Charleston - Day Sail / Bareboat

[smarcus3]

I'm finally moving from lake sailing on Flying Scots and 25' Keel boats to the coast and will be getting my ASA 101/103 in the next coming weeks. I grew up sailing sunfish and flying scotts on lakes as a kid as well. The 101 class shouldn't be anything new; however coastal sailing is all new for me.

I currently live in Charlotte, so Charleston is convenient for me. However, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what areas you could get to on a day sail and eventually on a longer, overnight bareboat charter. I've tried looking online without much success.

I've been able to pickout the following:

North Edisto River
Daufuskie Island
Beaufort
Savannah

All comments are appreciated! Thanks.

[Moody46CC]

You can certainly sail in Charleston harbor--I did for years with a day sailor (Catalina 22), but the harbor is shallow outside the shipping channels and the current is wicked when the tide is running--5 knots at max current! Outside the harbor is the ocean--great for a day sail but you have to go 50-60 miles to get to the nearest safe harbor to the north (Georgetown) or 25 miles to the south (Rockville). You do not want to anchor off the coast on the barrier islands--it is a lee shore all too often.

For a day sail, go outside and south to Rockville and then back the next day. That's it.

[smarcus3]

Originally Posted by Moody46CC

You can certainly sail in Charleston harbor--I did for years with a day sailor (Catalina 22), but the harbor is shallow outside the shipping channels and the current is wicked when the tide is running--5 knots at max current! Outside the harbor is the ocean--great for a day sail but you have to go 50-60 miles to get to the nearest safe harbor to the north (Georgetown) or 25 miles to the south (Rockville). You do not want to anchor off the coast on the barrier islands--it is a lee shore all too often.

For a day sail, go outside and south to Rockville and then back the next day. That's it.

Thanks for the information! I would be planning on day sailing a rented 28 or maybe a 34' boat. Anything else?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, smarcus.

[pskudlarski]

We had great experience bareboat chartering from Capt. Will at
Charleston Sailing School - Charleston Sailing School

[smarcus3]

Originally Posted by pskudlarski

We had great experience bareboat chartering from Capt. Will at
Charleston Sailing School - Charleston Sailing School

Great to hear. Day sail?

[pskudlarski]

We did once a day sail on Beneteau 32 (but they don't have it on their website for charter any more), and a 4 day charter at Thanksgiving on Tartan 34, had a great time.
As said earlier, going north is more difficult as the next port is 65 miles away and you are not allowed to sail at night but south is interesting, lots of places to anchor, gunkhole and some marinas. We wend south offshore and comeback on ICW.

[rwidman]

A look at Active Captain will show marinas and anchorages for any location including Charleston.

Now if you're talking sailing, not just cruising, you can sail in circles in the Charleston Harbor (many people do this), but you can't really sail up and down the ICW.

You'll have to sail out of the harbor and sail to a place near an inlet. Again, look at Active Captain for your choices.

[smarcus3]

Originally Posted by rwidman

A look at Active Captain will show marinas and anchorages for any location including Charleston.

Now if you're talking sailing, not just cruising, you can sail in circles in the Charleston Harbor (many people do this), but you can't really sail up and down the ICW.

You'll have to sail out of the harbor and sail to a place near an inlet. Again, look at Active Captain for your choices.

Definitely interested in sailing not motoring around the icw. I'll look at active captain. Thanks

[Aaarrgh]

Hey SMARCUS,

You're living the dream I've had for years. I'm land locked on Kentucky Lake with my 1984 Merit 25. Don't get me wrong, it's always either an exciting blast on this legendary racer, or just a laid back excuse to consume a few Coronas with Jimmy Buffet on the stereo on any of the tubs owned by a pretty close-knit group of 4-5 of us who sail up and down KY Lake, just telling jokes, or lies, or confessing stuff that we know will stay on the boat.

I can trailer my Merit, and I dream of hauling her to any of our normal vacation choices on the Gulf coast, or the East coast, launching her, and just finally sailing across some blue water. It's kinda' scary for me, though, not familiar with the cautions that these guys have offered for your safety, comfort, and enjoyment.

I applaud you guys for being so generous, and resisting the urge to poke fun at those of us who can only dream of some of the stories of excursions that you have enjoyed. You have hundreds of years of collective knowledge that a guy like me can absorb, to help finally make the blue water plunge, that we will eventually make, "Lord willin' and the crick don't rise", as we say in Western Kentucky.

Anyway, SMARCUS, remember, if nothing else, keel down, mast up.

Aarrrgh!

[LTDsailing]

I would second checking with Will Miller from Charleston Sailing School. He runs an ASA sailing school and a small charter fleet. I am sure he would be able to give you some good ideas on sailing destinations in the area. Tell him Chris from LTD Sailing sent you!

[smarcus3]

Originally Posted by LTDsailing

I would second checking with Will Miller from Charleston Sailing School. He runs an ASA sailing school and a small charter fleet. I am sure he would be able to give you some good ideas on sailing destinations in the area. Tell him Chris from LTD Sailing sent you!

Small world. Taking the 101 and 103 class at the Charleston Sailing School 101 should be easily but looking forward to learning anything new and especially the 103 class.