Northbound ICW in a Time Crunch

[KelseyB]

Hey everyone-

I'm looking for some advice on how to expedite a northbound ICW trip. I was only a day into my trip from New Smyrna, FL to Norfolk, VA when a leak popped up that required a haul out and weld repair in St Augustine that has set me back about a month. I still don't have a solid re-launch date, but I'm putting a lot of pressure on the yard because I have to get the boat back up to Norfolk ASAP for work.

I'm on a 30-foot sailboat, likely solo but sending out some feelers for crew. I just did the ICW southbound from Annapolis to New Smyrna from January to March, so I'm familiar with it. I did one offshore passage, my first bluewater experience, for one day off the coast of Georgia, and while nothing went wrong and the boat handled like a champ (she's definitely built for bluewater), the 10-12 foot seas towards the end of the day were definitely a bit tiring and made me somewhat reluctant to head offshore again for a solo overnight passage before getting a bit more bluewater under my belt.

So, does anyone have any advice for getting up the ICW faster? Any easy offshore day hops that you'd recommend? I'm playing around with the idea of going offshore from St Augustine to Charleston, or from the St Mary's river to Charleston, and then going inside to avoid the Outer Banks, but I'm slightly afraid of heading offshore before legitimately testing out the quality of this new repair and before getting more bluewater miles as crew under my belt. I have an autopilot, radar, jacklines- all the things I need to be safe offshore and then some, but am perhaps an overly cautious person and am more comfortable doing dawn-till-dusk days in the ditch. If you were in my shoes, how would you get yourself and your freshly-repaired boat from St Augustine to Norfolk as fast as possible?

[steamgoat]

If you plan to motor up the ICW in a hurry,take the mast down so you don’t have to stop for bridges.

[Rblakenyc]

Originally Posted by KelseyB

Hey everyone-

I'm looking for some advice on how to expedite a northbound ICW trip....

I'm on a 30-foot sailboat, likely solo but sending out some feelers for crew. ?

Suggest you also post a message on the crew wanted forum - I don't know for sure but a post focused on that may be more helpful attracting competent crew to join you without it being a "duplicate" post?

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by steamgoat

If you plan to motor up the ICW in a hurry, take the mast down so you don’t have to stop for bridges.

Since one motors the ICW, there is no need for a mast, just a lot of fuel and engine hours, tooting along the ditch.

The issue with day hopping during limited daylight hours, is that a lot of the time is spent just going west to east out to sea at an inlet, and then returning back into an inlet, east to west. One looses much south to north progress.

[KelseyB]

Originally Posted by Montanan

The issue with day hopping during limited daylight hours, is that a lot of the time is spent just going west to east out to sea at an inlet, and then returning back into an inlet, east to west. One looses much south to north progress.

Yep, that was my experience when I went offshore the first time. I thought it was going to save me a day, but I spent half the time just getting far enough out to clear the shoals! I just don't know if I'm comfortable enough yet to skipper an overnight trip.

[tkeithlu]

So don't. Don't take on a single-handed hop that is not comfortable and when you are in a hurry. If the Georgia bight was nasty, just think of the Diamond Shoals. Read my tag line, and realize that I came to that conclusion the hard way. Climbing down out of an oak tree I didn't climb up, actually.
.
You are in an ideal position to get the mast down. Go buy some gas cans, and strap them to the rail. Wait for another year to tackle off shore cruising.

[hlev00]

Taking the mast down seems interesting but adds a couple of additional considerations. First, you will need to secure it in a way that you still have access to the anchor. The other is docking to refuel given the extra overall length. Neither are insurmountable, but things to consider.

[Lowcountry]

Offshore St. Augustine to St. Marys/Fernandina. Offshore St. Marys to Brunswick. Offshore Brunswick to Savannah river. Offshore Savannah to Beaufort, SC. Offshore Beaufort, SC to Charleston. Offshore Charleston to Georgetown SC, etc., etc. These are shorter hops and will allow you to stay close to shore and close to other inlets that you can duck into if necessary. You may find yourself entering some inlets in the dark, but these inlets are all well-charted and marked.

[KelseyB]

Originally Posted by hlev00

Taking the mast down seems interesting but adds a couple of additional considerations. First, you will need to secure it in a way that you still have access to the anchor. The other is docking to refuel given the extra overall length. Neither are insurmountable, but things to consider.

