Hi folks.

Just out of curiosity, how long would it take me to go from Toronto to
the Caribbean?

Toronto - Oswego, NY
Oswego, NY - NY Canal System to NYC
NYC - Florida Keys
Florida Keys - Some lazy bay in the Caribbean somewhere

I'm just looking for ballpark estimates for a 40' sailboat. Dedicated
movement (no 3 week stays in Chesapeake, etc.) every day, and mooring
probably every night.

I've only driven from Toronto to Miami and that was when I was a kid.
I've flown, but this is obviously a different thing altogether.

Anybody done this? I'm looking at becoming a Snowbird (duck or goose,
that doesn't leave water) and going South for the winters, then coming
back up in the spring.

Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?

Cheers

"BeeRich" wrote:

Hi folks.

Just out of curiosity, how long would it take me to go from Toronto to
the Caribbean?

Toronto - Oswego, NY
Oswego, NY - NY Canal System to NYC
NYC - Florida Keys
Florida Keys - Some lazy bay in the Caribbean somewhere

I'm just looking for ballpark estimates for a 40' sailboat. Dedicated
movement (no 3 week stays in Chesapeake, etc.) every day, and mooring
probably every night.

We (CSY 44) motor about 5 knots (you can't count on the wind) and we
do between 30 and 40 statute miles a day (that's how the ICW from
Norfolk to Key West is measured). We can do 50, but it means pushing,
and we have on occasion done a little more but it means getting up
early and pushing hard and we don't like to do that. We anchor or go
to a marina every night unless we go outside (that is we don't travel
at night or after dark). So you can take the mileage and make an
estimate (being sure to do the math if you are doing nautical miles
instead of statute miles).

But you will need to reprovision some time, and possibly buy parts for
the boat, plus you will need to occasionally wait for the weather.
http://www.ourprivatepage.50megs.com/icw_charts.html

The fartherest we've ever traveled in daylight is 92 miles from West
End to Ft. Pierce and we left at 6 am and arrived at 7:30 pm and we
motor sailed with a wind of about 25 knots with gusts and the Gulf
Stream was also pushing us about 3-4 knots. Bob said the GPS said
that at one point we were doing 12 knots IIRC.

I have no idea how long it will take to get from Toronto to the
Chesapeake.

From the Potomac, going inside, it takes us about 3 weeks to get to
Miami.

The way would do it now would be -

Inside down the Chesapeake to Norfolk- probably would take us at least
6 days
Down the Elizabeth River (Norfolk) and the ICW to Beaufort - 4 days
From Beaufort to Southport outside - one long day
Southport to Charleston - one 24 hour period
Rest stop in Charleston - 2 days at least
Charleston to the St. Mary's River - one 24 hour period
Rest stop Fernandina or St. Mary's
Inside to Fort Pierce -3-4 days
Outside Ft. Pierce to Miami - 24 hour period
Rest stop in Miami
Miami to Key West - 2 days
Key West to Dry Tortugas - 2 days

So it would take us about a month from the upper end of the Chesapeake
to the Dry Tortugas. Or alternately if we didn't mind skipping the
Keys, we could go directly from Ft. Pierce to the Bahamas.

For the Bahamas to the Caribbean, check out the Gentleman's Guide.

I've only driven from Toronto to Miami and that was when I was a kid.
I've flown, but this is obviously a different thing altogether.

Anybody done this? I'm looking at becoming a Snowbird (duck or goose,
that doesn't leave water) and going South for the winters, then coming
back up in the spring.

Lots of people have done this, and some of them have put their trip
reports on the internet

Canada to the Bahamas
http://www.storm.ca/~bpsscps/Trvl_Go...wayindex.shtml

Toronto to St. Augustine (they had engine trouble and could not go on
to the Bahamas so they spent the winter here)
http://www.angelfire.com/sd/humpboattrip/

Maine to the Bahamas
http://www.djerickson.com/sail/

Oswego NY to Miami
http://www.markblackburn.org/mv/NovCruise/progress.htm

Baltimore or Chesapeake to the Bahamas
http://www.ganssle.com/jack/bahamas2...mas_cruise.htm
http://www.jule-iii.com/trips/voyage2002/index.shtml
http://www.galiander.ca/galiandr.htm

New Jersey to Nova Scotia
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare/me_ns_89_2.htm

Dry Tortugas to Cuba
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare/cuba_96_2.htm

Connecticut to Bermuda to the Caribbean
http://www.geocities.com/svdestiny2000/index.html

Ft. Myers to Charleston and then up the ICW to Norfolk, and up the
Chesapeake and up the Hudson, through the Eire Canal to Lake Ontario
http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/camelot/leg2.html

Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?


grandma Rosalie
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/4a9c6/

Wow, thanks for the links and analysis. Looks like a month should be
dedicated to something like this. I could use a month travelling twice
a year. Just what I'm looking for.

On 20 Jul 2006 04:03:57 -0700, "BeeRich" wrote:

Hi folks.

Just out of curiosity, how long would it take me to go from Toronto to
the Caribbean?

Toronto - Oswego, NY

2 or 3 days

Oswego, NY - NY Canal System to NYC

6 days

NYC - Florida Keys

about 3 to 4 weeks unless you go offshore around the clock.

Florida Keys - Some lazy bay in the Caribbean somewhere

Not enough information. Figure 100 miles per day sailing around the
clock, 40 to 50 miles per day otherwise.

