michael T

Geez I'm trying to think how much booze it would require to counteract those 502s LOL

Dream_Inn

MT, you are definitely right about the physics of it...just never thought it was that much different.  It is truly a foot different.  I'll have to actually measure mine, you have me quite curious.  Should be easy to do on the lift.  Does your waterline look much different than other 360s?  Curious what the brochures said for draft of your boat.

Michael T

Yes, @DI my waterline is a LOT lower than 350/360s with 350 Mags or 377 Mags. Also, a lot of the guys "only" have 4 batteries (2 starter + 2 house) and many also have series 24 or 27. I have 5 AGMs that are series 31.

The brochure said "drive down, 36"....too funny.....maybe with an empty boat on the assembly line! LOL They probably used their "dry" weight of 15,550 pounds!!!!!

When my gel coat/bottom coat guy did my barrier and bottom coats he (thank God) set the line at the back (stern) 3" higher than I thought would be necessary. When I am fully loaded the waterline is right at the bottom coat line.....that's what got me measuring and holy cr*p I nearly had a heart attack - 47" .....Geez!

Handymans342

47 inch depth? You are an official trawler now MT!!

Dream_Inn

Heck, I was almost thinking a blow boater!  Put some sails on her!

Michael T

Yeah Steve - a 50 MPH trawler, LOL

Handymans342

MT, no way you run that boat 50mph for 5 hours straight

Michael T

Agreed, that would be way too hard-on the engines and my wallet. But I have run it at 40+ for awhile when I thought we might be late for a dockside party!

85% of the time my boat lives at 3400 RPM, the rest at 1000RPM -idle through slow zones or slow cruising with the Admiral's friends on board.

rasbury

I think my 270 is supposed to be a 37" draft which is pretty good for the coastal areas around Fl as the water is pretty skinny when you get out of the channels. It's pretty amazing- I'm sure Handy can attest, you can be half mile off shore, and further, and be bumping the bottom in the gulf. I have been on the inner coastal in that area on a super low tide and see exposed sand on either side of the channel....now that's some skinny water! 

Handymans342

Thats why I got a Pontoon Ras. 
Maybe because your 270 has one motor its sits in the middle and lower but my advertised draft on my boat is 35 inches. I will measure tomorrow to bottom of props. 
By the way, on the maiden voyage of the toon it was amazing. We saw a lot of dolphins and we saw where the river water meets the clear ocean water of the gulf. Looked wierd

craigswardmtb

You have me curious now. My 360 with 496s has touched the sand a few times in what seemed to be water where it should not have. 

rasbury

I wish I could retire over in your area Handy...probably a little more north of where your at in the Port Charlotte area. My neighbor just bought some property over there and is building a home. Heck, I just wish I could retire! My wife did a few years ago, she worked for the county and got a very sweet retirement. Any any rate, there are just endless places to explore over there and some fantastic back water fishing I'm told. don't give up on the cruizer though! I would like to get down into the 10000 islands/Marco Island area also. I like remote places....when I can convince the admiral to go on the hook (she likes marina life) hopefully will do more of that. I need to finish my enclosure and then I think she will be more interested....I hope.

Handymans342

Ras, every local person we talked to about Port C was drug infested and too much crime. So we chose the Cape

Handymans342

Ok I just measured and my draft is 34 inches to the bottom of the keel. Water line down to the bottom of the drives is 47 inches. 

Dream_Inn

Interesting.  That would mean your entire drive and transom assembly is under water.  I know mine is not.  I've got to get to the boat to do some measuring!

Handymans342

Yes it is Dream, your dreaming. LOL

Michael T

Oh yeah,  my drives and TA is TOTALLY under water! 

rasbury

Hmm...so is the draft including the drive ot just the hull? I thought it would include both...

Handymans342

I guess its only the hull

Michael T

Ras my concern is how close my props and skeg  are to the bottom,  so I measure the distance from the waterline (normal load)  to the bottom of the skeg while IN the water. It was 47  FRIGGIN' inches :-(

MarkB

Draft is from the waterline to the lowest point of the boat. So handy's draft is 47".  Now most depth sounders measure from the bottom of the hull so there's an intrinsic safety factor built in UNLESS you have already input a draft offset. Some (most) systems will allow you to add the depth the transducer is at to give a true indication of water depth.

Handymans342

Lowest point being the drives, correct?

MarkB

Whatever is going to hit the bottom first. On every cruiser it's normally the skeg on the drive. Draft is the minimum water depth you need to travel in without hitting bottom.

However a lot of people in skinny water still hit bottom because they don't take waves and momentum into account. One friend was on a boat and went over a hard rock shole. Waves moved all water out every 20 seconds or so and they were banging bottom hard!