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

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.

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.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

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

"Brian Whatcott" wrote

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.

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.

Brian - It is sort of that kind of question ;)

No easy way to get to Caribbean proper. The Bahamas are not technically part
of the Caribbean, but you could possible get there. To do that, you would
most likely be advised to wait it out at the south end of Key Biscayne (off
Miami) until a flat calm is forecast - then motor as fast as you can across
to Cat Cay or Bimini where you can check in - I forget exact distance, but
it is something like 45 miles. The rest of the Bahamas are still another
couple of days away, so you would probably stay put and just explore the few
islands around Bimini before heading back in another flat calm.

I am not joking - the Gulf Stream passes between Florida and the Bahamas and
this area is no place to be in a small boat in any sort of wind.

You may be better advised to just poke around the Florida Keys which are
just as worthwhile to visit. OR get a bigger boat!

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

Get a copy of "Gentlemen's Guide to Passages South" by Bruce Van Sant. It
takes a lot of patients to get much further south than Georgetown.
VanSant's book explains how to work the weather for the most comfortable
transits.

--
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

"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
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.

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.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

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

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

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 21:22:07 -0400, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:

Get a copy of "Gentlemen's Guide to Passages South" by Bruce Van Sant. It
takes a lot of patients to get much further south than Georgetown.
VanSant's book explains how to work the weather for the most comfortable
transits.

It's a good book which I read a lot. Van Sant kind of assumes that
you have some reasonable way of getting to the Bahamas however as a
starting point, and I'm not sure a 23 ft trailer sailor is the right
boat for that.

Not knowing exactly how much experience you have with the boat, and
with sailing in offshore conditions, I'd recommend some tune up
cruises closer to coastal Florida. On the east coast the gulf stream
is always out there as the big X factor, and boats a lot bigger than
23 feet have gotten in trouble there. For that reason I'd start with
the west coast which offers some very decent cruising opportunities.
Try a run south in the gulf of mexico from St Pete Beach down to the
Boca Grande or Sanibel Island area. There are many fine harbors and
beaches along the way and it has a very tropical feel to it.

Don't ignore safety equipment. A liferaft, EPIRB, man overboard
strobe, and a waterproof handheld VHF should be considered a bare
minimum above and beyond USCG requirements. A good radar reflector
should also be on your must have list.

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

On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

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.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

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

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

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.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

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

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

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.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

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

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

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.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

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

wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

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.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

However, many people seem to do it in June which I suppose is almost
ok. Trailer her down to the Keys and try that. Go out to Dry Tortugas
(about 60 miles from Key West) and coming back anchor at Marquesas to
extend your time away from civilization.