Delivery Charleston to Boston-Advice Needed

[jpendoley]

I am delivering my new to me Pearson 424 sloop from Charleston, SC to Boston. Departure date about... next week. The boat draws 5'3". Air draft from waterline 52'. 87 HP yanmar and 80 gallon fuel tank. Crew of me, plus two paid, but not professional crew. Below deck autopilot. Given this is a delivery, the boat and systems are new to me and I have about two weeks allocated-what would be a pragmatic and safe route? Having some fun along the way would be nice too-but we have to get back to work soon after the 4th of July.

Trig LOOKS good, sails appear middle aged and I am 63 and healthy. Crew is 23 and 46 and healthy and fit. Been sailing 35 years but all in New England. Engine is clean as a whistle-aluminum fuel tank of unknown condition.

I'm thinking outside is faster-but weather depedent and the boat has not been sailed by me-yet.
Curious to hear from folks who have made the trip and get their advice with the above particulars in mind. thanks in advance.
Jim

[Sparx]

I am very familiar with this course. There is a great weather window brewing up soon, and I may ride those winds up to New England too.

Here is what i would do...

From Charleston I would make my course east by north east. The idea is to make your easting early to catch the Gulf Stream. I expect to find the Gulf Stream starting in about 100 feet of water and the current gets much stronger out a bit deeper.

Once in the current make a course for the deep water off Frying Pan Shoal (off of South Port NC), then Cape Look Out Shoal (off Beaufort NC), then Diamond Shoal (off Cape Hatteras).

Once past Hatteras make a course for Nantucket 450 miles ahead. After Hatteras the gulf stream will bear north east of the rhumb line providing less benefit.

I leave it to you regarding going around the ocean side of Cape Cod or using the Cape Cod Canal. I think the CCC is shorter, but then one must navigate Buzzards Bay and coordinate with the tide through the canal. In delivery mode after possibly being tired from a few days at sea I could see going around Cape Cid just because it is easy. If the weather is contrary then the CCC is of course just fine.

This time of year we are getting delightful south westerlies along the coast that last for 2 or 3 days often followed by northesterlies for a day or two. You will want to adjust course or divert if the northeaterlies come strong.

Favorite bailout places for me are Beaufort (including the harbour at Cape Lookout), the Chesapeake, Atlantic Highlands at Sandy Hook NJ, and Jamestown Rhode Island.

Best voyage to you.

[jpendoley]

Sparx-great reply, thank you. That’s the classic outside route and I’ve noticed the delightful southerlies. Bit hesitant to ride the stream in a new to me cruiser. It’s built for it, but a northerly kicked in last night and gave me pause. Newport to Bermuda race started this week and a couple boats turned back due to weather. I’m thinking coastal route inside Hatteras and then duck out weather permitting. The first two days up the South Carolina coast should give me a better sense of the boats capabilities and then I could make the inside outside call.

[hlev00]

We are towards the end of this same trip on our Beneteau 423. We have been going slower as we aren't in delivery mode though we are pushing to get home to Marion MA. We had a lot of fronts come through which first bring great SW winds but also thunderstorms and then NW-N winds.



We left Charleston May 28 (actually just a bit north, McClellanville) to Cape Lookout where we spent a few days resting and looking for another weather window. We ended up doing the ICW to Norfolk and stopped looking for a weather window to go around outside. We ended up heading up the Chesapeake and back down the Delaware. We stopped over in Atlantic City for a break then off to Atlantic Highlands. From there up through the East River, Long Island Sound with a couple of stops. Today we are in Block Island.


We were prepared to do it more or even all outside with the right weather windows but the last month has had so many fronts coming through that we just decided to go all inside since Cape Lookout except for going around New Jersey. We could have cut out 5-10 days if we hadn't stopped to see friends or to relax. We also might have done more or all of it outside, either all at once or in segments, if we had been patient waiting for better weather, but then we might be two weeks behind where we are now.


So if you are capable of sailing outside and get the right weather others have good suggestions about going outside. If you don't get the right weather you may be stuck going inside, or at least waiting for better weather.


Harry

[Sparx]

Ok, got it. On a new to me boat I might use a little caution too.

So here is my next thought...

Charleston to Southport outside is like like 110 miles. It is easy in easy out, but reserve your space at a marina ahead of time. Might be a good first ocean hop to shake down.

If still not ready for deep ocean my thought is take the ICW north from Southport to Masonboro Inlet to avoid having to go way east to clear the shoal at Southport. Good anchorage at Masonboro and Beaufort is a short ocean hop up the coast.

Starting back in Charleston the ICW trip is certainly doable. Good alternative to beating out in the ocean. Georgetown SC is a favorite stop for us. Georgetown to Myrtle Beach is my favorite section of the ICW. There is a bridge above Georgetown that can be troublesome if the water is very high.

We use the ICW when the ocean is not favorable.

[jpendoley]

Sounds like you had a relaxing trip Harry. I’m trying to make this a pleasure cruise, but I really have a two maximum three week window to get home so not gonna be many layover days. When I think about the windy June we have had due to northers, I am imagine going outside would’ve been pretty exciting. Sounds like you made the right choice.

[hlev00]

If you do go into Southport and want to exit at Masonboro / wrightsville Beach, there are some shoal areas. You can get recommended tracks from Bob Sherer at Bob423 ICW Tracks and Routes: How to Download Tracks and Routes. He has a FB group Bob423 ICW too to ask others about recent experience. The tracks can be loaded in most charting / navigation apps and modern MFDs. We used Aquamaps with the pro version that also lets you display Army Corps of Engineers soundings. IIRC though if you can time it 2 hours either side of high tide you will be fine, especially if you reference Bob’s tracks. But you should research this for your boat to confirm.

Harry

[fishead]

If you can't get the fuel tank cleaned and the fuel polished be sure to take LOTS of fuel filters. You should have basic engine spares, belts and water pump impellers. Make sure you have the correct tools and the ability to change water pump impeller. Probably a good idea to get Boat Us tow boat insurance. So many times boats that have been sitting for a while get offshore and the crud in the bottom of the fuel tanks gets stirred up. I'd run intracoastal or coastal for a least the first day or so to see if any issues show up.