Tartan 30 to Virgin Islands?

[Chessie]

My girlfriend and I (along with our labrador retriever) are planning on taking off this upcoming winter (2011-2012) living aboard my tartan 30. We will be leaving the Chesapeake Bay after hurricane season, and ending up in the Virgin islands, hopefully. The boat is in great shape and amongst other things, I am planning on replacing the Atomic 4 with a diesel engine. Has anyone made this trip before on a Tartan 30 with 2 people and a dog? Any specific advice on this would be really helpful.

What we want to know is if you have done this trip on a T 30 or a similar boat, what would you have done differently?

[Hud3]

Welcome to CF, Chessie. What's your planned route from Virginia to the Virgin Islands--offshore direct, or down the East Coast and the Thorny Path?

[Khagan1227]

Welcome Chessie!

[gonesail]

a labrador retriever on a 30' boat .. from US to VI? i would say questionable but no I cannot imagine doing it

[Chessie]

Hud3,
We will be taking the ICW and the thorny path for our route. Just to be clear, shes only a 50 pound retriever at 7 years old, so shes not as big as most...

Thanks for all your responses so far!

[speciald@ocens.]

A Catalina 34 sailed with the Caribbean 1500 last year and made it. They went inside aroud Hatteras, then off-shore. Took them quite awhile.

[s/v Moondancer]

I have done the trip a few times, but mostly on bigger boats.

I would work my way down the east coast to Florida, then cross to the Abacos. Unless you have lots of time the Thorny Path is hard work it is much easier to go east from the Abacos and then south on the trades. But you would then be off-shore for 6-8 days so you need experience, lots of fuel cans, a good weather window and a dog that uses a mat!

However, I would not hesitate to do the trip myself on a good boat like a Tartan.

[boatman61]

Take Route 66....

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Take Route 66....

Would be a bit cruel, with a dog aboard.