Sailing to Key west from Miami vis Hank Channel

[MartinBoyer]

I am planning to sail from Mia to Key west around Christmas via he Hank channel. How long can I expect it to take? where should I stop to anker? Any suggestion on how to do it and what to watch for?

many thanks

[Vasco]

Depends on how fast your boat is. This question can't be answered with the little information you've presented.

[pete33458]

yeah, that's a pretty wide open question. But the good news is that if you stay a few miles offshore you will get a very substantial push from the gulf stream. also, providing no cold front comes through, you should have a good angle on the wind, especially as you turn further toward the north. nonetheless, i always figure an average SOG of 5kt, so you're looking at three long days (12 hours) at a minimum. pete

[motion30]

Originally Posted by pete33458

yeah, that's a pretty wide open question. But the good news is that if you stay a few miles offshore you will get a very substantial push from the gulf stream. also, providing no cold front comes through, you should have a good angle on the wind, especially as you turn further toward the north. nonetheless, i always figure an average SOG of 5kt, so you're looking at three long days (12 hours) at a minimum. pete

Actually no. He will be traveling opposite of the gulf stream

[capngeo]

Hi Martin, welcome to CF! As said above we need a bit more info, but you are looking at ~175 miles depending where in Miami you start out. The variables are your draft and mast height. There are only a handful of places to hole up on the Ocean side if you have a lot of either.

[pete33458]

Originally Posted by motion30

Actually no. He will be traveling opposite of the gulf stream

oops! sorry. nevermind.

[Mellowsail]

Not sure what kind of boat you're sailing, but you can pretty much expect it to take you 3+ days. I live in Key Largo & the easiest way seems to be to break it up into 2 days by stopping in Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. There's no other well protected ocean-side anchorages. You're in Hawks Channel & pretty close to shore, so the Gulf Stream isn't really affecting you. Winds are predominantly easterly, but this time if year you can expect a lot of fronts blasting thru out of the north. If you plan on coming back north before May, it could take you twice as long to get back to Miami. Just watch your weather & those fronts coming down from up north.

[ATC]

We sailed from KW to Marathon in one easy day. Then from Marathon to Key Largo in another easy day. Left KL for Corral Reef and anchored ay the south end of Biscayne Bay.

We were traveling north with the current most of the time and iffy winds.

Your time to travel north to south will be difficult to calculate with what we have to work with.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Martin.

[MartinBoyer]

Thanks for the info here more detail,

I sail a Dufour 35 feet with a 50 feet mast an 6 feet draft. Usually I can make 6 knots with it. Now leaving briscayne bay I would like to overnight behind pumpkin island then cross toward the hank channel at Angelfish creek. the second night behind Rodriguez island, the third night at marathon in the harbor and then to KW. is it viable and is it the best option? How is it to sail the Hank channel at or throught the night? (Traffic, ability to see the bouay etc..)

To come back, I understand that it is better to go out ( how many miles?) to get the golf stream then should the same stop over are recommended? If we get a north wind Am I better to stay in the hank channel to come back?

Many thanks

[Vasco]

Haven't been that way for years but I believe it's the HAWK channel. Please check your charts.

[MartinBoyer]

yes I was talking about Hawk channel my mistake thanks

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

yes I was talking about Hawk channel my mistake thanks

1st day miami rodriguez
2nd day rodriguez marathon
3rd day marathon kw

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by MartinBoyer

Thanks for the info here more detail, I sail a Dufour 35 feet with a 50 feet mast an 6 feet draft. Usually I can make 6 knots with it. Now leaving briscayne bay I would like to overnight behind pumpkin island then cross toward the hank channel at Angelfish creek. the second night behind Rodriguez island, the third night at marathon in the harbor and then to KW. is it viable and is it the best option? How is it to sail the Hank channel at or throught the night? (Traffic, ability to see the bouay etc..) To come back, I understand that it is better to go out ( how many miles?) to get the golf stream then should the same stop over are recommended? If we get a north wind Am I better to stay in the hank channel to come back? Many thanks

Cannot cross angelfish with 6' draft

[MartinBoyer]

Thanks for the input ref Angelfish. Cannot cross even at high tide? What would be the southest possible place to cross then? Thank