Long distance sailing tactics

[bensolomon]

For coastal distance sailing, say 400 miles or so, do you have more success keeping the boat moving under sail power by staying offshore or moving closer to shore. Specifically, I will be sailing from Connecticut back to the Chesapeake Bay and I'm wondering in order to keep the boat moving at night under sail power would it be better to be closer to land to catch the "land breeze" at night rather than staying offshore. Obviously, after the first night I will have to be closer to the coast and then it's a moot point, so really the question is for that first 36 hours what's the better tactic? I've already done the mileage calculation and to hug land will only cost about 20 or so miles overall, so it's not a huge loss of time if I were to stay along the coast of Long Island and then turn off the coast of New Jersey rather than taking the rhumb line from Montauk Point directly to Cape May.

It's worth stating that if there's any type of tropical disturbance brewing, I'm going through Long Island sound and through Hell's gate so the discussion would be a moot point at that time.

Thanks,
Ben

[skipmac]

Depends. Hot days (with strong sunlight), cool nights, no other systems generating a strong wind then the land/sea breeze effect is stronger. cloudy days, minimal difference between day and night temps then the winds from larger systems will be less impacted by the land/sea breeze.

[Sparx]

At night we like to be at least 5 miles off the New Jersey shore where there is much less to run into in the dark. To get the land breeze I am thinking one would have to be much closer to shore. No way would I get in close in the dark.

Within a few miles of shore expect fishing floats and drift nets. Last year there was a very poorly marked metal drum floating mostly submerged which may have been associated with dredging operations. Lots of poorly captained fishing boats too.

Recently we ran overnight from Atlantic Highlands to Cape Henlopen, arriving at dawn. We were 5 to 15 miles offshore and encountered no navigation hazards.

[Orion Jim]

You don’t mention if you will have a crew but you have used “I” several times. If you are singlehanding I find it much safer to head offshore as much as possible to limit interactions with coastal traffic. Sea room is safely.....

[Chotu]

It’s also a very inter-dependent situation. The way you were talking about that land breeze doesn’t take into account the overall wind direction and strength. That land breeze can cancel everything out to be zero actually sometimes. Depending on the direction of the base wind. So it will really depend on the exact day you are going.

[psk125]

Originally Posted by Chotu

It’s also a very inter-dependent situation. The way you were talking about that land breeze doesn’t take into account the overall wind direction and strength. That land breeze can cancel everything out to be zero actually sometimes. Depending on the direction of the base wind. So it will really depend on the exact day you are going.

And the weather report that day may be wrong.

[tarian]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Depends. Hot days (with strong sunlight), cool nights, no other systems generating a strong wind then the land/sea breeze effect is stronger. cloudy days, minimal difference between day and night temps then the winds from larger systems will be less impacted by the land/sea breeze.

This answer, also the topography of the land , weather systems along the fringes.
But as also said it is always better to have sea room at night , as we all know the weather never does what we ask, want or told

[Sparx]

Another thought...in the mid Atlantic region September and October are generally excellent sailing weather. There is a good chance running offshore from Montauk to Cape May or Cape Charles will be fantastic without needing help from the shore breeze.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Sparx

Another thought...in the mid Atlantic region September and October are generally excellent sailing weather. There is a good chance running offshore from Montauk to Cape May or Cape Charles will be fantastic without needing help from the shore breeze.

I sure hope it works out that way this year. Planning to leave Martha's Vineyard early Oct to head back to FL. The last time I made this trip, same time of year, we had no wind or light winds on the nose all the way from LI Sound to FL.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by tarian

This answer, also the topography of the land , weather systems along the fringes.
But as also said it is always better to have sea room at night , as we all know the weather never does what we ask, want or told

Sea room on the US east coast is really good in some areas for several reasons. There are a number of places where there are large, unlit buoys miles offshore. Those make me quite nervous and makes me happy I added radar to the boat.

[Nicholson58]

We did this only once. We did Nantucket, Newport, Long Island Sound, east River, Sandy Hook, Coast hops to the Delaware River, Chesapeake-Delaware canal. No overnights.

[PappysSailing]

I would be more concerned about the moon phases and the weather in general than the land v sea breeze issue. I skippered a 46 ft sloop from Brooklyn to the southern Chesapeake via Cape Henry into Little Creek late November last year.. flying on a port tack the whole way down. However, despite my pleading w owner to leave a week earlier to catch a bright moon, I was told that modern sailors had radar and chart plotters and didn't really care too much about the moon. B.S. About 20 miles off Barnegat at 0300 all nav systems failed along w running lights and I'm here to tell you that it was darker that 6 feet up a bull's a//. I had a flashlight in one pocket and my own GPS in the other that got us thru til sunrise when we could fix the problem. My planning go like this: Big picture weather, moon, wind speed/direction and sea states.
Good luck. Cheers, Pappy

[clownfishsydney]

Not sure about over there, but on the New South Wales coast for example, generally you stick as close to shore as you can when heading north and when heading south, you go out as wide as possible. Why? The famous East Australian Current (as shown in Finding Nemo) runs from north to south and can at some places be less than a 100 metres off the shore (eg Byron Bay). The influence of the current generally is much more than the wind variation. Do currents have a big impact?

[markpierce]

I'd attempt to stay out of the vessel channels/usual routes as much as practical during nights.

[bensolomon]

I appreciate all the input. I have made this trip several times and want to maximize sailing instead of steaming. That said, there are predicted southwesterlies (kind of on the nose), but will most likely close haul it and tack when necessary. I prefer to stay way offshore, especially at night for all the reasons mentioned, and.....the fishing is better. (Got some king macks on the way up). Regarding the current and its contribution....closer to the bays and inlets, it becomes more of an issue, but not necessarily running up the coast.

Thanks again to all!!!!