Passage Bahamas to BVI, Direct

[Rhosyn Mor]

Has anyone done this passage? any info would be greatly appreciated...
Just one of the passages under consideration. I would like to see the Bahamas on the way out of the US. I understand its probably a beat, but the Keys and the Bahamas are high on the list, and I probably wont make it back to the US for the forseeable future, at the SAme time if I can avoid the thorny path I would like to....

[Kanani]

That's a pretty tough passage. Any reason why you would pass up Puerto Rico??? It's a great stop and makes the passage a little easier. Take your time and work your way East (as weather permits) to Virgin Gorda, then head SE when weather permits.

[Rhosyn Mor]

Thanks, had not really thought of PR, it seems that all passages off the East Coast USA are a beat unless its back over to Europe
Luckily I am not headed anywhere in particular so there are a number of choices.

[Kanani]

I would make my way to the Turks & Caicos Islands. Leave from the N end of Grand Turk and make as much NE as possible before turning SE.

Some people stop in the Dominican Republic, as for me, I'd rather spend a bit more time at sea. Be sure to have charts of the Dominican Republic, in case you need to get in.

You've picked a tough passage. You'll be fighting Easterlies most of the way with a West running current. I've only made that trip going the other way. I'm sure that there are others here that have made this passage and will chime in with better ideas. It's a pretty common route.

[gonesail]

you may need to go north before you can go south from caicos to VI ... and you probably don't want to do that.

[slomotion]

You are correct to not want to miss the Bahamas. The conventional route to the VIs from the Bahamas is SE to T&C or the southern Bahamas and then to eastern DR or all the way through the Mona passage to southern PR - then coastal sail east. The alternative is a passage to northern PR - eg. Farjardo - or a very hard easterly course and then south to the VIs. The Mona requires timing, but it is the easier, admittedly slower, but far more friendly and fun way to go.

[osirissail]

Beside the "Thorny Path" through the Bahamas to Turks & Caicos then the D.R. the Puerto Rico to the V.I. There is the direct route which is nicknamed taking "I-66".
"I-66" is normally taken from the northern or central Bahamas heading east or east north east to longitude 066 west then turn right and head south to the USVI's or Puerto Rico.
If you look at the Atlantic Pilot Charts you will see that you need to stay at or north of latitude 25 degrees to keep in the winds from the west. Further south you encounter the trade winds marching westward which makes heading east very difficult.
The "I-66" route is about 1000nm to 1100nm depending upon how far you need to track north to stay out of the trade winds until you read 66West. At about 6 kts you are looking at a week to 10 days at sea so you should be prepared for at least one good "blow/storm" enroute.