Yep those are my concerns, as well. Plus it really doesn't allow me to sail even if I wanted to, such as across the Albemarle or any of the other large rivers and sounds in the Carolinas. And I found that, on my way south, I didn't lose all that much time waiting for bridges, especially because I never entered southern Florida where they're all so close together. It's a very interesting idea, but I think the logistical challenges outweigh the potential benefits.

[KelseyB]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

Offshore St. Augustine to St. Marys/Fernandina. Offshore St. Marys to Brunswick. Offshore Brunswick to Savannah river. Offshore Savannah to Beaufort, SC. Offshore Beaufort, SC to Charleston. Offshore Charleston to Georgetown SC, etc., etc. These are shorter hops and will allow you to stay close to shore and close to other inlets that you can duck into if necessary. You may find yourself entering some inlets in the dark, but these inlets are all well-charted and marked.

Thank you have you found that doing day hops like that actually cut off a significant amount of time? Or does it end up being about the same as staying inside due to the time added from getting in and out?

[KelseyB]

Out of curiosity, can someone who's done the hop from either St Augustine or St Marys River straight to Charleston give me some insight on how long it took them? Any particularly good bailout spots besides Brunswick?

[Chotu]

What’s your average speed under sail. 31ft boat, so that’s going to be a factor when doing hops or offshore work (if any).

Taking the mast down was my idea on your original thread. Glad to see it’s still alive and well. Ha ha.

As you see now, the icw is just a ton of motoring. No point in keeping the mast up. If it’s speed north you desire, you want to get that mast down.

You’ll be able to go full tilt all the time. No bridges OR weather to worry about with a mast down boat for the return trip. Just pull over when exhausted, eat, sleep, wake up and go again. I’ve done this countless times.

Going outside, but not doing the overnights, you won’t make as good time as mast down inside. (Georgia excepted since the icw basically goes in circles there. LOL)

Planning your outside daysail hops around weather will also lose you many days.

Inside, mast down is fastest.

[KelseyB]

Originally Posted by Chotu

What’s your average speed under sail. 31ft boat, so that’s going to be a factor when doing hops or offshore work (if any).

Taking the mast down was my idea on your original thread. Glad to see it’s still alive and well. Ha ha.

As you see now, the icw is just a ton of motoring. No point in keeping the mast up. If it’s speed north you desire, you want to get that mast down.

You’ll be able to go full tilt all the time. No bridges OR weather to worry about with a mast down boat for the return trip. Just pull over when exhausted, eat, sleep, wake up and go again. I’ve done this countless times.

Going outside, but not doing the overnights, you won’t make as good time as mast down inside. (Georgia excepted since the icw basically goes in circles there. LOL)

Planning your outside daysail hops around weather will also lose you many days.

Inside, mast down is fastest.

Yea I'm getting the sense that day hops won't save me much time, if any. And that's a very true statement about Georgia haha. With no current and under motor, I cruise at around 5.7 but can cruise as high as 6.5, but burning significantly more fuel. Under full sail I do a bit better; when I went offshore the first time with following seas, I got as high as the 9s and 10s. It's a bummer that I can't really play the currents further south because of how many inlets there are- timing them further north saved me hours every day.

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by KelseyB

Yep, that was my experience when I went offshore the first time. I thought it was going to save me a day, but I spent half the time just getting far enough out to clear the shoals! I just don't know if I'm comfortable enough yet to skipper an overnight trip.

I have single-handed between Beaufort North Carolina and Ponce Inlet in Florida several times both by the ICW and by sailing in daylight only and using inlets to pop in to anchor for the night. I find that it is much, repeat, much faster even going in and out of the inlets then trying to do the ICW.
If nothing else make sure to go on the outside around Georgia. So many twists and turns through the swaps in Georgia it can take days, not to mention showing.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by KelseyB

Out of curiosity, can someone who's done the hop from either St Augustine or St Marys River straight to Charleston give me some insight on how long it took them? Any particularly good bailout spots besides Brunswick?

I did do a run once with crew from St. Mary’s to Charleston. It is roughly 160 nautical miles and at five knots average it should take about 32 hours.
You could run out and catch the Gulf Stream to make more speed but it would probably average out anyway because you would have to go so far back in from the stream to Charleston.
I also use the stream ones from St. Mary’s and let to Beaufort North Carolina in four days.

Al, S/V Finlandia