Charleston SC to Boston Ma. Snowbird questions

[caradow]

I have only crossed the GS 5-6 times so there are many more experienced sailors than I.
But what I have noticed that the further north you are the less the color difference in the water. Sometimes a short chop will be your only indication that you have arrived. Especially at night. Of course water temperature will increase and there are many ways to measure that from a simple thermometer in your head to digital readouts. Off Florida heading out I have witnessed a string of Cumulous clouds that indicate the stream....not so further north at least in my own experience.

[morgan342]

What is Ais?
My mentality when out in the ocean sailing is im on my own. I do not expect to be save or get help from anyone. I believe in being prepared when **** breaks or goes wrong.
So i need to go a couple hundred miles out? Thats what i am trying to do. This is the next step in the ladder of the sailing world.
Thanks Stu

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by morgan342

. . . .

I thought i could find the gulf stream by a rough estimate of distance from shore.. I do know it changes. But i also figure you will be able to see the difference in the water and dependi g on the wind there might be a wall of step waves

Water temp is a better way to delineate the edges of the Gulf Stream.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by morgan342

Coastal traffic is exactly that? Coastal. If im on the west side of the stream i wont have much traffic? Is that correct? Charts do mark shipping lanes right? Which are in and out of ports so not much to worry about in regaurds to collisions in bewtween ports but even less 100 miles off coast?

Charts mark Vessel Traffic Schemes (VTSs) which are only established in very congested areas. Less congested areas that are still crowded don't get VTSs.

[Symphony]

I think your questions are pretty straightforward, so I will try to answer from my experience in a straightforward way:

Hatteras sticks out and squishes current and wind, the worse problem is that it is also very shallow for a long long ways out into the Atlantic. It makes a very bumpy ride for any boat. You can read the depths on any chart, and then consider the wind and sea conditions when you are there next June; that will let you know how far out you need to go to escape the worst washing machine Action.

Going inside is nice but has it's problems as you know. But you are not likely to break any gear or your ribs in the ICW.

Or the wind and Seastate further out may create an opportunity where it is better to go far offshore for conditions to take you to Block Island directly.

If the air temperature is cold, you won't need many instruments to know when you are in The GS. Otherwise, better to detect current, Gulf or otherwise, with your instruments showing speed through the water and speed over the ground. Then you can hunt for fair seas whether Stream or Eddy.

With your experience I think you will enjoy the challenges of this trip, especially in May or June.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by morgan342

What is Ais?

My mentality when out in the ocean sailing is im on my own. I do not expect to be save or get help from anyone. . . .

AIS: Automatic Identification System.
VHF receiver or transceiver that receives position, speed, heading and vessel name info broadcast by other vessels in range. Info is displayed on a screen. Most systems also calculate point of closest approach and triggers an alarm if somebody broadcasting will get closer than you are comfortable with.

Commercial vessels are required to transmit info. Recreational vessels may transmit or just receive.

AIS gives you more info on transmitting vessels than RADAR and requires less skill to operate but RADAR will also show you vessels that aren't transmitting as well as other things like approaching squals.

[Island Time O25]

I did FL to MA 3 times in same 46 footer. Twice with a total crew of 3 and once with crew of 4 one of which was nursing an injury so she was not out of cabin much. Each time was non stop, one of which was sailed only with motor being shut off outside Fort Lauderdale and only started right at the entrance of Cape Cod canal.

Some personal observations.

Each trip was started in mid April, according to the skipper best time to do such a run. Too late for sever frosts up North and to early for any serious storms along the route.

Shortest time made was 5 days to the CC Canal (the one when the engine was not used). Longest - 8 days.

We were well off the coast, probably 100-150nm but may be closer when passing Hatteras. We had comfortable 3 hour watches split among 3 persons. I could not imagine doing it single handedly but may be that's just me as I don't really like to single hand and consider it a chore.

As far as traffic is concerned we really had very little on all 3 trips but the few ships we've seen could've been trouble if not spotted in time. One was a huge barge being towed. The tow line was probably a mile or close to it, give or take. Not fun bumping into it, especially if/when sleep deprived.

As an aside - our route somehow was among the fishing net moorings (or whatchuma call it) and several times in the middle of the night out of nowhere there were such bobbing unlit red balls bumping into our hull. But the bump was very soft and felt like it was a light rubber thingy. But then again who knows what it was. We talked about it at length and the skipper said that we were lucky that it wasn't something harder than it was. And this was 100+nm miles off the coast!

The winds in mid late April were always either out of the West or South so that with the Gulfstream we were doing at least 10kn stready over ground, often 12 or more off of waves. Our overall average speed at the Canal entrance was exactly 10kn (1,250nm in 125 hours).

Cape Hatteras was of course the biggie to watch out for but each time was uneventful as we were well offshore of of it, may be 50nm or more. My biggest apprehension for single handing this route, other than expected tiredness, etc. would be the shipping crossing your way. While my personal, though very limited experience, did not show this to be a huge or constant factor, the few ships and fishing trawlers we did encounter would be enough to cause serious difficulties (to put it mildly) to a tired single handler.

