Rough day at the Inlet.

[Blue_Runner]

Yeah, you did the right thing. I'm just thinking the anchor would keep your bow into the waves, whereas if your "main sail" hadn't worked, the alternative to throwing anchor may have been capsizing :o

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Franco

Didja go out of St Lucie Inlet?

Yep. It's the closest one. It's very tricky with an outgoing tide and 20+easterly winds. Waves stack up.
Then there's this situation going on....which makes it even worse.....(story)

Corps warns dredge operator to begin work on St. Lucie Inlet
By SUZANNE WENTLEY
[email protected]
December 19, 2006
STUART — With dredging at the dangerous St. Lucie Inlet still on hold, Army Corps of Engineers officials on Monday issued a threatening warning to the dredge operator demanding that work begin.
Meanwhile, local boat owners, marina owners and fishing guides have begun a letter-writing campaign supporting the corps' tough stance.

"I am getting a whole bunch of letters," said Rick McMillen, the corps' project manager. "We have put him on notice that we're not happy with his performance."
McMillen said he is sending the Illinois-based Great Lakes Dock & Dredge an "interim unsatisfactory performance appraisal," the first formal step taken to make it more difficult for the dredging company to secure work from the federal government in the future.

Great Lakes, which has a $10 million contract with the corps to remove 600,000 cubic yards of sand from the clogged inlet, was expected to begin the work Dec. 5.

McMillen said the company's equipment was broken and hasn't been repaired.

Bill Hanson, an executive with Great Lakes Dock & Dredge, said the work would be completed.

"We are talking to the corps about our schedule, and we will get the job done," he said. "We would be disappointed if the corps wrote a letter of unsatisfactory service, but we cannot comment further."

Still, it seems unlikely that the work needed to clear the inlet of the shifting sands that serve as navigational hazards would begin Jan. 1, the date Treasure Coast boaters are demanding be a firm start date.

"We have 17,000 boaters and 3,000 visiting vessels in this area. When they find out that their recreational pastime is being compromised, they might get in arms more than they have," said Arthur Cox, the co-owner of A & J Boatworks in Port Salerno. "Boaters get mad. That's my opinion."

According to the contract, Great Lakes has until March 6 to complete the work without being forced to pay fines to the corps. If they don't complete the work by April 30, the start of sea turtle nesting season, the dredge equipment will be forced off the beach immediately, McMillen said.

McMillen said if that occurs, a permanent unsatisfactory appraisal will be issued — making it more difficult for a representative of the company to compete in the corps' bidding process.

"He doesn't want this black mark on his record," McMillen said. "It's not my fault that he doesn't show up on time. It's his responsibility."

WANT THE INLET DREDGED?

Area boat guides and owners started a letter-writing campaign encouraging officials to take a tough stance on the dredging delay. Here's how to participate:

E-mail the project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, Rick McMillen, at [email protected]. Learn more at www.stlucieinlet.com.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by macojoe

Did ya get any fish??? *;)

Good Job!! Have any idea what happened to the motor yet??

Got one blue runner on the inside putt putting home. I'm not sure why the motor cut out but, did change the coil due to a weak spark. Motor seems to run fine now. I'll avoid the Inlet on outgoing tides for a while till the motor has more problem free time under it's belt.
The lil' 6hp Jonny is perfect for trolling and limping home but, has it's limits.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

Whew! *Glad you made it! *I think I would have dropped anchor and called sea tow *;D

Did you figure out your problem? *If it was like mine, you probably had a fuel restriction. *Hopefully its that and not a problem with your motor.

P.S. How did you see with the bimini up forward like that?

I did change the coil but, agree with it may have been a fuel problem. The carb is new and the tanks are clean but, it was really rough and the tanks weren't full.

The forward end of the bimini top rested on the top of the windshield and the rear end was held up by the 6'boathook. It was jerry rigged in about 30 seconds.
I had a clear view thru the W/S. Except for the stress it was fun being underway like that. Only problem was the boat wanted to breach with the following sea. Thankfully it was only about 200 yards I had to sweat it.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

Yeah, you did the right thing. *I'm just thinking the anchor would keep your bow into the waves, whereas if your "main sail" hadn't worked, the alternative to throwing anchor may have been capsizing *:o *

I was ready to toss the anchor and wait for slack tide but didn't wanna be stuck in front to the inlets mouth either and I'm too cheap to pay Sea Tow to even call'm.
Had it not been windy I'd been SOL. The inlet is one of the worst on the Eastern seaboard.

[Blue_Runner]

Sounds like that is a bad inlet. Hope they get that dredging company going. For $10 million that inlet should be 60 ft deep IMO. 8)

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

Sounds like that is a bad inlet. Hope they get that dredging company going. For $10 million that inlet should be 60 ft deep IMO. 8)

Heck, for $10 mil, everybody that uses the inlet oughtta get a BLOW-JOB :o ...

[Blue_Runner]

...or at least a reach around ;D