Central Florida to Caribbean for a Year

[svmadhatter]

I know this topic has been addressed and I've enjoyed learning route info etc but I think my question is a bit more related to timing and hurricane holes. My family is new to boat ownership and cruising though we've sailed for over a decade. We just got a new to us 42ft Catalina mk1 to sail with our kids to the Caribbean.

We'd hoped to leave already but are working through a rudder and fuel issue and have a few logistical things to tie up before pushing off. This makes estimated departure late July/early August depending on the weather. Our insurance does not have a hurricane box - we can be anywhere though we obviously want to practice cautious storm avoidance to the degree possible/predictable.

Initially, I had hoped we'd be going to ABC's through November but since we are starting a couple months later than anticipated, don't want to start with long passages and are needing hurricane holes at the ready, we are likely to go first to the Bahamas (leaving from Ft.Pierce FL). My concern is that if we stay in the Bahamas through November, we will only have 7 months before we have to be back up again and that we will cover limited areas of the Caribbean in such a short time.

Given the pressing hurricane season, our current location of central FL, our timeline through next June, what rough recommendations can you make for the best suggested itinerary? Thanks!