Tampa to Charleston delivery???

[LouK]

Considering the possibility of purchasing a well priced Hunter 376 SD in Tampa area & sailing it to Charleston or Annapolis. Any thoughts on how long this might take, general routing, what to avoid? Ultimately it might make more sense to purchase local but FL prices seem to be much better. Thanks in advance!

LouK

[skipmac]

Not too many options on the route. South from Tampa and either cross the Okeechobee Waterway or to the Keys.

Then north up the east side.

Time, could take a few days or a few weeks. Depends on whether you go outside or stay in the ICW.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by LouK

Considering the possibility of purchasing a well priced Hunter 376 SD in Tampa area & sailing it to Charleston or Annapolis. Any thoughts on how long this might take, general routing, what to avoid? Ultimately it might make more sense to purchase local but FL prices seem to be much better.

Tampa across Florida Bay up the East Coast in the Gulf Stream to Annapolis in that boat about ten days weather permitting. Maybe six days to Charleston.

Tampa-Florida Bay-inside-ICW to Annapolis would likely be seven or eight weeks for a cruiser, maybe five weeks for a delivery that presses. Inlet hopping would be in between but closer to the ICW time.

Estimates are based on experience and some eyeballing. I haven't looked at the polars for that boat and didn't do any routing.

Working autopilot is critical. Weather is critical. Crew is critical. Staying in the hottest part of the Gulf Stream is important. Avoid: stopping, running into things.

There are a metric ton of things to do getting a boat ready, especially a boat that's been sitting with a For Sale sign for a while, for a trip like this. Definitely a good bottom scrub and likely fuel polishing. Surveys are consistently deficient on electronics so you'll have to do something before dropping lines to be sure you don't end up turning around.

Let me know if you want help.

[Oldwheels]

I did from Tampa to Savannah on my purchase. Sailed to keys and up the coast. This is the good time of year. I had crew of 5. Took six days. It was a great sail.

[Wallaby]

Whether dependent, of course. That said, it took me and a crew of one on a 50-ft sloop eight days from St. Petersburg to Beaufort, SC. It was spent:


day 1 and overnight night, sailed St. Pete to Key West, NE winds 30+ kts.
day 2 anchored at Key West
day 3 motored to Marathon
day 4 and into the night, motored to Biscayne Bay, entered near Miami
day 5 anchored in No Name
day 6 anchored in No Name
day 7 and overnight, sailed off shore
day 8 arrived in Beaufort, SC.

[roverhi]

Did it years ago from St Pete to Norfolk with stop at Charleston. Less than a week if I remember correctly to Charleston. Crossed the Keys at Marathon, picked up a great push from the Gulf Stream from Marathon to North Florida. Had a great time in Charleston for a couple of days. Sailed the whole way to Beaufort seldom dropping below 5 knots. Made it to Norfolk in a couple of weeks.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by LouK

Considering the possibility of purchasing a well priced Hunter 376 SD in Tampa area & sailing it to Charleston or Annapolis. Any thoughts on how long this might take, general routing, what to avoid? Ultimately it might make more sense to purchase local but FL prices seem to be much better. Thanks in advance!

LouK

Tampa to Ft. Meyers a day. the Okeechobee ditch three days from there on your own, That's if your air draft lets you under the RR lift bridge in Stuart. The ICW or the gulf stream your choice.

[LouK]

Many thanks all around! You’ve all been a huge help. Being more familiar with LIS & the Chesapeake, I’ve been stunned to see how thin the water is around so FL. My mast is 60.5’ and it looks like the Ok waterway RR bridge might be too much of a challenge unless I pull the stick.

Thanks,
Lou

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by LouK

Many thanks all around! You’ve all been a huge help. Being more familiar with LIS & the Chesapeake, I’ve been stunned to see how thin the water is around so FL. My mast is 60.5’ and it looks like the Ok waterway RR bridge might be too much of a challenge unless I pull the stick.

See

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiv0fxFcV3I

. Those are dive lift bags full of water. You have to be sure your rudder won't aerate when you lean over. If my quick math is correct you want to get over 35 degrees. Run the numbers yourself. SOH CAH TOA.

[Disailor]

Crewed on a delivery from Beaufort SC to NYC. Survey was done, but vhf died handheld died, depth sounder died, wind charger died, chart plotter started freezing at Atlantic city, charging system failed (dirty electrical connections), oil pressure fittings on engine broke, roller furling bound up. Take two weeks to go thru every system, get UP TO DATE ICW chart book. Oh & check out ICW guide on youtube.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Disailor

Crewed on a delivery from Beaufort SC to NYC. Survey was done, but vhf died handheld died, depth sounder died, wind charger died, chart plotter started freezing at Atlantic city, charging system failed (dirty electrical connections), oil pressure fittings on engine broke, roller furling bound up. Take two weeks to go thru every system, get UP TO DATE ICW chart book. Oh & check out ICW guide on youtube.

Doubt, if I were you, I'd crew for that "capt." again.

[Eleuthera 2014]

Heard somewher...

a well priced Hunter is like a well priced LADA. You cannot give either away...

:-)

[LouK]

Ya, I hear you, if I was going around the world & not headed to the Caribbean a Hunter probably wouldn’t be my first, second or 3rd choice.

That said, for coastal cruising as far as I can tell they are certainly seem up to the task.