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We live just west of the Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River (Okeechobee Waterway) in Ft Myers. The back side of the slow zone sign just says resume speed. About 4 miles west of us is a slow zone from 11/15 to 4/15 by a power plant that attracts Mantees in the winter. Other times of the year, it's marked 25 mph. Above that and east by our house it's not marked.
The reason I ask is that a nearby go fast boat builder sea trials their boats by our house several times a week. They are so noisy that their speed is hard to judge but I would guess maybe 100 mph. They were fun to watch...for awhile.
What are the speed laws, etc.
Dry
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I believe the standard in the US intracoastal waterways in areas where you can get on plane is 25 MPH in smaller areas and 30 MPH in more open areas. There is often a 15" maximum wake law attached to it which prevents some bigger boats from even getting on plane.
We live just west of the Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River (Okeechobee Waterway) in Ft Myers. The back side of the slow zone sign just says resume speed. About 4 miles west of us is a slow zone from 11/15 to 4/15 by a power plant that attracts Mantees in the winter. Other times of the year, it's marked 25 mph. Above that and east by our house it's not marked.
The reason I ask is that a nearby go fast boat builder sea trials their boats by our house several times a week. They are so noisy that their speed is hard to judge but I would guess maybe 100 mph. They were fun to watch...for awhile.
What are the speed laws, etc.
Dry
Ifs not marked there is no speed limit. Much of the ICW in Brevard County (Central Florida) is like that except for Manatee Zones.
Broward County (South Florida) has a "Boating Safety" maximum speed of 30 mph IIRC even if there is no manatee zone.
I believe the standard in the US intracoastal waterways in areas where you can get on plane is 25 MPH in smaller areas and 30 MPH in more open areas. There is often a 15" maximum wake law attached to it which prevents some bigger boats from even getting on plane.
That is part of the Broward County "Boating Safety Plan". Although Palm Beach and Dade have similar laws the rest of the state may not. Brevard County does not have a max speed on the ICW outside of posted manatee zones. We have a lot of big open water, sometimes miles wide, on a 75 mile stretch of ICW. That is one of the reasons I migrated north from South Florida
Just call in and report that you saw a Manatee shaking violently, crying and you feared it was having a nervous breakdown after one of the boats zoomed by.
Just call in and report that you saw a Manatee shaking violently, crying and you feared it was having a nervous breakdown after one of the boats zoomed by.
Hell no! We don't need a single inch more of slow speed zones in Florida!
At least in a performance the owner typically knows what he's doing. Unlike some of these cruisers that squat in the water throwing a 5' wake. Hopefully they will move north as well.
At least in a performance the owner typically knows what he's doing. Unlike some of these cruisers that squat in the water throwing a 5' wake. Hopefully they will move north as well.
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At least in a performance the owner typically knows what he's doing. Unlike some of these cruisers that squat in the water throwing a 5' wake. Hopefully they will move north as well.
I think maybe you're giving too much credit to the typical go-fast owner. Many of these guys are usually found either "profiling" at idle speeds with their Captain's Calls in the open position around marinas and restaurants, or they're running flat out resulting in minimal wakes. I don't think either is out of consideration for their fellow boaters. At the risk of stereotyping these guys, many are of the "look at me" variety.
The guys running around in cruisers between displacement and planing speeds actually think they are either saving fuel or being safe and courteous running at slower speeds. Obviously they are none of the above.
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You have to ALWAYS go at a "safe operating speed". I live in Miami FL and outside of the slow zones there is a maximum speed of 30 mph, NORTH of the Key Biscayne bridge.
The primary reason for this is the amount of traffic. In the north bay (or what I call north bay - north of the Key Biscayne bridge up to the County line) there are a lot of boats, the channels are narrow, and in many areas you have to stay in the ICW because of shallow areas on either side. Also there are many places where you are close to a seawall and stuff. So 30 mph (and slow speed and no wake zones) makes sense in these areas - and if you really want my opinion 30 mph may be faster than a "safe speed" depending on how many boats are in the ICW where you are at. Just like 70 mph may be a safe speed for a car on the highway under good conditions, but if there is rain or fog or heavy traffic it is not safe. You have to use your brain - which for some people presents problems.
The south bay is more open. You do not have to stay in the ICW, as there is a lot of safe water. So there speed limits are more subjective. How fast do you want to go? How fast can you go and maintain control of your boat? 100 mph? Fine. Just please do not hit anyone and it is all good.