And on one of the trips there were some kind of military/CG maneuvers (gatherings?) in the VA area and they were broadcasting some large exclusion zones, which were too far from our plotted route but still may be a factor to consider.

The bottom line is if you can leave earlier than mid June and as early as mid or late April or close to it you'd probably catch the best winds and conditions.

[caradow]

Well good advice from Island Time however again you need real time weather.
Many years ago brought my 50 foot 40,000 lb. ketch up from Florida in April....never again, far too early in my opinion but you COULD luck out.
We went past Hatteras at night and it was etherial sailing....warm nice 18 kt. southerly breeze....piece of cake.
Approximately 30 miles off the southern New Jersy coast got hit with a very strong gust probably around 70 kts......wind instrument pegged at 55 when a stronger gust hit laying the spreaders in the water with only a mizzen up.
It was short lived and no big deal however then the wind came out of the north at 20-30kts and temperature dropped to low 40's.
This weather was not predicted 2 days prior.
I hate cold weather and it was miserable coming into NY Harbor.
I have made many trips north since then but wait till late May but again must watch the weather very carefully.
Hatteras will not be your only obstacle.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by morgan342

What is Ais?
My mentality when out in the ocean sailing is im on my own. I do not expect to be save or get help from anyone. I believe in being prepared when **** breaks or goes wrong.
So i need to go a couple hundred miles out? Thats what i am trying to do. This is the next step in the ladder of the sailing world.
Thanks Stu

Adelie answered your question about AIS, technically. But your lack of knowledge about one of the most basic safety tools is, well, somewhat alarming. You might want to consider reading up on it. Panbo: The Marine Electronics Hub would be one place to start, as would Google. You did say you had "everything," right? You didn't.

ITWMB, and I wanted to get some sea time in, I'd go straight out, away from all shipping and fishing gear (after researching the hell out of my intended track) and spend the time learning how to sail with nothing around.

I wouldn't use a trip up the coast, that coast particularly, to do it.

You are mixing apples and oranges.

I just finished a trip up the Pacific coast from San Francisco to Vancouver Island, over 700 nm. I did it in day sails only. Others have done it in straight shots, but all of us have done our homework and research beforehand. The book by the Doulass family explains the routes and what to watch out for. I don't know if there is a similar one for your coast, but if I was you, I'd get right on finding more information, 'cuz it sounds like you're in for a crap shoot, given what you've written.

The concept, first and foremost, is not your "experiences" being a singlehander, it's SAFETY.

Good luck, with a lot more research, luck should have less to do with your safety.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Hud--On your passage did you go west of 74ºW as you passed Hatteras?

Yes, we could see the abandoned lighthouse at Diamond Shoals. Turned north along the NC coast at about 35*05'N 74*10'W, I think. It's been a while.

[caradow]

I would not think of reaching the GS from xx-miles offshore.
It is very dynamic and by that it has a GREAT deal of variability in its location.
On last years trip south we were very close to Diamond Shoals and still hitting a 4-5 knot Northerly current that just about stopped us in our tracts.
In order to make any reasonable headway we had to practically come up on the beach at night to get by.
This was a great surprise to me and certainly a learning experience.
Visibility was poor and there were more than 2-3 1000ft ships with 100 ft beams coming down on us thru the night because even they were apparently trying to save fuel or make better time by hugging the coast.
That was the night that I had an epiphany and fell madly in love with my AIS.
It was reassuring to know those ships were there and be able to talk with them and they in turn assuring me they saw me and would pass my stern.
So would suggest strongly you install an AIS unit....much cheaper than Radar but both would be nice.
I do hope you gain some sort of understanding what I and some others are trying to tell you.

[RSB333]

Just a note on traffic. I'm reading that there will be several rallies heading for Bermuda around June 10 from Maine, Newport, New York, Annapolis, Charleston and Ft. Lauderdale. (RALLY to the CUP) The Marion to Bermuda Race leaves Marion, MA. on June 17. So in addition to commercial traffic, there will be lots of sailboats out there. You might consider joining the Rally leaving from Charleston (only $350) and make your second leg from Bermuda to Boston, and get a look at the America's Cup races in the bargain. Website is www.sailopo.com. Be safe and enjoy the ride.

[Hud3]

Link to the Ocean Prediction Center's Gulf Stream current prediction...

Ocean Prediction Center - Product Loops

To the OP...

Note the eddys and whorls. If you get on the wrong side of one you can get seriously headed. See caradow's post. Don't try to over-simplify. Do the work and make a plan. You can find detailed info on the location of the west wall of the Stream off the SE coast online. I got mine from a US Navy website, I believe. Make a passage plan with waypoints to take advantage of fair currents and avoid the foul.
.