How find buddy boat going from West End back to FL

[Rdubs]

Hi everyone
I tried to research this so apologies if missed it.
My 46' sailboat was in storage in the Abacos for the summer and was damaged by Dorian. Mast broke but the boat seems relatively okay otherwise. I need to motor it from Marsh Harbor back to Florida (St Augustine) for repairs. Plan is to motor to West End (Old Bahama Bay) to refuel and check for weather. But it would be reassuring to cross back over tagging along with someone else.

What's a good way to find other boats heading back across to Florida? I don't want to get on channel 16 and ask and doubt other channels are monitored. Maybe it's just, walk around to every boat or person you see and ask them but before I did thought would check with you guys.

Thanks and safe travels.

[JPA Cate]

If there's a cruisers net on the VHF there, I'd put out the question there. Explain damaged boat, destination see if you could coordinate so that you could buddy boat. I can't speak for the guys down there at the moment, but it is the sort of thing we would do under the circumstances, even though we don't like buddy boating.

Ann

[tkeithlu]

Maybe the best response is reassurance. Let's check for a moment. Was your boat on the hard or in the water? Can you make sure that there was not hull damage, particularly below water? Is the engine, drive train, and rudder undamaged? Did the fuel supply get water in it? Fuel system unclogged and supplying well? VHF, AIS, NAV in good order?

I could go on, but my point is that you should not go to sea, even just to cross the Gulf Stream with the current, until you are sure that you are seaworthy in every sense of the term. If you are seaworthy, what's stopping you?

Both check list, and testing. You're going from Marsh Harbor to West End, in good weather. That's a pretty good test. You can do maybe five knots, so if you're itchy, even having done the checks, be sure that you stay in VHF range and know who to call for help.

Really, just treat it as if this was your first crossing, work up to it, and enjoy the trip when you are ready rather than fearing it because you are not quite, as in either your boat or yourself. I hope that you have a very enjoyable run from West End to St. Augustine.

[steamgoat]

Might be a good plan to make some kind of jury rig if only to make the motion of the boat more comfortable. It’s just a day trip !!

[JPA Cate]

Stemgoat makes a good point, rdubs.

It is that, when dismasted, a sailboat will ride nice and level, until it gets into the ocean swell, then it rolls like a son of a gun! The motion will be quick and snappy, and it may be that you an all your crew become seasick from it. Be sure to stock up on enough anti-seasick meds before you go to the boat, enough for all of you (the worst case).

Whoever is in charge of meals will have to adapt to this motion to get food to everyone. When Jim and I were dismasted, I had to hold the kettle onto the burner of the stove, because the motion was so fierce it tried to jump onto the cabin sole. I made toast by the fork of bread over the burner way. It's nothing you can't survive, but having a pressure cooker aboard for soup might not be a bad idea, because the lid screws on.

Safe trip "home," eh?

Ann

[Rdubs]

Thank you all for the great input.

Love Tkeithlu's thoughts. It's a good point that if the boat makes it from Marsh to West End without major problem, it should be good for a quick jaunt across to FL. Granted, that jaunt would include the Gulf Stream but just go on a calm day.

There's a good chance I end up single-handing the boat just to due schedules and such. Point well taken on the motion sickness medicine, I will definitely pop some before heading out.

I think the plan would be to make for the Ft. Pierce or Canaveral inlet into the ICW and head north on the ICW from there.

One tricky part will be that the hurricane ripped off my swim platform, which basically forms the transom of the boat. So the boat now has an open transom kind of like a racing sailboat. Probably the greatest risk is when in the Gulf Stream of getting pooped but luckily I'll be going northwest so hopefully I'll just swell up and down as opposed to take waves into the cockpit.

[JPA Cate]

Keep the duckboards mostly in, then, stop the water getting below, if you were pooped.

Ann

[Jackz]

I will be crossing from West End to Ft Pierce on or around March 5, Leopard 44 catamaran. Happy to cross with you if this fits your time frame.

[sanibel sailor]

I don't know the geography well, and it is a bit further south, but a departure from Bimini would give a longer "sea trial" and shorter offshore leg with perhaps more closely spaced inlet options to get to the ICW if weather deteriorates. At least ICW bridges won't be a nuisance.

[Hudson Force]

West End to Ft' Pierce was our most frequent choice,- 'departing at first light and making a daylight landfall with the kick from the Gulfstream. We always made some contacts with fellow cruisers en route by VHF, but rarely found someone keeping our same pace. We usually chose overnight to take the route to Port Canaveral. With the extra roll without the rig, I'd shoot for Ft. Pierce. Lake Worth is shorter, but without any of the Gulfstream assistance. Be sure your filters are clean and with spares if your motoring all the way with some extra shaking about after that time on the hard.

[Rdubs]

Thanks all again for the great input. Sound like Ft Pierce should be the primary target but maybe if things are calm and making good time will stretch for Canaveral.

JackZ, thank you for the kind offer to buddy. Let me see how things look once I get the boat to West End. You all have no idea how hard I'm praying that the motor and saildrive are in good shape and fire right up without problems.

I'm hoping that if it does, and it's no sweat to get to West End, that should give me a lot more confidence about making the jump across.

[Lowcountry]

Whether you find a buddy boat or not, there will be dozens of other vessels between the Bahamas and Florida whenever you decide to cross. You will not be out there alone, and you will not have any difficulty finding a vessel to offer assistance if anything goes very wrong.

[Motorsailer4me]

I am comtimplating purchase of a storm damaged boat in the Bahamas also. I would also have to cross over to FL without masts. I would not go until late Jun or early July. I will be very interested in how you make out. Please post an after action report.