Annapolis to Newport

[bc389]

We're planning on sailing from Annapolis to Newport for the first time in early August. Hoping to get there in around 4 days by harbor hopping. If anyone has a day by day plan for that trip, or any tips/recommendations it would be greatly appreciated! 37' cruising sailboat.

[donradcliffe]

The harbor hopping route is almost 400 miles. Even if you go for 10 hour days you are looking at close to a week.

[bc389]

good to know. What kind of time frame are we looking at for sailing straight there without stops?

[TheOffice]

Annapolis through the C+D 60 miles.
C+D to Cape May canal 45 miles. Play the tides, bring bug spray!
(Bridge clearance is 55 feet, you may have to go around.)
Then either through East River or direct to Block Island. East River adds 40 miles to the trip. 2-3 days depending on route and wind.

[Suijin]

The Annapolis to Newport Race takes on average 3 days on a fast racer cruiser, down the Bay out and up. That's sailing 24/7 and racing.

Other option:

Day 1: Annapolis to Chesapeake City (middle of the C&D canal)
Day 2: C&D canal to Cape May
Day 3: Cape May to Block Island (36 hour trip)
Day 4/5: Block to Newport

You will want to time your departure from Chesapeake City based on the tides in the canal and the river. Otherwise you'll spend hours needlessly fighting a foul current.

You may have to wait in Cape May for a weather window to cross to Block.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by bc389

good to know. What kind of time frame are we looking at for sailing straight there without stops?

Annapolis to the mouth of the Delaware Bay through the C&D is under 24 hours on most boats. From there to Newport is a day and half. Pass Worton Point at slack before flood and if you can maintain 6 kts STW you'll have slack or a boost all the way to the mouth of the Delaware.



Single-handed I anchor behind the breakwater at Cape Henlopen. Two-up or better straight through from Annapolis to Narragansett Bay.

[sveinung]

You probably don't want to go East River as you'll have to time your trip up the river to about 1 hour around slack for a flooding tide, might add an unnecessary waiting time for you.

[kerrydeare]

Originally Posted by bc389

good to know. What kind of time frame are we looking at for sailing straight there without stops?

Have you considered purchasing charts?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by sveinung

You probably don't want to go East River as you'll have to time your trip up the river to about 1 hour around slack for a flooding tide, might add an unnecessary waiting time for you.

Horses for courses but slack water is not the time for recreational boats. That's when all the commercial traffic runs. I run in a favorable tide. Just keep moving so you have steerage.

[TheOffice]

Annapolis to Newport race is a 4 day race. One down the bay. 3 offshore

[billknny]

Originally Posted by bc389

We're planning on sailing from Annapolis to Newport for the first time in early August. Hoping to get there in around 4 days by harbor hopping. If anyone has a day by day plan for that trip, or any tips/recommendations it would be greatly appreciated! 37' cruising sailboat.

I don’t mean to be harsh, but it sounds like your navigation skills aren’t quite up to this voyage. You seem to be missing the most basic skills at voyage planning. Asking on an Internet forum does not count.

If by "harbor-hopping" you mean stopping every night at anchor or a marina, you’ll be very lucky to make 50 miles a day north.

Seriously, read a book, take a class, or find a mentor.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

Annapolis to Newport race is a 4 day race. One down the bay. 3 offshore

Annapolis to Newport goes South down the Chesapeake around Cape Charles and up to Newport. It is not an efficient route but avoids the C&D Canal where sailing is proscribed. The idea of short-tacking the C&D in an East wind is hysterical.



It takes a day down the Bay, a day back to the latitude at which you started, and two days from there to Newport. Four days.


Annapolis to Newport on a cruising boat with a modicum of sailing expertise up the Chesapeake, through the C&D, down the Delaware, and rhumb line to Point Judith is two-and-a-half days total for most boats. You can go faster with favorable winds and/or a bigger more attentive crew. Best I've ever done was 54 hours with four aboard a moderate sized Beneteau. Everything broke our way. My own HR40 we made 56 hours to within a couple of miles of Pt Judith with two aboard. It took a few hours to feel our way in with radar into the Harbor of Refuge in heavy fog. *sigh*