Alabama to Panama in June

[Skye51]

Hi all,
I need to relocate my 51ft ketch from Mobile, Alabama down to Panama in the next 4 weeks before we get too far in to storm season. I know its late in the season, the winds are predominantly on the head and likewise with the counter current. Unfortunately I don't have another choice. At first look, the most desirable/quickest route would be heading for Havana to stay just east of the gulf stream current. Then pass around the western tip of Cuba and hugging the coast (30 miles off) head back to the east a little, then turn SSE again, attempting to stay just east of the worst current. Once far enough south, turn SW again and head for Colon. All wind dependent of course.
Has anyone done this route or got any good ideas/advice?

[AllenRbrts]

Just came from there. I would enlist Chris Parker to give you weather and routing advice. Seemed like we were close hauled a lot, so maybe you will do okay. Certainly stay east in the Yucatan channel, that current is very strong. Stay a long ways off the coast of Nicaragua, there have been in incidents in that area. Carry lots of fuel!

[chuckr]

Would agree with the Chris Parker comment. We went from Miami to Mexico by staying above the current until near Isla Mujeres then down the coast. And yep the current is strong there. But you can cut across earlier than we did -


We also sailed from Panama to Jamaica and of course avoided all the current not that we wanted to just the way it worked out.


If not Chris then you need to spend a bit of time on the internet looking at the currents along the route -


Also as above say way off Nicaragua - not a nice place -- and as always find places to bail out for problems like weather or broken boat but weather being the big one.