Distance, NC

[Tac1300]

I am looking to motor my macgregor down the ICW from Virginia Beach, VA to Wilmington, NC. I would be coming down with the mast down. How many nautical miles is it and also how long would it take. Thanks for the help.

[SENCMac26x]

I planned for 12 hours motoring @10 knots to get to Beaufort from Wilmington, which is probably a little under halfway.

I'm thinking 3-6 days?

Any reason your motoring and not trailering?

[Tac1300]

It's my Dad's boat. He has had it for a couple of years but doesn't really use it all that often. He lives in Va Beach, and I'm trying to get it to Wilmington, NC. It was my Dads idea, I'm thinking he just thought it would be fun. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Tyler

[Chinook]

I would suggest that you pick up a copy of The Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook, most recent edition, which shows the route all the way down. Navigation markers, mile markers, anchorages, bridge locations and clearances for the entire route are shown in this handy chartbook. The copy I have is spiral bound, so it's easy to flip pages in the cockpit as you go along. It's an essential supplement to your GPS chart, since you can easily scan forward and get the big picture. An accompanying cruising guide for the stretch you'll be on would also be handy, providing info on marinas, fuel docks, and grocery store locations. I'd also suggest running at a modest speed since the ICW in many stretches is a fairly narrow dredged channel, and sometimes the Corps of Engineers isn't all that up to date on their dredging. Even a Mac can ground on the ICW if you stray.

[Tomfoolery]

It was my Dads idea, I'm thinking he just thought it would be fun. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I think your Dad is right. Make an adventure of it. Don't rush it. Since it's a one-way trip, you're not likely to do it again, so what's the rush? You don't even need much by way of supplies, as there is civilization all along the route.

If you're in a hurry, use a trailer. If you want to have some fun*, use the water.

*5 hours on I-95 and I-40 with a trailer stopped being fun for me in my late teens or early 20's. With age comes wisdom.

[Seapup]

I think your Dad is right. Make an adventure of it. Don't rush it. Since it's a one-way trip, you're not likely to do it again, so what's the rush? You don't even need much by way of supplies, as there is civilization all along the route.

If you're in a hurry, use a trailer. If you want to have some fun*, use the water.

*5 hours on I-95 and I-40 with a trailer stopped being fun for me in my late teens or early 20's. With age comes wisdom.

Well Said

Where are you putting in at in VB?
The oceanfront VB is about 35 miles to get to Mile Marker "0" and Mundens Point at the bottom of VB is down near MM35, about 70 miles & 2 days with a half dozen bridges and a lock apart.

Also, when are you planning on it? Spring is the best time IMO. Its still a bit cold now and by June it gets hot and buggy. April/May are perfect. I am doing the upper part VA/NC (Chesapeake Bay Bridge through Norfolk to Manteo & back) as roughly 200 mile loop leaving in 2 weeks. I figure 7-10 days and am prepared to leave the boat at a marina if it takes longer due to bad weather.

Its definitely worth doing via the water but not worth doing if you have less than 10-14 days IMO. Wilmington is roughly 275 miles from MM0 without any side stops. I like 25 miles per day average on the ICW as a comfortable pace. Yeah you can do a lot longer in some stretches, but you don't want that everyday. May as well trailer it then. Sleep in or skip one day and your schedule is blown. I like at least one short or rest/play day for every 2-3 travel which averages out to 25. After a few days its a relaxed rythm.

Why mast down? It won't help too much with bridges, they are mostly either still too low to go under or well above our short mast. Crossing the Abermarle is a nice long sail too.

[SENCMac26x]

On a related note, where are you keeping her in Wilmington?

This area is lucky to have several other Mac Owners nearby.

[tp56ihs]

Yep, Lets us know when you get here (Wilmington).

[mastreb]

I planned for 12 hours motoring @10 knots to get to Beaufort from Wilmington, which is probably a little under halfway.

I'm thinking 3-6 days?

Any reason your motoring and not trailering?

10 knots is a pretty uncomfortable speed in a Mac with the way these things wallow when they're transitioning to a plane. I'd plan on 7 knots max, 5 knots for best overall range and comfort.

[cptron]

When were you planning this trip? I am hosting a Southport Sail in May. Check out the post in forum, destinations. Go to around page 10 or 11 for the latest dates and itinerary. We would love to have another mac in the area join us.

[dlandersson]

Keep your eye on news re: the ICW. I seem to recall reading that part of it (don't know which part) is being closed for maintenance.

I am looking to motor my macgregor down the ICW from Virginia Beach, VA to Wilmington, NC. I would be coming down with the mast down. How many nautical miles is it and also how long would it take. Thanks for the help.

[NiceAft]

My two cents is do your due diligence, but you know that already; then do it. Anyone who has not done mile after mile on the water in your Mac for a couple of hundred miles do not know the thrill, the rewarding challenge of such a trip. Enjoy.

[Be Free]

You all know this is a 2015 thread, right?

[NiceAft]

actually, no. I will admit, I’m embarrassed.


His last post was 2021 :

[Be Free]

If he hasn't arrived by now I think it's probably a lost cause.

BTW, I've made the same mistake. I like to catch up on older posts when I have time (currently mid-2017) and I've accidentally replied to some without realizing that I've moved into the "historical" posts.