NE Coast Transit

[Leviathan33]

The 1st of July ‘20 I’m sailing my Hunter Cherubini 33’ from CT to PR. My 1st leg will be from Montauk to Portsmouth VA. 2 questions: staying west of the Gulf Stream how far offshore is it usually, and next, how much traffic is there in that corridor? I have AIS and it shows a LOT of both traffic and fishing obstacles in that corridor.
In your practiced opinion, are most boats awake and aware during the night?
My alternative is to head straight South and bust through the GS and head offshore to BDA and then to the Bahamas to lessen collision or snag exposure. (Also looking for crew!)

Thanks.

[Nicholson58]

1. Do you really plan to sail to the Caribbean during hurricane season?
2. The traffic is not the issue. By staying west of the Gulf Stream do you intend to coast hop and have safe refuge if required? It seems you plan offshore.
3. The rout you propose is largely upwind unless you get lucky. It is also long.
4. Do plan to use a weather router such as Chris Parker?
5. Will you have radar, radar reflector? Is your AIS a transponder?
6. What type of radio and other safety gear will you have? EPIRB, SSB, lifeboat/dinghy?

There are other questions but these are my top.

Most people do this in November after hurricane season. The Salty Dawgs has a nicely organized and well run rally from Hampton, Va. find them on line and in their booth at the Annapolis sail show. You can pop out of the rally along the way, Florida, Bahamas, BVI, Antigua.

[GordMay]

Probably the best known paid service is Jenifer Clark’s Gulfstream ➥ Jenifer Clark's Gulfstream
PassageWeather is a FREE sailing weather website, including Gulf Stream Velocity and Direction charts ➥ https://www.passageweather.com/

[Nicholson58]

We use Predict Wind. https://www.predictwind.com/

And Sailflow. https://www.sailflow.com/

Thanks Gord, I hadn’t heard of those. Added to my deep pile of data.

[Leviathan33]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

1. Do you really plan to sail to the Caribbean during hurricane season?
2. The traffic is not the issue. By staying west of the Gulf Stream do you intend to coast hop and have safe refuge if required? It seems you plan offshore.
3. The rout you propose is largely upwind unless you get lucky. It is also long.
4. Do plan to use a weather router such as Chris Parker?
5. Will you have radar, radar reflector? Is your AIS a transponder?
6. What type of radio and other safety gear will you have? EPIRB, SSB, lifeboat/dinghy?

There are other questions but these are my top.

Most people do this in November after hurricane season. The Salty Dawgs has a nicely organized and well run rally from Hampton, Va. find them on line and in their booth at the Annapolis sail show. You can pop out of the rally along the way, Florida, Bahamas, BVI, Antigua.

July is the earliest and latest I can go. It’s a risk for sure but I can hole up in Norfolk if needs be.
I have both radar and class B AIS. I’m planning a minimum crew of 3. I have a life raft, EPIRB, drogue, water maker, flairs and newly refurbished sails.
I’ve used the GS service before and will again. I’ll look into the weather service mentioned. Other than the timing, I’ll be as ready as I can be. Thanks.

[Nicholson58]

Well, July, on the front end of the season is not as problematic as September, October.

Sounds like you are prepared. I envy you somewhat. We wanted to tun the Great Dismal Swamp but we are both too tall and too deep. Have a nice run.

[Leviathan33]

I'm eager to start a new chapter of my life! A bit nervous as most of my open-ocean experience has been in a bigger boat, my RoseWood and I are both itching to get going.
Thanks for your comments!