Sailing Charleston to New York City

[WATT2525]

Hi everyone. We have a 55 foot cat and we are planning on sailing her from Charleston to New York City sometime soon. Just waiting on a couple projects to wrap up before departing. We'll be keeping her in NY the next couple years. We'll also be hiring a captain and crew to deliver her from Charleston to New York.


I'm wondering about the ideal time to sail her up (on the outside) to NYC. I've learned from a little research that if we pick the right weather window, the summer months are a pretty ideal time to do it.

My question is: If the projects we are having completed on the boat linger on a couple more months, at what point will we miss the window to sail up on the outside? At what point do the winds shift and make it very difficult to sail up on the outside? Is August still a good month? September? Our mast is over 72 feet so motoring up the ICW is not really an option and would surely make the trip much longer. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Joli]

As long as you have a South breeze it's a pretty easy sail, most of the trip you're in the Gulf Stream. Wouldn't imagine a little later on the season matters much.

[Lowcountry]

Are you guys the big Outremer currently on the Megadock? If so, nice boat! Went past it several times over the holiday weekend.

[BillKny]

The weather windows get narrower and less frequent beginning around the middle of October. By late November, the cold fronts are coming through quickly enough making it in one go gets to be harder. It's also a much less pleasant trip as it gets colder.

Riding the Gulf Stream CAN sometimes make a faster trip, but it is not always the best route. Depends on the weather. The stream veers offshore just north of Charleston, and is less of a factor in a trip to NY.

[TheOffice]

To get into the Stream you need to go east for about 80 miles, then you can ride it to just north of Hatteras. Probably 4 days on a fast cat.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Are you coming to NYC as a tourist, do you live in NYC, or are you passing though?

I ask because that can make a difference. If you are a tourist, August in NYC is not pleasant weather wise. It is hot and steamy and later September is much, much nicer. In August, especially this year, the heat radiates off the sidewalks. A person is in a pub or restaurant and they look outside, see that the sun has set, and subconsciously they think it will be nicer out. Then they walk outside.

Another issue is the increase in crime. While we are still safer than many cities, it is on the rise and continuing to increase. It is also much more random than a decade ago. In October, the creatures tend to crawl back under their rocks, so it is a little safer.

If you are a tourist and going back to South Carolina, October is not a bad month, I am often out on the water well into December although it is chillier than in October or often mid November. . If you are returning in the September to November time frame, there are plenty of places to duck into on the way down, at least until Virginia Beach, and you can take the Chesapeake-Deleware Canal to the bay. After that you have to go outside again. The weather windows do get smaller later in the year, but it is doable.

Once you get to NYC, where will you tie up, and how long are you staying?

Good luck with your trip.

[Stewie12]

Free sailing guides for the USA

https://www.skippertips.com/public/1345.cfm

[WATT2525]

We are docked at Charleston Harbor Marina. Although, I have seen that outremer on the mega dock. Beautiful boat.

We are residents in NYC and will be docking the boat a little north up the Hudson.

Thank you for all the advice.

We would love to go in the warmer months and get the trip knocked out in 4 days or so. Don't the winds shift to a northern direction sometime in the Fall? Seems like that would be problematic for getting the trip done in a timely manner offshore. (The contractors working on the boat have been dragging their feet a bit and I'd love to say, hey we have to be on our way by this date or we'll miss our window ha.)

[MIRELOS]

With the right weather window you can do outside real quick, if the window is short go up the Chesapeake, since you are a resident you know this is a safe city, as far as where to dock there are a couple of marinas in the Hudson and the East river but they are expensive and the water on the rivers is dirty and in constant heaving. Come on up river to Manhasset Bay, very safe harbor in every respect, moorings are fair price or free for a day then $25 per day, free water taxi, LIRR 40 minutes to NYC and a couple of marinas that can accommodate a big cat. I am on a mooring here now, 60' cat so I know where you are coming from.......contact me if you want more info. Safe sails