Caribbean Routes

[Russ]

Advice re Sailing DIRECT from FL East Coast to USVI/PR via Northerly, Outside the Bahamas at sea route??? Route AN115C if you read Jimmy Cornell.
Various books suggest this route is NOT very good in the Early Fall( Oct-Nov). Suggestions re this route as opposed to more tedious through the islands/Van Sant Route???
Thanks Russ

[skipmac]

Am not familiar with this route designation but I assume this is what many call sailing down I-65 IE sail east to longitude 65W and turn south.

My opinion, based on a few trips to the VI from FL, there's no easy, perfect answer.

Almost any time of year you make this trip will offer some pluses and minuses. Too early in the fall and you are still in hurricane season. Too late in the fall and you are at risk of cold fronts (nor'easters that moved south) and the strong winds associated with that system. Some years the seasons overlap so you can get early fronts and/or late hurricanes.

If you're leaving from south FL you are, in my opinion and experience, too far south to benefit greatly from the outside route. In south FL you are already in the trade winds zone and trying to sail east, whether you head outside or work through the islands you will be beating into the wind, waves and current. Best route to minimize beating to weather is to depart from further north. Morehead City NC is a common jumping off point. However the same weather concerns apply.

If you have the time, my preference is to go through the islands and enjoy the trip. Take your time, pick weather windows and island hop.

[Steel sails]

We are intending on taking this route early November.
Pan is to depart Ft Lauderdale for Spanish wells ( northern tip of Eleuthera) We will motor if the wind doesn't co-operate. Spend a day resting, refuel. Dinner ashore.
Check the weather hope for a norther to pass over us. If not due East to around 70 west. at 70 west start looking for a little southing heading to a point around 22N 65w. Pick up the trades from there it's pretty close to due south 700nm and your in Tortola.

Regards
Paul

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Russ

Advice re Sailing DIRECT from FL East Coast to USVI/PR via Northerly, Outside the Bahamas at sea route??? Route AN115C if you read Jimmy Cornell.
Various books suggest this route is NOT very good in the Early Fall( Oct-Nov). Suggestions re this route as opposed to more tedious through the islands/Van Sant Route???
Thanks Russ

I recommend you get and read 2 books by Bruce Van Sant.

The Thornless Path

Passages South
Tricks of the Trades

[Steel sails]

I am familiar with this route ,but you are not comparing apples with apples. It's a 2 month weather constrained trip on Vansants route vs 1 week offshore for a vessel like Cheorae. We averaged 197 miles per day on our last crossing. San Blas Panama to ft Lauderdale.
Regards
Paul