Chesepeake to west end bahamas thoughts

[Mg451]

Planning to do chesepeake to (westend?)bahamas some time this November. I've done the icw to key west last year with some coastal jumps. This time I'd like to..sail more rather then motor. I dont have alot of offshore expierence ive always picked my weather and been close enough to duck in if need be so ive never been " forced" to evolve into an off shore sailor even though i aspire to. I've got a downeaster 32 that's capable. I'm well read but i need real world experience confidence and time at the helm.

Icw or, coastal hops heading south on the west of the gs, or crossing the gulf out of beaufort and heading south on the east of the GS are my assumed options. I feel comfortable doing the icw or heading south west of the gs and crossing at lake worth. But iI'd really like to take the icw to Beaufort from there cross the gs and head south. From the info icw gathered rounding cape hatteras in nov is ill advised for a green sailor such as myself. I think crossing the gs from Beaufort is the shortest distance across(?) that far north.?From what I've read weather reports in nov should only be relied on 32hrs out. Beaufort to westend should be a 4 or 5 day trip?does any one have any insights or advice?

[Cheechako]

I would hop the coast or ICW until south FLorida. The problem is.... from the Chesapeake, you are against the Gulf Stream the entire way to the Bahamas.

If you can avoid Hatteras it's likely a good idea. It can be rough south of there and the Stream is very strong also. I spent an entire day going nowhere, unable to make Beaufort before dark! Only to spend a night being tossed around like a tin can in a 47 foot sailboat. The wind was blowing 35+ against the Stream creating mountains of sea that made the 47 footer seem very small. Every hatch and port leaked although they never had done so in any other condition.

[bobnlesley]

It'll depend on how 'comfortable' you feel about sailing offshore; we'd done a lot of ocean sailing already by then, so when we went down a few years ago in sketchy weather - very sketchy, it snowed in Virginia and North Carolina! - in November our route was:
Chesapeake to Beaufort/Morehead via the ICW - that section's not unpleasant and we sailed chunks of it - to avoid Hatteras.
3 days offshore curving around inshore of the Gulf Stream before bailing out at Fernandina Beach when the weather got unpleasant again. A yacht with us took a break in Charleston as that wasn't too big a detour from track. Being shallow, it wasn't the most comfortable for sleeping at night, but beyond the tidal effect, we seemed to pick-up a back eddy on the Gulf stream for much of it.
Another two days and fairly close inshore to avoid the GS to reach Lake Worth/Palm Beach. Again, some back-eddy gains, but the second night felt uncomfortably close to shore to avoid the Gulf Stream
We resupplied there and then had a great 24 hour sail to Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos, but if you're heading for West End, I'm guessing (never done it) that you might be better off to sail 10-12 hours beyond Lake Worth (or stop and re-start, you'll pass it close inshore) down to Ft Lauderdale to get a better angle for crossing the Gulf Stream direct to West End.

[Mg451]

So when coastal hopping on the west side of the gs the further offshore the better for sea room is it obvious if your getting into the gulfstream as opposed to an eddy? Obviously direction of current is a good sign but is this a gradual increase? When would one alter course.

[SV Confianza]

If you’re going in November, check out the salty dawg rally. They help with planning and safety, plus lots of buddy boats to go with.

[JanCz]

We went off shore last year with the Salty Dawgs.. for us new sailors they provide accurate weather and crossing spots in the Gulf Stream,tracking for each vessel and of course comraderie.. they head Hampton ,Va to Marsh Harbor Abacos around November 1st.. we are joking up with them again this year.

[Mg451]

I'd love to join but my date depends on when my current job is over and I'd hate to lose my deposit