Cruising Annapolis to Florida

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by jet646

we are planning on taking our Sabre 425 south on the outside and hoping to leave as soon as we have the engine etc sorted. before the 17th. the boat is currently at Hartge boat yard.

Say hi to the guys at Hartge Yacht Yard for me. Good engine shop.

Let me know if you need anything getting ready to leave. Giant Food on Rt 2 headed North, and Sam's Club beyond that. No alcohol in grocery stores in Maryland. There is a good place on Mayo Rd between 214 and Rt 2 - used to have wine sales on Wednesdays. Big propane refill place on Rt 2 near the Giant. From HYY you need a car to get just about anywhere as you surely know by now.

[Ortolan]

Ahhh ... a too tall mast .... disregard everything I said ... except the good luck & have fun part!!

Russ

[Auspicious]

It would seem we have the makings of a CF southbound rally.

[swpalmer1]

That would be nice.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Once you round Diamond Shoals it's a long way back into Beaufort/Morehead City. Can you stretch to Wilmington or Charleston?

I.........
Do you have a rental car? I can easily meet up in Annapolis and go over your plans with you.

I will second this. It's a long way in. We left from Norfolk, rounded Hatteras on a lovely morning and sail all day is strong wind. Felt like we were moving like a freight train. But we were not! Gulf Stream. We were not that far off shore. I thought about hugging the beach, saw a cat doing that and he was motoring and making some progress. But our draft was 6-5. Kept pushing and pushing. Slow progress. It was getting too dark when we tried to get into even the cove inside the headland after Diamond Shoals.... and suddenly blowing 30-35 in a good weather prediction.
We turned south and got knocked around as we had never been most the night. Green water completely over the 47 foot monohull. Blowing 45.

[Symphony]

Hi Dave!
to OP - as everyone here says: exit quickly from Diamond Shoals, get out into the deep warm water and enjoy the sailing. Gorgeous out there, and you can see the weather coming.

[raffo5]

Bob423 facebook group is a great source of info for ICW cruising!

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by raffo5

Bob423 facebook group is a great source of info for ICW cruising!

Bob Scheer seems to have become even more organized since he became associated with Waterway Guide. See Bob423 ICW Tracks and Routes .

I prefer the information from Tom Hale myself. Bob gets going early each year and so is first to press. Tom's material is exhaustive. Tom is also better spoken so if you get a chance to see either of them at a boat show or seminar I recommend Tom.

[Fantazia55]

We are looking to take delivery of new sails in the next week and head south at the earliest good weather window. There haven’t been many decent days in the last week, and it looks pretty rough for the next week. We have to go outside, as well, but freezing in the ditch for weeks on end has little appeal to us anyway. We are currently in Hampton, Va., and will try to watch this thread for developments.

[Mike Cunningham]

Originally Posted by swpalmer1

Hi All,
Anyone traveling south on the outside soon? We are currently in Deale, MD. just south of Annapolis on the Chesapeake having some repairs and new rigging installed. Looking for any cruisers that are planning on heading down soon. We are hoping to be leaving here within another week, give or take a few days. My wife and I are newbies and we’d love to buddy up and hang out as we hop down there. Especially the Norfolk, VA to Beaufort jump.
Hope to hear.
Steve and Mary-Ellen

Following.

[swpalmer1]

Originally Posted by Fantazia55

We are looking to take delivery of new sails in the next week and head south at the earliest good weather window. There haven’t been many decent days in the last week, and it looks pretty rough for the next week. We have to go outside, as well, but freezing in the ditch for weeks on end has little appeal to us anyway. We are currently in Hampton, Va., and will try to watch this thread for developments.

I’ll stay in touch as we get closer to leaving.
Thanks,

[Fantazia55]

Windy.com is torturing me. A day ago, looked pretty foul out there for the next week or so. Today shows a pretty good window opening up mon. - thurs. No doubt this is due to me getting a tracking number for the sails to show up on Monday. Might be a good opportunity for those more prepared than I. I was actually considering changing the shipping address and just motoring, but that just seems so wrong.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Fantazia55

Windy.com is torturing me.

Windy is just the GFS model in a pretty picture. It doesn't and can't show cold fronts which dominate the weather on the US East Coast.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Windy is just the GFS model in a pretty picture. It doesn't and can't show cold fronts which dominate the weather on the US East Coast.

I thought it also shows ECM & NAM, at least for wind. Does it not also show the high altitude big picture? I guess I'm now questioning my reliance of late on Windy.

What do you suggest for the pattern of US e. coast cold fronts that are so common this time of year?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Exile

I thought it also shows ECM & NAM, at least for wind. Does it not also show the high altitude big picture? I guess I'm now questioning my reliance of late on Windy.

What do you suggest for the pattern of US e. coast cold fronts that are so common this time of year?

Model data is model data and none that I am aware of show fronts.

Synoptic charts are here https://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/fax/marine.shtml and available over weather fax. See https://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/marine/rfax.pdf

Synoptic charts show fronts and the clocking of winds on the front.