Florida to Caribbean route for Nov 21 through March 22

[SVNagambie]

Yikes. It’s time to start route planning, as our insurance broker has said we need to provide an itinerary for the year. We will be sailing from Annapolis after the boat show via Florida, and I am torn between sailing west to Cuba, cancan and then across to Caymans before heading south-east.

Our other option is to do the eastern route via the Bahamas. Is there anyone who has done both and can make recommendations?

Key factors to know include that the first several weeks will have us with a skipper as, although we are not completely new to sailing, we are new to the giant trimaran we bought, as well as relatively inexperienced at cruising and living aboard.

The first weeks will be more about learning to sail (and moor, etc) our boat than about sightseeing.

We plan to hear west to them Panama Canal for march-April-ish.

Any advice would be welcomed! She’s come off the moulds in France and will be out of the factory in August! Yikes.

[belizesailor]

What are your objectives after you do your shake down on the USA coast?

Reads to me like a bit of cruising, but getting to Panama relatively quickly, right?

Any particular destinations you want to visit on this route?

If you mostly just want go get to Panama then the further east you stay the better.

Spend a little time studying the Pilot Charts for these months.

How's the boat getting across the pond?



Neel 47, cool. Hired a skipper yet? [emoji16]

[Paul L]

I don't get the "heading SE" from the Caymans. In general and especially as a novice, you do not want to sail into the Tradewinds. Tradewinds are always best enjoyed behind the beam with a lot of planning and effort to minimize anytime with them in front of the beam being very worthwhile. Beating into Trades early in your cruising is a great way to totally turn off the crew to passage making and break the boat.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Tradewinds are always best enjoyed behind the beam with a lot of planning and effort to minimize anytime with them in front of the beam. Beating into Trades early in your cruising is a great way to totally turn off the crew to passage making and break the boat.

+1 EsPECially in a multuhull.

Can anyone imagine beating to windward in a 47' trimaran? I once did that in an offshore race in a Lock Crowther. We were launched straight off of each wave only to come crashing down to the bottom. The Owner was violently seasick for 3 or 4 days and we crew spent days with death grips on various handholds in order not to get thrown across the cabin... Sleeping was also interesting.

One hand for you - indeed!
LittleWing77

[AiniA]

Go to the Bahamas for the time you have and then through the Windward Passage or to Cuba before heading to Panama. Going long distances to windward sucks.

[BCCLover]

Am I reading it right that it's coming out of the yard in France in August and you're planning to be in Annapolis for the boat show, crossing the Atlantic in hurricane season? And then Florida to Cuba to ??southeast?? (Eastern Caribbean?) On a boat you don't know at all.

Feels very fast and rushed, with not much leeway on timeline and a lot of long difficult windward work. Have you considered a more leisurely start to your life aboard, maybe with a season in the Med?

[Nicholson58]

I suggest you get busy on the shake down and learning.

Join the Salty Dawgs and let them help you find qualified crew with blue water experience.

Sail with the Dawgs fall rally to the Caribbean. It leaves Hampton, Va November 1 weather permitting. They will assist you with weather and rout planning. You will meet a lot of nice sailors.

The transit time is seven days to about two weeks depending on lots of things.

Going Florida to the Caribbean is a head banger. Up wind all of the way. You will have difficulty finding safe harbor for a big tri. ICW bridge air draft is 63 feet. You will motor a lot and spend a lot of time.

https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/rallies

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I suggest you get busy on the shake down and learning.

Join the Salty Dawgs and let them help you find qualified crew with blue water experience.

Sail with the Dawgs fall rally to the Caribbean. It leaves Hampton, Va November 1 weather permitting. They will assist you with weather and rout planning. You will meet a lot of nice sailors.

The transit time is seven days to about two weeks depending on lots of things.

Going Florida to the Caribbean is a head banger. Up wind all of the way. You will have difficulty finding safe harbor for a big tri. ICW bridge air draft is 63 feet. You will motor a lot and spend a lot of time.

https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/rallies

Good recommendations.

Old adage: Gentlepersons don't sail towards weather.

The air draft of a NEEL 47 is 62' 4". That would be many a close shave transit along the ICW. A boat that large and wide really should not drive far along a ditch. I use the term "drive" as the ICW certainly is not a sail.

