trade winds are higher than is "normal" for most everywhere else except high
latitudes.

I personally know a guy who spent 15 days of a 45 day Atlantic crossing
becalmed.

Most long distance cruisers have set of nylon sails. Lin and Larry Pardey had
a nylon mainsail built so their boat wouldn't slop around in lite airs (large,
lite sails in lite winds also means you can not point nearly as high, as your
boat speed climbs relative to the wind speed).

The Caribbean usually has winds and is one of the reasons sailors like the
area.

8 to 10 knot winds are "normal" most of the time for most of the sailing
world
outside the trade wind areas. Light airs are winds under 6 knots.

a Tayana 37
would do 125-mile days.

few boats consistently average 125 mile days over the long haul.

10-15 is more "normal" here, and I can positively guarantee you that it's
pretty much normal for the Western Caribbean. In my original post I did not
refer to average distance over time; sorry if that was not clear.