Rudy and Jill's ICW Tips

NAVIGATING THE ICW

By RUDY & JILL SECHEZ
Reprinted from Trawler Training & Anchoring Consultants webpage, with permission

These rule-of-thumb are not to be followed blindly.
Apply in conjunction with other navigational tools; abandon their use when prudent.

TRUISMS

Don’t use your body as a fender.
If you are expecting bad weather, don’t plan on going faster, plan on leaving earlier.
You don’t have to pass fast, just safely; may be best to follow.
Better to stay onboard, than to try and get back onboard.
Better to keep the water out, than to try and get it out.

CHARTS

A chart’s accuracy is based on the accuracy of the equipment used for the survey on which the chart is based. Surveys can be many, even hundreds of years old, made by equipment that had accuracy less than that of navigational equipment in use today.
On charts, the term-See note ’X’- refers to information contained in the Coast Pilot.

MAGENTA LINE

Never trust the magenta line. It may have been drawn incorrectly, shoaling may have occurred, ATONs might have been moved or pulled out of position, or other situations may have developed since that line was drawn. Follow the magenta line only after you’ve evaluated its track.

AIDS to NAVIGATION

It is not wise to run too close to an ATON¾some ATONs are intentionally placed in shallows or on land, others may have become displaced
Little yellow triangles and squares (ICW marks) on aids to navigation (ATONs) are what indicate the ICW’s navigational channel, not the color or shape of the ATON itself.
Remember: yellow triangles-mainland side; yellow squares-seaward side. Yellow triangles are to be kept on the boat’s starboard side going south along the east coast, north along Florida’s Gulf Coast and west along the upper Gulf Coast through Texas. Reverse when traveling north or east.
The yellow ICW marks are small and often hard to discern from a distance; binoculars are helpful.
The shape and color of the ATON often corresponds with the ICW markings. But when the ICW merges with a waterway that uses the “red-right-returning” system, the color and shape of the ATON may switch sides, though the yellow ICW markings do not. Stay alert for this switch-check the chart. (see picture above-R10)
The timing of a 2.5 second light characteristic of an ATON is most likely to keep it from becoming in sync with other ATONs. When timing, just count to 2 or 3 seconds.
In river bends, there may be red or green diamond shapes located across the bend on the opposite shore. These diamond shapes indicate on which side has the deeper water.

NAVIGATING CHANNELS

Where confusion or uncertainty may develop, pre-emptively plot headings for upcoming course changes or when trying to identify new targets.
Travel from ATON to ATON by following the contour of the adjacent shoreline, particularly in bends and curves.
Unless passing another vessel, generally stay in the middle third of the channel.
To avoid shoals that often develop along the sides of the entrances of channels, do not turn into a channel until the boat is abeam of the middle of the new channel.
To avoid shoals that often develop along the inner portion of a bend, travel in the outer 1/3 of the waterway. In “S” shaped bends, which may have shoals along both the inner and the outer portions of the curve, stay in the middle 1/3 of the waterway.

BRIDGES

Signals, operational hours, and procedures for dealing with drawbridges are contained in the Coast Pilot and in 33CFR117.
A bridge’s monitoring VHF channel, phone number, and operational hours can often be found on signage, and in many cruising guides.
Not all drawbridges strictly follow the required rules for signally when opening or closing.
The lights that are located in the center of the navigable span, and hang just below, is a range. The vertical clearance of the bridge does not take into account the distance that these lights hang down.
In addition to the height given on vertical clearance boards, some bridges have signage indicating if additional clearance is present. (see picture above- far right)
Drawbridges close slow enough that an alert helmsman, if caught by a closing bridge, can back out of, or finish going through the span, whichever can be accomplished most safely.
An autopilot that functions with a magnetic compass will be affected by the mass of iron or steel contained in many bridges-these boats should be hand-steered through the navigable span.
Railroad bridges are usually left in the open position until a train is within “X” miles of the bridge, at which time the bridge will close and stay closed until the train is “X” miles past the bridge. “X”, in railroad parlance, is termed a “block”, and it varies from bridge to bridge.
VHF, horns, flags, lights, arms and shouting are all ways of requesting an opening; see the relevant Coast Pilot or 33CFR117 for their application.

LOCKS

Signals, operational hours, and procedures for dealing with locks are contained in the Coast Pilot and 33CFR207. Unlike bridge signals, lock signals do vary from region to region.
A lock’s monitoring VHF channel, phone number, and operational hours can often be found on signage, and in many cruising guides.
Methods use to request lockage, including ‘pull cords’ can be found in 33CFR207.

POWER LINES

To minimize “arcing”, the highest point on the vessel should clear the lowest line by a distance no less than the distance that the power lines are separated from one another. This distance is usually the difference between the vertical clearance of an adjacent bridge and the vertical clearance of the power line, often 10-15 feet.

CURRENTS & TIDES

Be constantly aware of the state of the tide. Use Tide Tables, Current Tables, and notice how much ‘scut’ is exposed at the water line on navigational aids, bridge fenders, shoreline, and on other fixed items.
Any time another body of water, large or small, intersects with the ICW, the current’s set or drift can be affected, sometimes markedly.
The current’s set and drift can often be seen by looking at the disturbance of the water around an ATON or other fixed item-do not confuse wind ruffles with current swirls. (see picture above- R8)
A helmsman who has been lulled into complacency or is relying on an autopilot may not be able to respond fast enough to counter swift changes in the current.
If the current is too strong, stop and wait.

