Advice on cruising from New York to Cancun

[WritrontheStorm]

I’m writing a book and I would appreciate some advice regarding a single-handed cruise one of my characters is taking. The boat is a 1989 41’ Cheoy Lee Pedrick with a keel/centerboard that draws 4’ 4”. My character is in his mid-thirties and very physically fit. He has years of experience in single-handed blue-water sailing aboard this vessel. The route is New York to Cancun. The plot requires him to pull into Marathon, Florida for repairs in mid to late June.
I’m familiar with the ICW (we cruised down to Florida from New Jersey in 1984 on a 34’ Marine Trader trawler) but my character would prefer to go outside for as much of the trip as possible to avoid people (he’s not a fugitive, just wants to be alone).
It would help me a lot if someone could suggest what route(s) he might take and how many days the trip would require. Any other comments would be welcomed.

[Benz]

Going outside once past South Carolina means bucking a serious current; it's doable, but slow. If I were going to Cancun I'd cross the Okeechobee waterway from Stuart to Ft. Myers, and have lots less current to deal with, and a straighter shot to the Yucatan Peninsula.
Marathon can still be accessed from the Gulf side, though it's more out of the way. Key West is a better detour, but it's a nice straight shot from Sanibel to Cancun.

[JeffDPT]

Benz has the right idea of getting to Cancun in the most efficient way. However, in an novel, the opportunities for adventure, interesting storyline, and drama is better through the keys.

That unasked for advice notwithstanding, if your character hugged the coast in the SE, he could avoid the worst of opposing current.

Good luck

[Kettlewell]

What I've done is deliberately catch an approaching front to run as close as I dared to the beach from Cape Canaveral south. When the wind goes west, then northwest you can have some really good runs, and you can keep going if the northeast portion isn't too bad. Just be very careful to avoid crashing onto one of the submerged jetties and other obstructions. There is often a bit of countercurrent right along the shore even south of Fort Lauderdale. Once to Miami you need to take the Hawk Channel to stay inside the reefs and out of the Gulf Stream. It's not easy to do any of this singlehanded because you are a) running very close to shore b) constantly on watch for obstructions and boat traffic c) dealing with a lot of wind with the front.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

What I've done is deliberately catch an approaching front to run as close as I dared to the beach from Cape Canaveral south. When the wind goes west, then northwest you can have some really good runs, and you can keep going if the northeast portion isn't too bad. Just be very careful to avoid crashing onto one of the submerged jetties and other obstructions. There is often a bit of countercurrent right along the shore even south of Fort Lauderdale. Once to Miami you need to take the Hawk Channel to stay inside the reefs and out of the Gulf Stream. It's not easy to do any of this singlehanded because you are a) running very close to shore b) constantly on watch for obstructions and boat traffic c) dealing with a lot of wind with the front.

I'm doing it single handed right now. Leaving Angelfish for Tavenier tomorrow.

So far the crab pots are just a few here and there, but I expect to be able to walk on them south of Marathon lol

[Kettlewell]

I'm doing it single handed right now. Leaving Angelfish for Tavenier tomorrow.

Hope yesterday wasn't too bad for you. I read that Key Largo saw a gust over 80mph!

[donradcliffe]

If you are going to Cancun in Mexico, you have to check out of the US and get a Zarpe before you can check into Cancun.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

If you are going to Cancun in Mexico, you have to check out of the US and get a Zarpe before you can check into Cancun.

I'll bet in a fictional book that can be allowed to slide.
But I'm curious when this began--I've never once checked out of the US to go anywhere, nor been asked for a Zarpe when arriving from the US.

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

If you are going to Cancun in Mexico, you have to check out of the US and get a Zarpe before you can check into Cancun.

That is a correct statement . . . . under some circumstances.

If you are a US Citizen, departing from the United States to Mexico, a CBP Form 1300, Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement is not required by the Mexican authorities.
It IS possible to get one, but it's like pulling teeth. You have to physically go to the US Customs office with vessel documents, and your ID's, and they will grudgingly provide you with the filled out Form 1300. But in this situation, Mexico doesn't require it.

However! There's always a "however", or a "but"!

If you're citizenship is other than from the United States, if departing from the U.S to Mexico, you DO REQUIRE a Form 1300 in order to clear into Mexico. So if the character in the proposed book (or real live people) are, say, Canadian citizenship, they require the Form 1300.

Note: CBP is supposed to be experimenting with an electronic version of the Form 1300, called VECS, see link below, which can be requested on line, and e-mailed to the mariner, but I'm not sure what the status of that is currently.

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/...ce-system-vecs

Note 2: You will also need to obtain a TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for your vessel to take it in to Mexico. The TIP is good for 10 years, with multiple entrance and exits allowed.

[donradcliffe]

You only need a zarpe if the Mexicans want it. On the west coast, they don't. In Cancun, they do. In the Caribbean, they don't want it in the BVI, but they do want it further south.

[WritrontheStorm]

Thanks everyone for your input. Would you feel like throwing my book across the room in frustration if I have my character making the entire trip outside and doing a short stop-over to visit a friend in Miami before heading to Cancun? I don’t include any details of the cruise down, mainly because I’ve never done the trip and I have no personal experience with off shore sailing, but I do mention how long the trip takes. About how many days would he be sailing?

[donradcliffe]

Depends on the size of the boat and the weather, but 6 to 12 days would be reasonable. Its not like driving a car.

[BlueH2Obound]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

You only need a zarpe if the Mexicans want it. On the west coast, they don't. In Cancun, they do. In the CaribOn the west coast, they don't.bean, they don't want it in the BVI, but they do want it further south.

The above is only correct if you are a citizen of the United States. Three boats that came down from Canada about the same time we came down from Washington State, all departed the United States from San Diego. Two had their Form 1300 departure paperwork. They checked in just fine. The third was told to produce their Form 1300 or leave the country. They ended up taking a bus to San Diego, getting the Form 1300 from the CBP at the San Diego airport, returning to Ensenada and finally were able to check the boat in.