Brian Whatcott wrote:
Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.


Bimini is do-able. Cuba would be better, but is officially
not among the kosher destinations.


I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.


Wouldn't hurt to study some meteorology in advance of making
a trip like this. What you want is a period of calms and
light southerlies for long enough to make the crossing. The
Gulf Stream flows north, and gets very uncomfortable...
possibly dangerous... in northerly winds. IIRC the recipe
calls for a high pressure cell passing over or south of you.

Lots of people wait for a week or more for a proper weather
window, it's not the kind of thing you can schedule. If
you're going to try for it, be prepared to wait and then
cancel... fortunately there are lots of fun things to do in
the staging area, good sailing destinations nearby.

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini. I know of at least one person who has made this
crossing in Beetle Cat and it wouldn't surprise me if there
were others.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King