Best route from St. Thomas to Gulf Stream

[Cotemar]

Whats the best route from St. Thomas to the Gulf Stream to head up the east coast.

1) Do you stay north or south of the islands for the best sailing?
2) How far off shore do you stay to ride the Gulf Stram up the coast?

[JPA Cate]

Cotemar,

If you study the sea surface temperature charts, along with the Gribs, that may help your planning.

And this will bump your post, please stand by.

Ann

[Suijin]

Best route TO the gulf stream, or best route to go up the coast? Two different things.

[Paul Annapolis]

What's the destination? Want to stop in Bermuda? When you say "the islands" I presume you mean Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola etc yes?. What time of year? What does Jimmy Cornell say? The pilot charts? What do you mean by "best route"? Best for what? A straight shot? Island hopping? Speed? Weather?

[Cotemar]

Here is my first pass at this passage plan. Was interested in what others had done in their past trips.

St. Thomas to Beaufort, NC is 1417 nm

1) St. Thomas to Turks & Caicos 419 nm

2) Cat Island Bahamas 250 nm

3) Sail along Eleuthera island

4) Great Abaco 174 nm

5) Sail along Great Abaco 46 nm

6) Head north west into the gulf stream 550 nm to Beaufort, NC

Prevailing wind will be out of the north east on your Stb. stern

Prevailing currents will push you west until you hit the north current of the Gulf Stream

[skipmac]

Answer would depend on

1. Your destination on the US coast. SC would take a very different course that NY. Also do you plan to sail nonstop to the destination.

2. Time of year. If hurricane season I might stay close to the eastern edge of the Bahamas in case it made sense to duck in and find a hole.

[Cotemar]

Looking at and April or May departure in a FP Helia 44 catamaran from St. Thomas to Beauford, NC

More of a delivery than an island hopping trip.

[skipmac]

I would try to stay in the trade winds to make good westing until I was about south of Beaufort. Check the weather by whatever method you can to follow the winds but in general set rhumb line to more or less Jacksonville from St Thomas and turn north when south of Beaufort.