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Old 02-08-2014, 21:13   #1
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George Town Bahamas to BVI

I plan to sail my Lagoon 420 from George Town, Bahamas to BVI in the beginning of December. I am thinking of waiting until the weather starts to clock from the south before heading east into the Atlantic, hoping for at least 4 days before the wind returns to southerlies. I would like to go east until at least 65 degrees W. before turning south.
Any comments and opinions about this plan and route would be appreciated.
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Old 03-08-2014, 03:55   #2
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Wavelength11.

That's the delivery route "I-65".

Stay above 25 degrees latitude and the trade winds belt.

Around 70-degrees west, you might start putting a bit of Southing in your course, so that you cross the 25th parallel somewhere between the 69th and 68th meridians.

Then head roughly southeast toward a waypoint of about 22-degrees north and 65-degrees west. This meridian, called "I-65" marks the last leg to the V.I. and the best part of the trip. From here you sail due south, soon picking up the Northeast Trades, if you haven’t already.

See ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ect-23971.html
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Old 18-08-2014, 03:34   #3
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

Thanks for the great advise, Gord.
I'm looking forward to the trip.
Kevin


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Old 18-08-2014, 04:03   #4
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

In December those north eastalies can swing all around the place so wait for a good pne and head straight out. Expending your fuel heading out is going to make it better. You wont need to motor once you have turned south.
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Old 18-08-2014, 04:48   #5
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

Saw this thread just as I was about to ask a similar question, sort of. I'm looking at the idea of sailing from Providenciales to Fajardo P.R. around the first of the year. We're already at 22 deg. N to start with, so the trade winds are a reality from the beginning. Of course we see a lot of cruisers coming through here that time of year heading south east, and they typically leave here for the D.R. and then work their way into it along the coast to Mona Passage, etc. That really doesn't look like much fun to me. I'm curious as to whether there might be a tricky way to figure out an on-ramp to I-65 S a little further south than the 25th parallel, and skip the D.R. entirely.
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Old 22-08-2014, 09:35   #6
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

In April/May this year, I did the George Town to BVI trip via T&C, Luperon DR, Mona Passage to PR then along the south side of PR then back to AVI and BVI assisting a Hunter 41 to make the voyage. It was a brutal trip. 3 weeks of bashing into the wind and waves. In 3 weeks we only sailed without the motor for 4 hours! We tried following "A Gentleman's Guide..." but at the end of it we felt more like "A Prisoner's Guide..." We tried the night sailing tricks, waited in Luperon for 5 days for a weather window. All in all a tough trip.

I am taking my Bayfield 40 from George Town to BVI this fall and I am definitely taking the I-65. Would love to get a convoy arranged if others are interested in making the trip east then south.
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Old 22-08-2014, 10:48   #7
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

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Originally Posted by Broached View Post
I am definitely taking the I-65. Would love to get a convoy arranged if others are interested in making the trip east then south.
A convoy would be really difficult because everyones upwind performance is so different... and no one is going to slow down when pluggin uphill.

Re the 3 week pain (some boats take the whole season) I think the short pain on the I65 is the way to go. Do the hards yards quickly and then relax. you can do those places missed on the way back when they will all be down hill.

One other good thing doing it direct is that with a full tank of fuel from georgetown (yes, Bahamas diesel prices!) you will be a long way toward 65 deg W before you run out of gas... and you certainly don't need it once you turn south.

OK well, heres my actual track from New Providence Channel to St Martin.
Its very scrappy, but its my record and I know what it means and its not thrust up for an award...


65 West is the vertical line. The wind started NE and ended SE I didnt get out there till well south. Directly out from Georgetown to my track is only 350 miles and that was 69W.
You can see from the 20th to the 22nd January I wasnt going no where so needed to take a dig much further out and you will see I got moving a bit better then. Also from the 23rd you see the wind slowly changing in my favor, finally.

It was a toughish trip, and I don't recommend it to 93 year old Aunt Esmeralda, but it beats the hell out of 3 weeks, or 3 months into it.
The further you can get out initially the better it is and I have no problem about using the engine.
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Old 23-08-2014, 07:38   #8
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

I plan on leaving from George Town for St. Thomas, American Virgin Islands as close to December 1 as possible. I was in George Town last January, and saw fronts come through every week. They clocked around from SE to N, usually taking a few days. If I see the same pattern this November / December, I'll wait for a front to come before leaving and take advantage of the favourable wind directions. I expect to cover from 120 to 150 miles a day. This will bring me close to 65degrees W in four days, and will then start heading south. With this plan, I don't expect there to be much uphill sailing, and hope the trip takes around 7 days.
If anyone is thinking of making this trip at the same time, I would like to talk to them about their plan. It would be nice to have a few boats making this passage together.
Kevin


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Old 23-08-2014, 08:48   #9
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

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.... With this plan, I don't expect there to be much uphill sailing......
You are truly an optimist. How long do you think the N winds of a cold front that you leave on will last?
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Old 23-08-2014, 10:26   #10
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

I don't know if the wind patterns are the same as at George Town when I head east, but if they are, I noticed that when the wind started clocking, it took from 2 to 4 days before returning to SE. 3 days will get me to 68W. If it clocks faster, I can head a bit N / NE to keep it off the nose before heading S. Sound reasonable?


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Old 23-08-2014, 11:05   #11
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Re: George Town Bahamas to BVI

Yes, that sounds reasonable.
Don't be afraid to use the engine on the run out towards 65. If you pick your weather right, have a bit of luck, and give Neptune some offerings, you will be out far enough to get going south easily.

BTW in my chart up the top you will see a waypoint named Beaufort Route, draw a line from that to your destination and you "should" be able to turn south then. I tried a bit before that and it didnt work.
For those coming down from Beaufort you get a much better run, lots more opportunity to get easting.

The more east you get the less SE winds you are meant to have.
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