Advice, Please: Florida to St Martin

[Leese4]

Whats the best route from florida (jupiter) to saint marteen with no stops? Doing the trip on a large cat (80 foot).

[sailnautilus]

You have a simple choice:
1. Wait for the appropriate weather window where you will have the least adverse winds and sail like heck making the most eastward progress you can.... should be in St Marteen in a week......
2. Follow the "gentlemans thornless route' ala Bruce Van Sant and island hop, waiting on weather at each stop. Will see alot of harbors along the way and should be in St Marteen in 3 weeks........

I have done the trip several times both ways; depends on your schedule, crew and boat. If you elect option one, check your rig, have good sails and service the engine- you will have four bad days out of the week!!!

Fair winds!!

[mr336]

Just one opinion.

Indigo Moon - Offshore Passage to BVI

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks, we are leaving this weekend, route 28 to I-65.

[Mark Johnson]

We did a 5 day from Georgetown Bahamas, straight to Boquerone PR. Since St Martin is only a day further...

We went E for three days, and down for two. It took a tolerable NW wind at first, and we got slapped around as it clocked to the nose, but wasn't too bad. (30 knots)

If you don't have a lot of time, I don't think there is an EASY way, just a way...

Mark

[capcook]

Originally Posted by mr336

Just one opinion.

Indigo Moon - Offshore Passage to BVI

MR336, Thank you for posting that link to Indigo Moon's log, it was a very interesting and educational read!

Now I better understand the I-65 and "Thorny Path" options and the issues with the "Thorny Path"

But, isn't it a viable option to take the route around the west side of Cuba from Florida, stop at Cayman Isls then down to Jamaica and across the south side of Puerto Rico over to the BVI... looks like that would provide some shelter from the Easterlies and also provide some good stop over locations... must be a reason... thoughts ?

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Yep, you are going further east in the trades than you need to. Go east as far north as you can then turn south.

[draagedo]

Originally Posted by capcook

But, isn't it a viable option to take the route around the west side of Cuba from Florida, stop at Cayman Isls then down to Jamaica and across the south side of Puerto Rico over to the BVI... looks like that would provide some shelter from the Easterlies and also provide some good stop over locations... must be a reason... thoughts ?

I am going the same way later this year, and plan on the south coast of Cuba and DR, which looke like very good crusing grounds. Keep us informed about which route you choose