Armond Perretta wrote:

Sometimes it happens that when you actually _get_ to the Stream, the
"window" is closed. Leaving from Florida in one thing. Leaving from
elsewhere on the East Coast or from the Maritimes, places that are more than
a mere 25 or 50 miles from the West Wall, is often something else again.

I have been in harbor in Bermuda and encountered "well found" boats who lost
their rig, lost gear, and, worst of all, lost people in the Stream. I
suspect your crossings have given you a perspective that applies well to the
locations and situations which you have directly experienced, but not so
well to the Gulf Stream in general.

Be careful about encouraging foolhardiness.

It can change very quickly. A client invited me on an overnight
billfish run on his 50 somthing' sportfisher out of Maneto, NC. The
first day the wind was SE and it was great. Perfect Paul said that
during the night a low would move across a bit north of us. The wind
shifted NE about midnight. By 3AM I was bouncing off the cabin top.

There is something about the motion of a sportfisher in heavy seas that
just scares the hell out of a sailor.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com