Ice in the NJ ICW

[Bikewfish]

We are currently , Dec 27, headed south aboard our Kadey Krogen Manatee, m/v Pelican,and landed at the head of Barnegat Bay yesterday. We were not expecting so much ice as we came out of the Point Pleasant Canal into the bay. We have sailed the coast of NJ but are new to the NJ ICW.

Today we attempted to continue south only to lose our raw water intake after about 20 minutes of ice breaking down the channel. We limped back to a slip, put a hair dryer on the intake, and cleared the ice filled strainer.

We have a warm rain forecast in another 72 hrs that will help but would like to use the next few days to continue.

If anyone has any first hand experience with the NJ ICW going south in the winter and whether or not we might expect to find normally clear water, advice is much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[psneeld]

It will alternate between the shallower, more brackish water, slower moving water with lots of ice to the waterways nearer the inlets that are more salty and are often moving water that should be pretty broken up....especially on the outgoing.

 

[High Wire]

The ocean water temp is 46F off Barnegat and is 48F off the Delaware coast right now. If you can get a weather window to run outside from Manasquan to Atlantic City then AC to Cape May that would be my choice. The NJICW can have problems in the warm months. Now, late December? I hope the critical markers are still in place.
Ps. Call your subscription tow company for local knowledge.
Pps. Welcome aboard!

 

[psneeld]

The ocean water temp is 48F off the Delaware coast right now. If you can get a weather window to run outside from Manasquan to Atlantic City then AC to Cape May that would be my choice. The NJICW can have problems in the warm months. Now, late December? I hope the critical markers are still in place.

They used to pull the buoys behind Stone Harbor because of ice dragging them off station. Following the chartplotter still worked but you had to be careful with no visual reference, especially at low tide.

Pulled many a boater off ground during the winter....even delivery captain's that didn't read the water well enough or were pushing through.

 

[High Wire]

Agree. Plus the dredging barges dragging pipeline take out a few inside turn markers that won’t be replaced until Spring.

 

[Bikewfish]

Thanks, getting clogged in one of the back bays as we approach Atl City after a long day have us worried. If we are to expect what we see here in the upper bay it would be a no go for us.

Rather than wait for warm rains later in the week we are thinking to backtrack out to the Manasquan and run down to Absecon Inlet tomorrow.

 

[psneeld]

Call the Sea Tow Offices in Atlantic City and Cape May.

They will be the best judge of conditions.

There is also a NOTAM out for part of the Railroad bridge in the Cape May Canal broke off a few days ago, Cape May will be able to update you on that.

If BoatUS then try them but Cape May BoatUS usually doesn't have boats in all winter.

 

[Bikewfish]

There was still considerable ice in upper Barnegat Bay yesterday morning. It was pretty obvious that the slower, more removed back channels would be hanging on to the ice for a quite few more days.

We opted to head back to the ocean and had a long but comfortable ride down the Jersey shore to Atlantic City and are hopeful for the same today to Cape May.

Thanks again for your advice.

 

[PierreR]

When you get the chance, check your waterline. Breaking clear skim ice can be very abrasive to fiberglass. If its already broken up, it is not as bad.

 

[High Wire]

Let us know how you make out

 

[slowgoesit]

When you get the chance, check your waterline. Breaking clear skim ice can be very abrasive to fiberglass. If its already broken up, it is not as bad.

THIS!!! I saw a Fleming that was moved about 15 miles in ice covered water by a broker. (fresh water) Most of the ice was broken up, floating free. The repair bill was in the $30k range IIRC. The owner of the boat was NOT happy.

 

[Bikewfish]

We stayed outside all the way to Cape May. The hull is fine. We were only in the ice a very short distance. Just long enough to convince us to turn around.

 

[Comodave]

We stayed outside all the way to Cape May. The hull is fine. We were only in the ice a very short distance. Just long enough to convince us to turn around.

Yes, not many of us are piloting icebreakers…

 

[Jeff F]

THIS!!! I saw a Fleming that was moved about 15 miles in ice covered water by a broker. (fresh water) Most of the ice was broken up, floating free. The repair bill was in the $30k range IIRC. The owner of the boat was NOT happy.

I had a friend whose sailboat sank due to skim ice. He was delivering the boat about 20 miles from the yard to his marina in the early spring, making good headway until he discovered water above the floorboards. Fortunately his life raft was aboard, and he was rescued from the raft.

 

[High Wire]

We stayed outside all the way to Cape May. The hull is fine. We were only in the ice a very short distance. Just long enough to convince us to turn around.

Good to hear. . Are you continuing down to Norfolk or going up Delaware bay to C&D canal?
Have a safe trip.

 

[psneeld]

I have broken a lot of ice in my day in glass boats working in NJ marinas in the winter and working an assistance tow boat for many winters too.

One day I got frozen in the cabin for awhile from frozen spray clogging the sliding door channels...that wasn't fun.....

But breaking ice was fun...of course you can see from my profile picture I did have some prior experience.

While ice will damage a fiberglass hull... I haven't seen the damage that some have been describing. Speed and ice thickness/conditions can vary a lot...but thin ice, not under pressure forcing the sheet together can usually be pushed through with little ofr no damage to the average boat if not going farther than a mile or so. Past that and bets are off as conditions just vary too much.

 

[koliver]

I have broken a lot of ice in my day in glass boats working in NJ marinas in the winter and working an assistance tow boat for many winters too.

One day I got frozen in the cabin for awhile from frozen spray clogging the sliding door channels...that wasn't fun.....

But breaking ice was fun...of course you can see from my profile picture I did have some prior experience.

While ice will damage a fiberglass hull... I haven't seen the damage that some have been describing. Speed and ice thickness/conditions can vary a lot...but thin ice, not under pressure forcing the sheet together can usually be pushed through with little ofr no damage to the average boat if not going farther than a mile or so. Past that and bets are off as conditions just vary too much.

A couple of friends with wooden boats grin when they see the trouble we with GRP boats have with ice. Their gumwood at the WL is there for a reason.