Cam, as Vasco pointed out, I'm NOT TAKING THE HELMS. If you pay as much attention when you're sailing as you do when responding to a forum post, I suspect YOU are the one who will eventually need to be rescued.
Vasco, I understand your warning but it seems to me that someone who DIDN'T ask questions before a long
offshore trip like this is a fool. I have been sailing inshore for a reasonable number of years, so I'm not really green.
Besides, how many people were TRULY ready the first time they made a trip like this? Much like many of the other things I've done, I study and prepare as much as possible, then dive in and shoot from the hip relying on my common sense to pull me through. I know the procedure isn't perfect but I have a surprisingly succesful track
record. Half the battle is in your own
head from people saying you can't/shouldn't try. If I had listened to the naysayers, I would have missed out on many great experiences.
Also, too all, by 'the
route 66 thing' I basically meant just crossing the
gulf stream and going south as suggested. I hardly see myself sailing halfway across the ocean to get to the Abacos.