sailing or not sailing in summer (Florida)

[maijipo]

Hi.

I would like a quick advice or experience on the following.

We are sailing in SW Florida during the week-end (Punta Gorda area). We usually anchor at night to come back on Sunday. Since December 2017 to end of June 2018, we have been doing that almost each week-end and vacation.

In July, when scattered thunderstorms became the usual forecast we stopped sailing and anchoring (on the principle you try to avoid bad weather if you know it). After 2 months, I am wondering if I am a bit to prudent here. If you are sailing in South Florida, what do you do during summer time? Go out and ride the t-storm or just wait patiently the end of the season (at the Tiki bar^^)?

It is the first time we are sailing in an area where T-storm are the usual weather....

Our boat is a Tartan 33.

Chris

[OldManMirage]

Well, I'm in Northeast Florida instead of SW, but we experience much the same as far as weather goes. I just go when I can. I was out this last weekend from Friday to Sunday. Yes, I got rained on, and had some crazy wind a couple of times, and then had no wind some too. Motored when I had to. I usually keep a reef in the main when the rain storms are around and roll in or out on the genoa as needed for wind conditions.


All in all it was very much worth it. I would say go for it ! Just use common sense around the storms.

[denverd0n]

Ditto. I live in the Tampa Bay area. Sail plenty during the summer. You just have to keep an eye on the weather, reef early, and accept that sometimes you're going to get blown around a little. We also, often, try to do most of our sailing in the morning, so we can be anchored before the afternoon storms hit.


Of course, if the forecast is REALLY bad, then we don't go out. And this year the forecast seems to be REALLY bad more often than during most years. Still, there are plenty of weekends when the forecast is just the usual 50% chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

[Snore]

First my compliments on choosing the BEST boat.

I sail my T-33 out of St Petersburg in Tampa Bay-with a 150 jib in the summer. Most days I am back at the dock 1-3 when the wind dies. Sometimes you get a decent wind in the afternoon- but lately it has been t-storms.

Anchoring our down by you can be traumatic. There are 4.7 gazillion biting insects there in the summer. Unless you squeezed in a gen and AC it will not be fun.

Usually around Dec the 150 goes into storage and the 135 goes on.

[maijipo]

Thank guys. Very useful feedback.

I think we will do like all of you, sailing a maximum and be back to the marina or to the anchorage before the afternoon storms. I believe it is the safest plan available to keep sailing during the summer.

Our new anchor, a Mantus , will arrive Thursday and will make the anchoring safer with higher wind (we still have the original anchor and by 30 kts we have been dragging 2 times).

@Snore

Yes we have a great boat ! We are very happy so far. Simple, strong and forgiven ! The perfect Lady.

Concerning the anchoring during summer: yes bugs are annoying but we have a nice setup on the boat: a mosquito net that covers the entire cockpit. So we can stay outside the evening, let the door open during the night for better ventilation. This is a very good investment we did it last year

https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/...QnPN2nFQWstenX

As you see it keeps the crew happy

This is Wind Maiden at the anchorage.

https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/...GjlJxjeBmh032r

Maybe we can do a Tartan 33 meeting one day

Chris

[svHyLyte]

I am, perhaps, a little late to the party but....

We sail out of the Manatee River on the south end of Tampa bay when we're not "on the rode" traveling. During the late "Summer Months", generally mid-July, August, and September, in southwest Florida, most often the prevailing winds are easterly, blowing thunder storms and squalls to the coast by about 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Normally these storms are not too long lasting--45 minutes to an hour--but can often be fairly violent (e.g. earlier today localized winds in the south Tampa bay area were reportedly in the 50 knt range). Given the foregoing, we try to make our trips from early morning until around 2:30 PM or so and to be moored or anchored up by the time the squalls hit. While the winds can be impressive, they come, hit and are gone so quickly that not much of a sea makes up so one can usually pretty easily "sit them out" without too much difficulty. Afterwards, evenings, particularly "on the hook", are pretty enjoyable.

FWIW...

[maijipo]

@svHyLyte

Thank you for your feedback. We will try to do the same this week-end. Sail early morning to be at our favorite anchorage around 1 PM.

This long week-end forecast is about the same as usual for our area of Punta Gorda, Charlotte Harbor: 60% rain or T-Storm.

[SoFloLandSea]

Get a weather app with radar on your phone and watch where the storms are going.I drop all sail and motor during the initial hit from the squall. Lightning can be the scariest part of the storm. I wouldn't cancel your sailing plans for a season, you have to deal with the fast moving storm when it hits. If it looks like a train of storms coming, maybe drop a big anchor with chain and scope until they pass.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by SoFloLandSea

Get a weather app with radar on your phone and watch where the storms are going.I drop all sail and motor during the initial hit from the squall. Lightning can be the scariest part of the storm. I wouldn't cancel your sailing plans for a season, you have to deal with the fast moving storm when it hits. If it looks like a train of storms coming, maybe drop a big anchor with chain and scope until they pass.

That’s the difference between east and west coast storms/sailing. When I sailed out of Hillsboro Inlet; I would leave work 3:30- and be out the Inlet by 4:15. Then I played dodge’em with the storms. It was great sailing and fun—- even when I would get hit by a cell.

On the west coast it is not as easy as the storm cells are often much “wider” north to south.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by maijipo

@svHyLyte

Thank you for your feedback. We will try to do the same this week-end. Sail early morning to be at our favorite anchorage around 1 PM.

This long week-end forecast is about the same as usual for our area of Punta Gorda, Charlotte Harbor: 60% rain or T-Storm.

The Tarten 33 is a handsome yacht and, with a draft of only a bit over 4.5', particularly good for southwest Florida waters. For your sailing a particularly good destination would be Pelican Bay which, being a bit narrow between Cayo Costa and Punta Blanca Isl. offers good shelter from the easterly winds/squalls, particularly in the deeper water cove on the west side of Punta Blanca. Some while ago, Isles Yacht Club made up the attached (I hope!) chartlet for the approach to Pelican Bay which I believe should still be fairly accurate although I cannot guaranty that. Accordingly, if you chose to give it a go, make your approach on a rising tide so you'll float off if you touch bottom.

Note that the anchorage can be a tad "buggy" in still air during the summer months. To remedy that, add a Thermacell Insect repellent device or two to your TOE. One or two running in the cockpit and accommodation seems to be pretty effective.

FWIW...

[maijipo]

@SoFloLandSea
@svHyLyte

Thx you.

Yes, i have the radar app. Very good tool to at least see what is coming.

We do know very well Pelican Bay. We have been anchoring a lot there during the winter. One of our favorite anchorage in the area. We have a lot of them available within a 6 hours sail radius. This is one of the reason we put the boat on the west coast and not in Fort Lauderdale where we live. From Fort Lauderdale we had very few or no destination available for a week-end sail and anchorage.

The draft is indeed great. We enter Pelican bay without any problem passing very close to the beach (you could shake the hand of people ^^). We ran aground once trying to get out of a small cove E of Cayo Costa (Punta Blanca), but we could manage to get out by ourselves:

https://windmaiden.blog/2018/06/11/running-aground/