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Check out our South Florida Boating Guide!
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Taking Your Boat Thru Local Inlets South Florida boating inlets - Jupiter inlet, Lake Worth inlet, Boynton inlet, Boca inlet, Hillsboro inlet, Port Everglades inlet, Haulover inlet and Miami / Government Cut.
The 7 Reasons Inlets Are Dangerous It’s the Waves, Stupid!As the sea floor rises near inlets, depths become shallower. When deep ocean waves travel over these shallow depths they become larger, steeper and in the right conditions, can crest and break. That’s why surfers surf near the shore – it’s where the waves are.
Shifting Sandbars Other SurprisesTidal flows, hurricanes and other events alter the sea bottom. Sandbars shift and change constantly. Unfortunately, charts do not always reflect these changes.
Techniques and Tips for Navigating an Inlet Know your inlets The inlets here in South Florida vary greatly in terms of difficulty, from “all weather” to “fair weather only” to “local knowledge required’. And then there’s Boynton Inlet, which belongs in the “Have you made peace with God” category.
Warning: A shameless plug. Our South Florida guide has detailed information including routes and aerial photos of all the local inlets.
And then there's Boynton Inlet, which falls into the "Have you made peace with God" category.
Put on your PFD’s before you get
in trouble. Make sure your VHF is on and the channel is set to
16. Make sure everything is stowed or secured. Loose items can
become missiles in rough inlets. On smaller boats the placement
of crew can make a large difference in how the boat handles -
even out the passenger load from side-to-side and front to back
for optimal handling. Time the tide
The tide, and more specifically
the tidal current, has a huge impact on conditions at the inlet.
Slack tide is generally safer than ripping tide, in either
direction. Likewise high tide is preferable as you will have
more depth in the inlet. It may make sense to wait for the tide
to change in your favor.
Going too slow can have the opposite affect, you may be overcome by the following sea and have your stern swamped. If you take water over your stern and into the cockpit, goose the throttles to force water out the scuppers.
The trick is to maintain a steady position and vary your throttles to stay in the safe position on the backside of the chosen wave.
Heading into large waves If you are heading directly into the waves, you want to point your bow into them and go fast enough to maintain control but not so fast that you launch, go airborne and lose control. Launching makes for good pictures (see above) but it is not the safest tactic for obvious reasons.
Pointing your bow just slightly
off to the side, up to 20 degrees or so, can provide a more
controlled ride. But obviously don't let the waves take you
broadside!
Turning around in the middle of an
inlet in dangerous conditions can be disastrous. It may make
more sense to continue through, turn around in the open ocean
and then proceed back through the inlet in a controlled manner.
This is a judgment call. Wave conditions can be notoriously difficult to judge from sea level – they usually appear smaller than they really are. One trick is to hang back and observe others boats as they pass through the inlet. Pay close attention to bow spray which can be seen much farther away than the waves themselves. In rough winter seas it’s not unusual to first spot boats on the horizon by their bow spray.
Just say NO! If in doubt, drive down to the inlet and check out the conditions before you leave the dock. We were based out of Boynton Inlet for 2 years and this was standard procedure for us. If returning from offshore, divert to an easier inlet if conditions become difficult.
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