Family Boating: A waterway road trip
5/25/2004 1:23:51 PM by Sandy Lindsey
The boating road trip is an excellent way to get the family together and at
the same time have a vacation that’s fun, innovative and avoids
congested highways. This kind of family trip might seem to require an
overnight cruiser complete with galley, head and staterooms, and it’s
great if you have one – use it. But, with some planning, the 17-foot
runabout sitting on a trailer in the driveway may be all that’s needed
to take the family on the marine “road.” With many miles of navigable
rivers, linked lakes, the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic Ocean and
Gulf waters to choose from, a huge chunk of the state can be safely
accessible via small boat. Even overly-familiar vacation areas take on
an entirely new perspective when viewed from the water.
Lewis and Clark pioneered the waterway road trip, making much of their
way west in small open boats, camping along the shore at night. It’s
even easier to do so now, since you won’t need to shoot buffalo to feed
your crew and modern navigational aids mark the route. Traveling during
daylight hours in good weather and with a working knowledge of the
Rules of the Road, your reliable runabout may be all you need to make
even extended voyages. Obviously, an express cruiser or houseboat would
provide the comforts of home, but not having one is no reason not to
go. Asmall boat is not much different from driving a convertible on a
highway road trip, stopping for meals and lodging.
Traveling by small boat requires you to be more alert to weather
conditions, stay out of the way of larger boat traffic and be able to
find accommodations and rest rooms ashore. In return you get up close
and personal with the water, see the country from a perspective few
even know exists and share an adventure that will bring the family
closer.
Make the most of each day by tossing out the anchor to have lunch,
swim and explore a small town or island. If the kids are get antsy, put
them on an inflatable water toy and tow them along on calm stretches of
water.
To avoid risking a mutiny, the boat needs to have at least a few
basic amenities: comfortable seats, a bimini top and windshield and a
smattering of creature comforts like coolers, a sound system and
on-board storage for personal gear. In addition to the basic safety
gear, the boat MUST have a VHF radio to monitor weather conditions and
communicate with other boats, locks and marinas, binoculars for reading
distant navigational markers, a comprehensive first-aid kit and
large-scale charts of the area you are traveling. Road maps just won’t
cut it on the water and small-scale charts won’t provide the detail you
need to tell the right fork from the one leading to the Death Swamp. A
cellular phone is also a good idea, but is absolutely not a substitute
for a VHF radio. Get the whole family involved in finding a destination
and route that is not only navigable all the way, but has fuel, food,
restrooms, lodging and scenic opportunities. Match each day’s leg to
what you’ll be seeing and err on the conservative side when determining
each day’s mileage to account for reality and idle speed zones.
Forget spontaneity -- use the charts so you know beforehand where and
approximately when you will refuel, eat and sleep each day – then give
a copy of this float plan to someone who can alert the authorities in
case you run into trouble. Sleeping in the boat is technically an
option, but spending the night ashore is worth the extra cost.
Campgrounds offer the most cost-effective lodging, but you’ll need
basic camping gear. Staying at waterfront motels is a great way to make
the trip simpler, with a warm shower and soft bed waiting for you.
Refer to charts, check your local library for appropriate travel guides
or use the Internet to find places to stay along the way.
Meals afloat can range from casual affairs dredged out of the boat’s
cooler, cooked over campfires or found at waterfront restaurants along
the way. Even if you plan to eat only at restaurants, provision the
boat with drinks and snacks to tide you over and just in case you get
delayed along the way.
Rest rooms are perhaps the highest priority when planning a waterway
road trip and the best bet will be using those at fuel docks, marinas
and any parks along the way, where it’s perfectly acceptable to tie off
and take a break even if you don’t buy anything.
Above all, have fun, take in the scenery and enjoy each other’s company.