Cruising on a Contessa 26 Bahamas to Maine

[bmjnyc]

Hello, I've been in Fort Lauderdale prepping my boat to sail single handed to the bahamas..My plan was to sail south from the Bahamas for about a year and than head north to Maine. Due to some life changes I may have to cut my trip short. I would still like to get the Exumas after which I'd work my way up the ICW, inside and outside and eventually to Maine by the end of next summer. Is it sensible for me to plan on doing all this over five months...maybe two months or so in Bahamas after which I head up north spending some time in the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Code...?

Thanks

[roverhi]

Grant may check in, he cruised SoPac in a Contessa. See no reason that you can't do it in one month if you don't hang out long anywhere. You should be able to average 100 miles a day sailing and/or motoring.

[onestepcsy37]

Definitely can be done, even allowing for the usual bad weather days. Going to the Exumas it can be a long slog to windward, so you may want to carry extra diesel. Coming back is usually downwind/downsea, and in fact, if you're running behind schedule, you can ride the gulf stream north to make up some time - say from the Bahamas to maybe Beaufort NC. Good Luck.