A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks

If your mean to the Windwards or Leewards and not the Bahamas, then what
you do is head for Bermuda. From there you go south. Depending on your
vessel this is about a week or less to Bermuda and about 2 or more weeks
to, for example, the Virgins or St. Martin

You could also go to the Chesapeake first, but it doesn't save you much time
at all.

You can go down the water way to Florida, but then it is all up wind to the
Caribbean, but the Bahamas are very close. Parts of the water way are very
interesting. Other parts are very boring

I am in Newport. If/when you are here, go down to the Armchair Sailor
Bookstore on lower Thames. They will have everything you need.

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after
the hurricane season and before it gets too cold.

Good Luck captain.

Bill

"Ayesha" wrote in message
k...
A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks

If your mean to the Windwards or Leewards and not the Bahamas, then what
you do is head for Bermuda. From there you go south. Depending on your
vessel this is about a week or less to Bermuda and about 2 or more weeks
to, for example, the Virgins or St. Martin

You could also go to the Chesapeake first, but it doesn't save you much time
at all.

You can go down the water way to Florida, but then it is all up wind to the
Caribbean, but the Bahamas are very close. Parts of the water way are very
interesting. Other parts are very boring

I am in Newport. If/when you are here, go down to the Armchair Sailor
Bookstore on lower Thames. They will have everything you need.

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after
the hurricane season and before it gets too cold.

Good Luck captain.

Bill

"Ayesha" wrote in message
k...
A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks

Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill"

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after
the hurricane season

The hurricane season ends in December.

Capt. Bill

Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill"

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after
the hurricane season

The hurricane season ends in December.

Capt. Bill

Now is the time. You have about 3 weeks to get packed up and out of
there. After November the weather windows get shorter and shorter and
the forcasts less reliable. Head in the general direction of Bermuda
but don't be tempted to stop there unless you have plenty of money and
resolve to continue on immediately. Bermuda is seductive, expensive and
a storm magnet in the winter.

If departing after the first of December go south to Bufort before
heading out. Take the ICW behind the cape. If you can't fit in the
ditch head out ESE from Norfolk. Stay at least 200 miles off of
Hatteras. Get as much easting as you can above about 25N. We do it out
of Charleston on deliveries every couple of years but getting east is a
lot easier when you start out from Bufort or further north.

When you get to 65W hang a right and proceed direct to the Eastern
Caribbean.


Ayesha wrote:

A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks

--
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

Now is the time. You have about 3 weeks to get packed up and out of
there. After November the weather windows get shorter and shorter and
the forcasts less reliable. Head in the general direction of Bermuda
but don't be tempted to stop there unless you have plenty of money and
resolve to continue on immediately. Bermuda is seductive, expensive and
a storm magnet in the winter.

If departing after the first of December go south to Bufort before
heading out. Take the ICW behind the cape. If you can't fit in the
ditch head out ESE from Norfolk. Stay at least 200 miles off of
Hatteras. Get as much easting as you can above about 25N. We do it out
of Charleston on deliveries every couple of years but getting east is a
lot easier when you start out from Bufort or further north.

When you get to 65W hang a right and proceed direct to the Eastern
Caribbean.


Ayesha wrote:

A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks

--
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

LaBomba182 wrote:
Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill"

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This
is after the hurricane season

The hurricane season ends in December.

Capt. Bill

The official end is 01 Nov. Whether that turns out to be the case is often
another question.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

LaBomba182 wrote:
Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill"

People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This
is after the hurricane season

The hurricane season ends in December.

Capt. Bill

The official end is 01 Nov. Whether that turns out to be the case is often
another question.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

A few years a go, we sailed from Fort Lauderdale Florida to the east end of
Puerto Rica (which is where the Virgin's start). We first sailed to Nassau
and then headed out from there. It was a long slog to windward and not too
pleasant even in a 50 footer. Total trip was about 9 days

Once that far south, many cruisers go leisurely via the Abacos and Exumas
and then have a shorter and somewhat more sheltered but still upwind stretch
to Puerto Rica and on to the Virgins. It is apparently best to bypass Haiti
and the Dominican Republic - there may be some smaller islands to stop at -
others may know.

Some friends are presently doing the trip - they planned to go via Norfolk
or Beaufort, then to Bermuda and then to BVI,s - 38 footer. Fine for
experienced sailors, but most cruisers from our area do not venture that far
out to sea!

As others have said - timing is such that you should now be on your way!

"Ayesha" wrote A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean
-I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do
it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a
sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race
it?
Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful,

many thanks