FLL to Cape Cod on the outside

[Scrosby]

Commanders Weather
Priceless
With you all the way

[Adiona]

Check to see that the places you want to stop at are open, accepting transients or providing fuel or their facilities such as showers and laundry are open along he way Don’t want to get there and have no place to dock, or worse, stopped by the CG because the bays and rivers are closed. Not the best time to be moving around on a boat, particularly if you need places to duck in from the weather. Be safe.

[skipgundlach]

Amen to all the sources about the GS but two people in particular to recommend for VERY specific information:

Jenifer Higgins Clark for solely GS info

Chris Parker for everything.

If you have a satphone with text or SSB radio, he will guide you every step of the way.

If you're looking to explore, you could spend months doing the trip. But from the info presented I presume you want to get there ASAP.

In our trip from the FL/GA border to Portland ME, we were 250nm east of Hatteras; it's a non-event at that point.

The stream gets wider the further north you go, but sticking to the edge, unless you have no current (pardon the expression) information about incoming weather, forfeits one or more knots over the center; if you have accurate weather information, you should have time to move off the fast part (where the nasty waves in counter-current/wind will be), and out of the countercurrent (nearly always there's a backwash to the current next to it).

Chris Parker is our go-to for weather, but we have not only SSB but HAM and email over both, so we can talk to and email contacts for very up-to-date information about what's happening.

Assuming we get released from quarantine, we hope to do the same trip, but from Vero (Ft. Pierce exit) this summer. To do a daily port hop (as we'll do coming back for the SSCA annual meeting in November in St. Augustine) would, even if it were just in and out, take a VERY long time, with all the attendant weather change potential...

[AllenRbrts]

Originally Posted by VeinDocFL

Does anyone know if XM weather is receivable out in the gulf stream? We rounded Hattaras twice last year and it’s available there, and that is pretty Far East but not sure East of Georgia where we would be furthest from shore.

Hello from gemeaux! We have had good luck with xm weather hundreds of miles of the east coast, listening to it now in the Abacos.

[VeinDocFL]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

Hello from gemeaux! We have had good luck with xm weather hundreds of miles of the east coast, listening to it now in the Abacos.

Hi Allen! How’s the Abaco resurrection going? Before the plague hit we actually were going to stop off there on our way north and seen if we could lend a hand or bring supplies. Maybe by June? I take it the cell towers are back up and running or are you getting data some other way?

[Moontide]

SiriusXM goes way offshore. Get it regularly in the USVI's so off Hatteras is a piece of cake. Although by the time you're off Hatteras kind of too late to do anything about it.

[Sailmon]

If you are in cell range, the Windy app provides good location & speed info on currents (including Gulf Stream) from one of its sub menus. We have found this very useful for planning purposes & real-time info if in tower range (typically Up to 6 to 9 miles off shore.

[HopCar]

I think the hardest part of this trip will be getting the boat from the airport to the water.

[skipgundlach]

Given the start and finish, cell range hardly qualifies as 'offshore' - it's at least nearshore, and a third to half of what NOAA thinks is close...

[phorvati]

Originally Posted by VeinDocFL

Does anyone know if XM weather is receivable out in the gulf stream? We rounded Hattaras twice last year and it’s available there, and that is pretty Far East but not sure East of Georgia where we would be furthest from shore.

Ive been using it last fall. Pretty good.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

If this thread exists, sorry for the dupe, didn't see it...

Looking to bring a 38' cat from FLL to Cape Cod NOT up the intracoastal.

Hoping for advice as best routes, time of the year etc. Was looking to do this possibly end of April/early May or end of May. Insurance reasons want me to try to do this prior to June 1 as insurance doesn't want my boat South of GA line after that, though maybe I can get a rider/extension.

Can anyone give me websites that would show seasonal wind patterns from the past by week? I would assume this exists? Is it worth it to subscribe to a weather service vs. I have XM weather on the boat? Popular routes, hug the coast vs. going out a bit? We are experienced sailors, but seeking local knowledge as I am sure there are many who have done this.

TIA.

Chris Parker is a great Weather Router. I used him on the way to Bermuda. He'll watch for a weather window. The Gulf Stream is what you want to sail in as it will push you north. The Corona Virus is also something you need to take into consideration. If you go and have to head for shore there are very few marina's operating.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

FL is several hundred miles long. Saying you are going north from FL doesn't help people know from where, FLL as mentioned is the airport code for Ft. Lauderdale, which is lots of typing vs FLL.

Thanking those for posting some info.

As you get to May, does the wind still clock around like it does in the winter spring, or do you get prevailing S/SW more frequently?

So earlier in the season, I guess I would leave after the wind clocks to the SE, and ride it thru the S, SW clocking, if we could get 5 days, we could get close to the Chesapeake area.

But in mid to end of May, what are the winds like?

Typically how far out is the stream from the coast? Also, any rec on a website to show where the stream is at any point in time?

The Gulf Stream is sometimes within 1/2 mile from Ft Lauderdale.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Found a great site for the gulf stream. Given that the most direct route to Hatteras is a diagonal NE, but the stream now looks like 2 legs of that triangle, N, then E, would you follow the stream, or most direct route?

The Stream is about 50 miles wide. If the wind is right ride it all the way... If it turns north get out fast. It will get ugly real fast.

[Wavehiker]

On trip from Savannah to Boston XM weather signal was lost a few times, once for over 12 hours. I have also lost signal off the coast of Maine. Signal not always reliable.

[skipgundlach]

If you're in FLL, to Cape Cod, assuming weather cooperates, just get in the Gulf Stream and get out at the point Cape Cod is roughly north of you.

It's essentially the same route we took to Portland ME but we didn't stop in Cape Cod, which was the end of our free speed boost.

That will have you far offshore for most of the trip once you get past Canaveral...