New York City to Tortola, BVIs in Nov/Dec 2020

[Cool Hand Luke]

Just testing waters and thinking out loud... if I were to sail from NYC to BVIs in November or December.

What route would you take? Hug the coast to Florida then Bahamas or Cuba and then DR and then Puerto Rico and then USVIs and then BVIs?

Or would you go NYC to Bermuda and then to BVIs?

Or, just a straight shot for 9 days (avg speed of 6kts) from NYC to BVIs?

Any tips/experiences/recommendations would be appreciated

[Cool Hand Luke]

Just wanted to add... it would be on my 2011 40-foot monohull with sails in good shape and a 40hp diesel.

[Michael Carroll]

straight shot

[NYSail]

Friend did it last year from Long Island.... he opted straight shot. Single handed his 48 foot jenneau. Have another aqua trance that went down coast / icw then jumped from fla.

Good luck!

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thanks for the info!!

I did BVI to NYC in 2017 but I did STX to FL and then a couple months later FL to NYC.

[Stewie12]

From Florida you can day sail most of the way down the Bahamas , Turks and Caicos and across to the Dominican Republic and on to the VI. Buy the guide called The Thornless Path

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ath-28905.html

[Dr. Sea]

Definitely don't hug the coast. It's out of the way and worst of all you run into the Thorny Path. Once you get past Florida and turn to the east it's upwind all the way. There's not much difference in sailing straight shot or stopping in Bermuda. If you haven't sailed to Bermuda before it's a nice stop and a good place if you need repairs or provisions or fuel. You need to get about as far east as Bermuda before turning straight south.

Have you checked on the regulation in BVI for yachts arriving from the US? Do that before making a definite plan. And sail in November rather than December if you can. The weather deteriorates as the season goes on. I did it in January once but never again.

[Mike6040]

Did trip 6 times, Bermuda may be closed or require quarantine. Favorite is NYC to Bermuda, then pick up trades 100 miles south of Bermuda. Next best, Cape Charles (Cheasapeake Bay to St Thomas. Coastal option a slug, Bahama Bank shadow etc

[rmhutch59]

Coast to Norfolk sail east south east to 64 longitude turn right.

[Siberian Sea]

Once you get south of 35 degree lat the prevailing winds are easterlies. Your much better to make your eastern miles up north then turn due south so when you reach the eastern winds it’s on your port beam. Basically sail to Bermuda then south.

[hlev00]

Some of the Rallys might give you some ideas. Covid-19 is obviously messing with all such plans.

The NARC rally does a trip from Newport RI to the Caribbean each year. https://www.sailopo.com/NARC_Rally_N..._Overview.aspx That might give you some ideas or you might want to try to join them. Check out their website for info on 2020. I've never done it thought personally that is too late in the year for me these days with so much tropical activity and early winter gales.

There is also the ARC 1500 rally from Norfolk to the Caribbean - https://www.worldcruising.com/Carib1500/event.aspx

Lastly there is the Salty Dawg rally, similar to the ARC 1500 - https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/

[LittleWingRon]

Be sure that you check out whether the BVIs are open and willing to accept you. They are just coming out of a 3 week lockdown because of a spike brought in by an infected person going interisland. I also heard that someone entering the BVI space on a boat was recently arrested.

Alternative is St Croix, which while the authorities may expect a 2 week quarantine, at least you should be able to anchor there during that quarantine.

I've done Florida to BVIs, and the beating was brutal (52' cat) Was supposed to ease off to a beam reach after sufficient easting, but it stayed at around 60 degrees all the way. Trades were even a bit south of east instead of due east or northeast.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thanks for all the info, guys! Yeah, I did get the "The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South: The Thornless Path to Windward" book.

It sounds like the 2nd route is the better of the two.

I was looking at the "Salty Dawg Rally" at Salty Dawg Sailing Association | Realize Your Sailing Dreams and it looks like they do early November. As mentioned above, now you have me thinking early November.

I'll definitely check on the COVID restrictions, as well. I don't need a stop at Bermuda (unless emergency repairs force me to) but it sounds like from Bermuda I can just shoot straight south.

[AiniA]

We have always left from Norfolk and taken the traditional route east from there and then south. Someone who knows more than me said if things are going well when you get near Bermuda don't stop. Weather will only get worse. Last time we, along with a whole bunch of rally boats had to go in to refuel because there was virtually no wind from the Chesapeake and not much after we left.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by AiniA

We have always left from Norfolk and taken the traditional route east from there and then south. Someone who knows more than me said if things are going well when you get near Bermuda don't stop. Weather will only get worse. Last time we, along with a whole bunch of rally boats had to go in to refuel because there was virtually no wind from the Chesapeake and not much after we left.

Makes sense... going East from Norfolk would put you a little north of Bermuda, but then just turn south and straight shot down. And yes... you're absolutely correct. If things are going well, why stop???

The "no wind" scenario is better than "80kt wind" scenario, but I could definitely see how it's annoying and slows you down and makes you use the diesel a lot more.

I have a 52 gallon tank that will be filled to the top and I'll also take a few 5-gallon containers with me.