Most if not all of Broward County's ICW is narrow and restricted. It is really just a glorified salt water canal. So in that area seed limits also make sense. Otherwise, drunken idiots with unlimited money from illegal activities would be zipping around at 90 mph killing people every weekend. There have been some horrible and tragic boat accidents in South Florida caused by drunken idiots. The prudent boater is not the reason for the speed limits, it is the drunken morons that are the cause of almost everything bad.
My knowledge of the waters my Ft. Myers is limited to the area around Sanibel Island.
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We live just west of the Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River (Okeechobee Waterway) in Ft Myers. The back side of the slow zone sign just says resume speed. About 4 miles west of us is a slow zone from 11/15 to 4/15 by a power plant that attracts Mantees in the winter. Other times of the year, it's marked 25 mph. Above that and east by our house it's not marked.
The reason I ask is that a nearby go fast boat builder sea trials their boats by our house several times a week. They are so noisy that their speed is hard to judge but I would guess maybe 100 mph. They were fun to watch...for awhile.
What are the speed laws, etc.
Dry
Ifs not marked there is no speed limit. Much of the ICW in Brevard County (Central Florida) is like that except for Manatee Zones.
Broward County (South Florida) has a "Boating Safety" maximum speed of 30 mph IIRC even if there is no manatee zone.
We live just west of the Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River (Okeechobee Waterway) in Ft Myers. The back side of the slow zone sign just says resume speed. About 4 miles west of us is a slow zone from 11/15 to 4/15 by a power plant that attracts Mantees in the winter. Other times of the year, it's marked 25 mph. Above that and east by our house it's not marked.
The reason I ask is that a nearby go fast boat builder sea trials their boats by our house several times a week. They are so noisy that their speed is hard to judge but I would guess maybe 100 mph. They were fun to watch...for awhile.
What are the speed laws, etc.
Dry
Ifs not marked there is no speed limit. Much of the ICW in Brevard County (Central Florida) is like that except for Manatee Zones.
Broward County (South Florida) has a "Boating Safety" maximum speed of 30 mph IIRC even if there is no manatee zone.
We live just west of the Franklin Lock on the Caloosahatchee River (Okeechobee Waterway) in Ft Myers. The back side of the slow zone sign just says resume speed. About 4 miles west of us is a slow zone from 11/15 to 4/15 by a power plant that attracts Mantees in the winter. Other times of the year, it's marked 25 mph. Above that and east by our house it's not marked.
The reason I ask is that a nearby go fast boat builder sea trials their boats by our house several times a week. They are so noisy that their speed is hard to judge but I would guess maybe 100 mph. They were fun to watch...for awhile.
What are the speed laws, etc.
Dry
Ifs not marked there is no speed limit. Much of the ICW in Brevard County (Central Florida) is like that except for Manatee Zones.
Broward County (South Florida) has a "Boating Safety" maximum speed of 30 mph IIRC even if there is no manatee zone.
Basically, Brevard in the ICW is unlimited but south of Seb Inlet it is max 30mph the rest of the way unless otherwise posted. Thanks.
Prodromos Borboroglu
Indian River County (starts at Sebastian Inlet southbound) has a speed limit but I don't think St Lucie County does.
Seacat:
How long does it take to run (assuming 28kt cruise) from Dragon Point down to Sebastian and Ft Pierce Inlets? I am moving down to Indian Harbour Beach in March.
kwick release - 11/6/2007 8:22 PMSeacat:
How long does it take to run (assuming 28kt cruise) from Dragon Point down to Sebastian and Ft Pierce Inlets? I am moving down to Indian Harbour Beach in March.
Thanks,
KR
Should take about an hour to Sebastian for you and another 1.5 to 2 hours to Ft Pierce from there. Its about 30 miles to Sebastian from Dragon Point. Once you get around Dragon Point and out in the Indian River you can run wide open all the way to the Indian River County Line at Sebastian. There are no slow speed zones between Dragon Point and Sebastian in Brevard County. There are 2 bridges (Eau Gallie Blvd and US 192) but they are not slow speed zones either. Maps at: http://myfwc.com/manatee/data/Brevard/Brevard.htm
Its about 40 miles from Sebastian on to Ft Pierce. Not too bad but there is a 30 mph speed limit in Indian River County. There is a slow speed zone at Vero Beach.
See map: http://myfwc.com/manatee/data/Indian...riverindex.htm
Speed Limit on ICCW 
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