40 Miles A Day - Daysailing

[Joli]

Twice a year we make the 140 mile trek getting the boat to storage and home. The trip is typically 14 to 16 hours through areas heavy with commercial traffic. It beats you up since you can't simply let the boat run and have to watch shipping and navigation hazards constantly. I think average day sail runs will be conditional to weather and hazards encountered along the way.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Do these agreeable 40 mile days include "getting out" and "getting back in".
Is the East coast US divided into 40 mile segments? I mean sorta like, you know.

The East Coast is most definitely *not* set up like this until you are either in Georgia or north of Cape May, NJ. In other areas, it can be a hundred or more miles between inlets you can get in and out of safely. Of course, south FL becomes easy again.

Up north, we have harbors, rather than "inlets" and these are all over the place. You pass several on a 40 mile daysail and choose which you want based on its conveniences/attractions/etc... easy.

I averaged 50 miles per day, singlehanded, on recent up the ICW (both inside and outside of it). I wasn't cruising though... it was a delivery. Once my wife was aboard we were doing daysails of 60-70 miles per day.

We are the types that are underway at dawn, eating breakfast at the helm and going until near evening when on a daysail delivery.

40 miles per day sounds like absolute bliss! Would have loved to do that instead and really have had time to take in the various places/anchorages.

I saw many boaters going up the ICW that would get in a 4-5 hour day, then stop at a dock for lunch/dinner and overnight, get up late, then do it all over the next day. I noticed this as I was passing trawlers and sailboats I was neck & neck with early on after my week long haul out.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Up north, we have harbors, rather than "inlets" and these are all over the place. You pass several on a 40 mile daysail and choose which you want based on its conveniences/attractions/etc... easy.

To further hijack with questions;

So, there are places to go to that are shorter or longer distances.

I have hove-to to cook, rest, repair, whatever. I imagine if I can't make a place for the night then it might be safer to heave-to than to try to get in at night.

[CharlieCobra]

I haven't had to do that yet, we did divert after making 70 NM in 8 hours during a gale because I didn't wanna go into a new port, after dark, in a storm. It was bad enough surfing through the breakwater at 9 knots on a wave at twilight. I wouldn't have wanted to do it after dark. I did enter this same harbor in another gale after dark but we were on the leeward side of things this time. Having been there before and not having 15' seas to deal with made a huge difference. We typically average 40-50 NM per day while cruising ourselves. When we stretch it longer, we are beat up afterwards. This on a 26' WL.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by Therapy

So, there are places to go to that are shorter or longer distances.

Yes, exactly. There is one tradeoff though. We don't have an "inside." Nearly all sailing is done in the open ocean, although it's coastal for the most part.

This means weather is a big factor. You can't just say, "ahhh.. I'll stay inside today and motor up a few miles" You're either "at sea" or in the harbor.

There are also places like the Long Island Sound that are semi-protected, but end up being worse sometimes due to currents playing against winds and creating steep chop (like the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays).

Of course, this all sounds like whimpy stuff to West Coast sailors. They have what... 6 harbors for every 2000 miles and no "inside?"

[AnchorageGuy]

A lot of good answers, but, this depends on the size of your boat and engine if you have to motor, which will be a lot, and your draft, to determine where you can anchor and other factors. Your estimate is probably good but unless others have an identical boat to yours each will have a different comfort and ability level. And as stated, you need to always base your estimates on anchorage to anchorage distances.

[dacust]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

There are also places like the Long Island Sound that are semi-protected, but end up being worse sometimes due to currents playing against winds and creating steep chop (like the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays).

Boy, you got that right. Admittedly I don't have much experience out of the ditch, but the worst conditions I have ever been in was going up the Deleware facing a wind out of the NW on an incoming tide. To make things worse I was in a 36 year old 36' wood boat that I had about 3 days experience in. I had visions of ending up in the water surrounded by a lifetime supply of kindling. I was mildly apprehensive for a few hours (possibly a little more than apprehensive ). I have learned a little since then, next time I'd wait a while for the tide and finish up in the dark. I learn slow sometimes, but after 8+ hours of half a ton of water being thrown at my face every few minutes, a small level of comprehension started to creep in.

-dan