South FL to CT in November

[macktub28]

I need to make it to CT soon. Im not looking to stop and sight see along the way. I just need to get there fast. However im going single handed and in a 27' Irwin. I can make runs of about 3 days but then need to stop on the hook for a night. Dont know much of the waters out there and was wondering what a good route would be? Any help would be great.

[skipmac]

I assume I don't need to tell you that this late in the year you run a serious risk of catching a strong cold front that could make the trip rather unpleasant and possibly not safe. I just spoke to a friend in CT yesterday and temps have already hit below freezing and high winds offshore.

To get to CT there are no routes or options. You go inside (ie the ICW) or outside (the ocean) or a combination of the two. Starting in S FL, if you don't have a cold front coming you will gain 1-2 kts from the Gulf Stream going north outside. I would recommend going inside around Hatteras, shorter and safer this time of year. Once you get to Jersey you have to go outside until you reach NY harbor where you can go through the East River and up Long Island Sound.

I would think carefully about trying to attempt this trip on a tight schedule this late in the year. The pressure of trying to meet your deadline could result in going in conditions that would put you at risk. You can do the trip safely this time of year but would be really difficult to do it on a tight schedule.

If you insist on going get a good guide. Skipper Bobs are good for marinas and anchorages. I also used Dozier's Waterway Guide for navigation and supplimental information.

[s/v Moondancer]

Done the trip both ways variously in summer and late fall inside and out...stay inside any time there is the potential for a winter low and definately go in before Hattaras. You do not have to be very far off the Florida coast to get a Gulf Stream lift. We use the 'weed line' as a marker of where the northerly current and the counter current interact. Many of the entries from ocean to the ICW can be very dangerous in bad weather.

It is a long (over 1200 nm with all the twists and turns) trip and would probably take 4 weeks at this time of the year. Outside is much easier from a fatigue point of view as the ICW can be hard work and is very hard or impossible, in many places, at night. It is hard to do more than 50 nm/day on the ICW.

Consider putting it on a truck!

[macktub28]

yea my plane so far is to stay outside until morehead city into the chesapeake out at Cape May new Jersy and back in to the NY harbor into Long Island sound. Looks like the safest route to me. I hope to make it in 3 weeks but if it takes longer so be it.