I'm just looking for ballpark estimates for a 40' sailboat. Dedicated
movement (no 3 week stays in Chesapeake, etc.) every day, and mooring
probably every night.

Anybody done this? I'm looking at becoming a Snowbird (duck or goose,
that doesn't leave water) and going South for the winters, then coming
back up in the spring.

You'll have plenty of company along the way. I've done most of that
trip at various times, and lots of other people do. Here are some
books you will need:

Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook: Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida
by John J. Kettlewell and Leslie Kettlewell

Waterway Guides: Northern, Central and Southern (3 books)

Anchorages Along the Intracoastal Waterway, Tenth Edition by Skipper
Bob

Marinas Along the Intracoastal Waterway, Ninth Edition by Skipper Bob

The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South by Bruce Van Sant

On and Off the Beaten Path: The Central and Southern Bahamas Guide :
From South Florida to the Turks and Caicos by Stephen J. Pavlidis

The Exuma Guide: A Cruising Guide to the Exuma Cays : Approaches,
Routes, Anchorages, Dive Sights, Flora, Fauna, History, and Lore of
the Exuma Cays by Stephen J. Pavlidis

World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell

All of the above are available on amazon.com and highly recommended.


Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?

Not really. Use a high quality bottom paint for the tropics with lots
of copper and a biocide.

refer to my website, in particular
http://www.sv-loki.com/Delivery/delivery.html
http://www.sv-loki.com/The_Trip/Trip_Log/trip_log.html

comments interspersed

BeeRich wrote:
Hi folks.

Just out of curiosity, how long would it take me to go from Toronto to
the Caribbean?

Toronto - Oswego, NY

We did it in one day, but our cat is probably a bit faster than your
boat. Many people do an overnight - the next morning you can continue
up the canal to Phoenix and meet customs there. (This was pre-911,
you should find out how this is handled today.)

Oswego, NY - NY Canal System to NYC

4 days through the canal and down to Catskill to raise the mast, then
one more long day to NYC.

NYC - Florida Keys

I counted 46 "travel days" on our last trip down the ICW, about 40 on
the return. (Atlantic Highlands-Key West)

Florida Keys - Some lazy bay in the Caribbean somewhere

I'm just looking for ballpark estimates for a 40' sailboat. Dedicated
movement (no 3 week stays in Chesapeake, etc.) every day, and mooring
probably every night.

I've only driven from Toronto to Miami and that was when I was a kid.
I've flown, but this is obviously a different thing altogether.

My intention was to show my family all the small towns along the ICW,
so we made a point of tying up at the local "in town" marinas whenever
possible, and dawdling frequently.


Anybody done this? I'm looking at becoming a Snowbird (duck or goose,
that doesn't leave water) and going South for the winters, then coming
back up in the spring.

You'll find there is a large community that does this, perhaps several
thousand sailboats and a larger number of power boats. I have good
friends who have done it for 26 years - currently they're in Nova Scotia.


Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?

I think the zincs might be different for freshwater - perhaps some
Great Lakes sailor can answer that. And the tannin in the "black
water" parts of the Carolinas will leave a stain to deal with, but its
no biggy.

Jeff wrote:
refer to my website, in particular
http://www.sv-loki.com/Delivery/delivery.html
http://www.sv-loki.com/The_Trip/Trip_Log/trip_log.html

comments interspersed

BeeRich wrote:

Hi folks.

Just out of curiosity, how long would it take me to go from Toronto to
the Caribbean?

Toronto - Oswego, NY


We did it in one day, but our cat is probably a bit faster than your
boat. Many people do an overnight - the next morning you can continue
up the canal to Phoenix and meet customs there. (This was pre-911, you
should find out how this is handled today.)

Oswego, NY - NY Canal System to NYC


4 days through the canal and down to Catskill to raise the mast, then
one more long day to NYC.

NYC - Florida Keys


I counted 46 "travel days" on our last trip down the ICW, about 40 on
the return. (Atlantic Highlands-Key West)

Florida Keys - Some lazy bay in the Caribbean somewhere

I'm just looking for ballpark estimates for a 40' sailboat. Dedicated
movement (no 3 week stays in Chesapeake, etc.) every day, and mooring
probably every night.

I've only driven from Toronto to Miami and that was when I was a kid.
I've flown, but this is obviously a different thing altogether.


My intention was to show my family all the small towns along the ICW, so
we made a point of tying up at the local "in town" marinas whenever
possible, and dawdling frequently.


Anybody done this? I'm looking at becoming a Snowbird (duck or goose,
that doesn't leave water) and going South for the winters, then coming
back up in the spring.


You'll find there is a large community that does this, perhaps several
thousand sailboats and a larger number of power boats. I have good
friends who have done it for 26 years - currently they're in Nova Scotia.


Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?


I think the zincs might be different for freshwater - perhaps some Great
Lakes sailor can answer that. And the tannin in the "black water" parts
of the Carolinas will leave a stain to deal with, but its no biggy.


Might be magnesium anode protection in fresh water vs zinc on the salty
ocean.

Great thread. I will check everything out. It sounds like a long
month (46 travel days, while visiting localities) is what I'm looking
for. Hope to see you folks on the water some day.

Cheers

You may want to consider upgrading your engine cooling system if it's a raw
water system.
MMC

Are there ramifications on a fiberglass hull moving from fresh - salt
- fresh - salt, etc.?

Cheers