Routing advice Chesapeake to Grenada in Spring

[gonzemoi]

Hola,

I am looking for some friendly advice on the timing ( around Spring) and routing for a trip south from the Chesapeake to Grenada. From what I have been able to find online and reading Cornell's sailing routes, it would seem wise to depart in April towards Bermuda, with a favorable weather forecast to cross Gulf Stream. Then stopping in Bermuda or making east (at least 65W) before heading straigth south to catch trade winds.

I left Cornell's Ocean atlas back on the boat (), so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Boat: Lagoon 450
Sailing Experience: over 16,000 NM (La Rochelle, Med, Atlantic, Caribbean up to Halifax, back to Chesapeake)
On average we make 160 miles/24 hr. In case we need to get going across GS or weak winds, Diesel capacity 1000L , we can make 140 miles/24 hr motoring with one engine, 165m/24hrs with 2 engines.


Thank You,

Gonzalo

[Hud3]

That's a pretty good plan. If you wait for weather in one of the marinas in the Hampton Roads area, you can easily be across the Gulf Stream in a day and a half. Then it's another 3-1/2 or 4 days to Bermuda.

You can get some pretty strong gales offshore in April and even in May, but if you've put the Gulf Stream behind you, they shouldn't be much of a problem for someone with your experience.