WATER DEPTHS

A lead line is an excellent, low tech, and inexpensive way to establish depths. Its value is in its ability to sound depths elsewhere from where a permanently installed transducer is installed.
Don’t look so much for the deepest water, but instead for water that may be too shallow.
Depths, or the lack of, can often be “guessed at” by looking around, noting such things as wading birds, PVC pipes, vegetation, or snags.
Crab traps are often placed in 10+ feet of water, though in some locations, this depth might only be 4-5 feet-confirm first.
Lily pads, though it varies slightly, usually suggest 5’ depths along their edges.
Do not assume that the presence of another boat, especially a sailboat, denotes water that is deep enough for your boat. Even good-sized sail and power boats might have relatively shoal drafts.
You can assess some vessel’s drafts: For small outboard powered barges & push boats, approximately 2+ foot draft; large tugs, approximately 9-10 foot draft; large barges empty, approximately 2-3 foot draft; large barges full, approximately 9-10 foot draft.
If you are going to report shoaling, report both its depth and extent.
For locating “deep enough” water, use the chart, use your eyes, and study the water for clues such as changes in current, changes in color, or change in appearance.
The width of shoals along a shoreline can often be estimated by scaling to adjacent charted structures, such as piers, wharfs, or jetties.

WIND SPEED

White caps: start showing, few and small¾wind speed 7 knots
White caps: large, many and frequent¾wind speed 15 knots

WAVES

Wind speed 5 knots¾wave height 1 foot; wind speed 10 knots¾waves 2 foot; wind speed 15 knots¾waves 3 foot. Thirty percent of the waves will be higher than that noted above. All waves will increase in height over that noted above if the wind is opposing the waves.

HORIZON

Observer’s height 5’¾ horizon 2.8 miles
Observer’s height 10’¾ horizon 3.6 miles
Observer’s height 15’¾ horizon 4.4 miles

Distinguish large shapes (houses/light houses)- 8 miles
Distinguish light colored beaches- 4 miles
Distinguish large navigation aids- 3 miles
Distinguish individual windows- 2 miles
Distinguish small buoys- 1.5-2 miles
Discern color or shape of buoys- 1 mile
Discern movement of arms or legs- 400 yards
Discern faces- 200 yards
Rain, light gray- visibility 2 miles
Rain, medium gray- visibility 1 mile
Rain, dark gray or black- time to anchor

EQUIPMENT and REFERENCES

Extensive or expensive equipment is not required; in fact, quite modest, low tech, and inexpensive equipment can do.
It is wise to have the following onboard: charts, Chart #1, International and Inland Navigation Rules (COLREGs), Current Tables, Tide Tables, Coast Pilot, Light List, Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for Recreational Boaters, U.S. Coast Guard U.S Aids to Navigation System, cruising guides, basic navigational tools, binoculars, compass, hand-bearing compass, time piece, and the ability to establish Lat. & Long., determine depths, and obtain weather reports.
Be able to calculate high tide, low tide, and stand, as well as maximum flood, ebb, and slack current. Refer to the Tide Tables and Current Tables.
Access to interactive web sites, such as Waterway Guide Explorer and Active Captain can be useful.
Local mariners can be a useful source of local information.

ANCHORING

When choosing an anchorage, pick a spot to allow sufficient swing room if the wind or current may change directions. In any area where the boat might swing, check for sufficient depth at low tide and be alert for obstructions, above and below the surface.
If anchored in a dam controlled waterway, add the increase in depth above that of normal pool. Take this additional depth into consideration when selecting a depth in which to anchor as the water level may be lowered down to normal pool before you weigh anchor.
With more than ¼ mile of fetch and winds exceeding 10 knots, waves often develop which may make being anchored in that location uncomfortable.
Unless anchored in a ‘special anchorage area’, one designated as such by the Secretary of Homeland Security, and there are very few, the rules mandate the showing of a day-shape, and at night or in restricted visibility, an anchor light. The list of ‘special anchorage areas’ is given in 33 CFR 83.30(g); there are no ‘special anchorage areas’ in International Rules.
When anchored at night, or in restricted visibility, to increase being seen by other vessels, the more lights, the better. In addition to the 360° white ‘anchor’ light that is required by the Rules, having the boat’s masthead light and stern light on individual switches, will allow them to be turned on to provide more “see me” lighting. While lights of other colors may add ‘noticeability’, the colors used must not be the same as those for navigational lights-red, green, yellow, or in waters governed by Inland Rules, flashing, which indicates distress.

Any anchor deployed must be of a design that is capable of setting and holding in the type of bottom being anchored in, and be of sufficient size to hold in the wind speed and seas that might be encountered, including high winds that might show up unexpectedly, such as squalls, or nighttime thunder(less) storms.

You're going to need a bigger anchor! Rudy and Jill Sechez are a back-to-basics cruising couple who built their own "troller," which is depicted on the cover of their book.