The OP's location states Alberta, not sure of citizenship of all that will be aboard. But just in case you or any other person that is aboard are an American, do realize that Cuba is a no go country for Yanks, illegal for you to visit as an American, so you would need to travel around and not put into Said country island.

Hope you enjoy your fine new boat and have many a fine voyage.

God speed.

[boatman61]

If you want to visit the E Caribe I would suggest Annapolis - Bermuda - St Martin/Antigua and follow the islands S to Trinidad then sail non-stop to the BVI's and cruise Westwards from there till you reach Panama... lets face it, on that boat your passage times should be minimal.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If you want to visit the E Caribe I would suggest Annapolis - Bermuda - St Martin/Antigua and follow the islands S to Trinidad then sail non-stop to the BVI's and cruise Westwards from there till you reach Panama... lets face it, on that boat your passage times should be minimal.

[emoji3]

There ya go! A more liesurely route and an easy off the wind sail to Panama!

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

+1 EsPECially in a multuhull.

Can anyone imagine beating to windward in a 47' trimaran? I once did that in an offshore race in a Lock Crowther. We were launched straight off of each wave only to come crashing down to the bottom. The Owner was violently seasick for 3 or 4 days and we crew spent days with death grips on various handholds in order not to get thrown across the cabin... Sleeping was also interesting.

One hand for you - indeed!
LittleWing77

Ive done an overnight run to windward in moderate weather (winds ~20 knots, seas ~4') in a bit smaller higher performance tri: a Corsair F31. I tried to sleep once and it was impossible, I could not even stay in/on the bunk! Not to mention the constant noise.


The Neel 47 is bigger and more of a cruising boat, so I expect it would be less uncomfortable, but not likely pleasant.

[belizesailor]

@SVNagambie

As I recall the N47 comes in two hull configurations: mini-keel or center board. Ive seen a N47 mini-keel version out of the water and was surprised how relatively small the mini-keel was. I cant imagine that going to windward is its strong suit. Which version is yours?

[luckylady22ft]

I would spend a year getting the NEW boat (especially from the plant) either in the Med or in the States and then do the Caribbean 1500 (or current name by Salty Dawgs) direct from Chesapeake Bay to BVI (8-15 day passage) with an experienced skipper (salty dawgs can connect you). Forget the Thorney Passage from Florida and forget Bahamas to the Caribbean. Go the easy way unless you WANT to stop along the way, and even that is difficult. Best to see those places on a downwind passage coming back home or going west. My wife and I sailed a 47 ft Beneteau up from the Abacos Bahamas to do the Caribbean 1500 instead of going direct to BVI. Best decision for us.

Originally Posted by SVNagambie

Yikes. It’s time to start route planning, as our insurance broker has said we need to provide an itinerary for the year. We will be sailing from Annapolis after the boat show via Florida, and I am torn between sailing west to Cuba, cancan and then across to Caymans before heading south-east.

Our other option is to do the eastern route via the Bahamas. Is there anyone who has done both and can make recommendations?

Key factors to know include that the first several weeks will have us with a skipper as, although we are not completely new to sailing, we are new to the giant trimaran we bought, as well as relatively inexperienced at cruising and living aboard.

The first weeks will be more about learning to sail (and moor, etc) our boat than about sightseeing.

We plan to hear west to them Panama Canal for march-April-ish.

Any advice would be welcomed! She’s come off the moulds in France and will be out of the factory in August! Yikes.

[Stewie12]

Buy The Thornless Path. This guide will take you down through the outer Bahamas to the Dominican Republic in easy day sails.

[Nicholson58]

Note:

Salty Dawgs used to go to the BVI. Not now. The government there is decidedly very difficult and unfriendly to foreign private cruisers. COVID has made it worse. The rally is Hampton, Va to English Harbor, Antigua. Some few boats join in along the way and some drop out in the Bahamas, PR, USVI. Weather occasionally pushes the fleet to Bermuda. Antigua is an ideal end point as it is the most East convenient place in the Caribbean with a marine infrastructure and plenty of harbor space. Good cruising as well and the Dawgs organize a lot of communal events. The Dawgs were formed as an alternative to the 1500. It is a rally, not a race and the fees are much less. There are usually a few perks with local businesses and the government. Entry last year with COVID was greatly streamlined with help from Antigua. From Antigua, you can transit NW or SW easily to the other islands, normally a reach. Barbuda is an easy half day sail north and is part of Antigua.