Transit Time? NY-FL

[unbusted67]

Sorry Pilot Chart are not provided by NOAA but rather by openCPN Pilot Charts for Chart Plotters | Official OpenCPN Homepage try that. And for God's sake man, download OpenCPN. It will change your life!

[tomdidit]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Pilot Charts, Pilot Charts, Pilot Charts. Get them, study them. I am going to make this super simple. Go outside NYC either to Delaware Bay or Chesapeake, Go inside the ICW to Beaufort SC or Myrtle Beach SC depending on Weather, Then Outside to Jacksonville, FL. That should all be fine in terms of draft, just avoid Geogia and Okeechobee. South of that shouldn't be too intense weather-wise. But it will be cold weather right up until Cape Canaveral.

Can you get beat up in your boat? Absolutely. Dude look at the charts and plot your courses. You shouldn't need to ask others as skipper, as crew, yes, but you are going to be responsible for the lives of the people on board and for the people who have to come rescue you if you get into trouble. A forum is not the place to get these answers. It is your responsibility to give yourself the time to learn these things incrementally not all at once in a storm off of Cape Hatteras.

Well said and advise to be heeded. In fact, let your wife read this as well!!!

[unbusted67]

Also my step father made this trip once in a 32 ft Tahiti Ketch, departing Penobscot Bay Nov 15th. He was towing a 12 foot dinghy behind a 32 foot ketch. He and his buddy stuffed cocaine in the boats curtain rods and left with about a half pound of weed. They ended up hugging the engine block for heat. They pooped the 12 foot dinghy numerous times and almost died pretty much the whole time.

Any time I try to warn him about how dangerous something is going to be he likes to say, "when me and George sailed to the Bahamas in November...."

....and this is why I don't like sailing with my step father.

Regrettably, he recently recreated his harrowing experience by leaving Penobscot Bay too late yet again (Oct 15) and encountered 50 knot winds off of Cape Ann, blew out his headsail (again), and almost lost his crew to mutiny. I got to spend the second half of that trip (I wasn't with him for the deadly half) freezing my ass off down the ICW. It can be cold and scary out there. Just be safe dude, that's all we are saying.

[vtsailguy]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

You are going to learn a lot on this trip.

This

[Joe from ny]

Originally Posted by scoobert

Its not legal here. We make it legal.

Sounds like you guys need better unions over there.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Joe from ny

Sounds like you guys need better unions over there.

yeah, there are very few truckers unions here, and even fewer lobbys.
technically, i cannot even use a hands free phone while driving.
how sad is that? and in my state, i am required to wear a seatbelt.
40,000#, rolling down the road, and i need a seatbelt, but a cabbie does not.

so your option is, don't do my job, or break the rules. hmmmmm....

[fjwiley1]

Scooby I have enjoyed this Thread....you have received some goo sound advice....from your first post to this post today you seem to be more receptive to some of the recommendations......you'll do ok....I see you as a risk taker, not a bad thing, but determined....not a bad thing. We all learn from mistakes, some can be costly lessons. I too have enjoyed risk taking. As I watched your "flying lessons" I reflected on mine. I had a Bi-plane, single seat that I taught myself aerobatics, my friends said I was Krazy. I was but just didn't do "stupid" mistakes...it's the same with sailing. Krazy can be fun, Stupid will get you, your wife, daughter, son and dog Killed. It's like you hauling the Hi Wide around the tight curves, plan it out, do it smartly, you succeeded. Same with your trip South. nuff said by me...

[ohdrinkboy]

Take what you think your abilities/capacities are and cut them in half.....that's what my dad always called "safety margin."

After you get lots of experience is the time to take more risk. Sailing is not a forgiving mode of travel to those with no safety margin.

[Paul Elliott]

Experience can fool you. A few years ago I attempted to sail up the coast from San Francisco to the Puget Sound. I had already made a few coastal trips up and down the California coast between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, and had sailed to Hawaii and back several times. I'd heard, and read, about the difficulties going north from San Francisco, but figured that with my strong boat, and my ocean-crossing experience, I would punch through where others had failed.

Wrong! I sailed north into 25kt winds and 10-15 ft seas (and a 1/2 kt current), and took a real bashing. We were punching our way north, but it was very slow and absolutely no fun. After a couple days I began motor-sailing, but the weather forecast was looking bleak. My choices were to pull into Eureka and wait out the gales, or turn around. Since my family was going to be flying north to meet me, and taking cover in Eureka would have completely messed up our plans, I opted to turn tail and run back to San Francisco.

We had a glorious downwind run in big seas and strong wind, and after we had tied up in the slip I bought airplane tickets for myself.

I eventually sailed to the Puget Sound, but via Hawaii. I'm still learning.

[scoobert]

so. let me see if i have this worked out.

winds will blow north in November.

so what if i stop in Bermuda for a week on the way down?

i would be on a port tack, and be able to make great time to bermuda, 6 days or so, then head down to the keys from there. making transit time to the keys 12-16 days. then another 3-5 days up to tampa.

did i miss anything?

[WebWench]

Before you leave with what you perceive as a simple and easy plan I would suggest a two or three day shakedown cruise to make sure you and your wife and the boat are ready for the ocean.....just sayin.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by WebWench

Before you leave with what you perceive as a simple and easy plan I would suggest a two or three day shakedown cruise to make sure you and your wife and the boat are ready for the ocean.....just sayin.

we could always follow the long island outside coast, or stay close to NJ. but i know my wife will be fine with the waves, and we will have sea sick pills on board.

[Sailmonkey]

How is your standing rigging? Will it hold the masts up in 40 knot winds with excessive pitching and rolling? A short duration shakedown should be done before this is attempted.

[WebWench]

Don't know exactly where you are but maybe a day or two cruising on the Long Island sound. You could make sure that all of your repairs and everything is good to go and if you had any issues there are lots of marinas to scoot into.
Make sure you have all your safety gear and if possible get a coast guard curtesy inspection. Make sure you have provisioned well because if you have rough weather it gets hard to impossible to cook. Have lots of spare parts for all your systems...especially the engine. I always feel better with more than one or two ways to navigate as we'll. things break down if the weather gets rough.
The more you can test and practice the more prepared you will be for a safe journey. Remember Murphy's law!

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

How is your standing rigging? Will it hold the masts up in 40 knot winds with excessive pitching and rolling? A short duration shakedown should be done before this is attempted.

my standing rigging is in great shape.
thou i admit it needs tuned/tightened.
the thru deck connections are in good shape, and do not leak.
everything is over sized.

i went thru long island sound, and the only repairs i have made are mechanical, and aesthetics.
i took about 30 konts on the beam in west point, i went to 45 degrees and came back up.