spankin' new sailor needs logistical advice.

[theodyssey]

hi all.

here's my situation, was wondering what you would do:

bought a boat, she's currently on a trailer in North Carolina. I'll be getting to her late July and figure I have a 3 weeks of work before she could be put in the water.

my idea was to take it slowly down the coast and then cross over from Florida to The Bahamas and then around the Caribbean.

but... there's the ole hurricane season.

so what would you do?

- spend more time fixing her up and wait until October*?
- head out anyway and pay attention to weather reports?
- something else I'm not thinking of?

any advice whatsoever is appreciated.

thanks!

a

*my hesitancy to this is becoming one of those people who never seem to get going.

[boatman61]

Spend till Oct/Nov getting her together just so... you know it makes sense... its only 4months and the Islands aren't going anywhere this year...

[Wotname]

Wot he said.... +1

[Talbot]

You are already in the hurricane season as some people consider this is June to November.

Spend longer getting her ready as it will also be cheaper to buy the spares than doing it in the Islands.

[Mimsy]

If you think it will take 3 weeks, it will take 3 months. Boat work time works the same as boat dollars- everything has a factor of x 10. So 3 months to get her ready, a month to sail locally and get to know the boat then you can set off with a lot less weather induced anxiety.

Enjoy!

[Paul L]

Finish up the boat projects, then do a month or 2 shake down cruise on the East Coast. Then fix up the items that really need to be fixed. You'll know what they are after actually cruising the boat. Then take off for the Bahamas after the hurricane threat is way reduced.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by theodyssey

............I'll be getting to her late July and figure I have a 3 weeks of work................... take it slowly down the coast and then cross over from Florida to The Bahamas and then around the Caribbean................

Late July followed by weeks of work and slowly down the coast already takes to slightly past the peak of hurricane season just to arrive to Florida. You could remain on this schedule and end up in a protected area like the St. Johns River for the remainder of the hurricane season. From here, at the end of October, you would be well timed to complete your passage to the islands. It's wise to keep your eye on the weather with a plan for protection from storms. Don't committ to a cruising schedule that will demand that you put yourself at risk and don't lose the joy of all that cruising that is present where you are and well before you get to where you plan to be!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

If you think it will take 3 weeks, it will take 3 months. Boat work time works the same as boat dollars- everything has a factor of x 10. So 3 months to get her ready, a month to sail locally and get to know the boat then you can set off with a lot less weather induced anxiety.

Enjoy!

What he said...........or plan on the following November depending on what other problems you run into. What type boat, age, etc?

[Bash]

If you gathered the world's 100 best cruisers into a single room, you'd discover that 99 of them were extremely patient people. They would regale you with sayings like, "Never chase a jet with a sailboat." More to the point, most of them would be unwilling to start a passage until both the boat and the weather were ready.

There are people on this forum who claim to have circumnavigated the globe without ever having seen wind speeds over 30 knots. That doesn't happen by "heading out anyway," as you put it. There's a big difference between hoping the weather will be good and knowing what weather to expect.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

If you think it will take 3 weeks, it will take 3 months. Boat work time works the same as boat dollars- everything has a factor of x 10. So 3 months to get her ready, a month to sail locally and get to know the boat then you can set off with a lot less weather induced anxiety.

Enjoy!

+1

It will always take longer and cost more than you think to get a boat ready to go cruising. I think the odds of you being totally ready to take off for the islands in 3 weeks are very slim.

So what Mimsy said. Take your time, learn the boat and all the systems and very important, do not get mentally committed to any timetable or schedule.

Regarding hurricane season, I live in Florida and have been boating here for almost 40 years. I am of course in the middle of the hurricane zone and I do not leave the state every July for safety. Make your own decisions but it is very rare that a hurricane will hit without a good advance warning, giving you time to get out of the way or otherwise prepare.

Yes occasionally, especially early in the season when it is more common for a hurricane to pop up more quickly in the Gulf or off the FL coast you may have only a few days warning but most of the time these storms are tracked for many days or even weeks as they develop.

Not to mention that being "out" of the hurricane zone is no guarantee. Look at Sandy last year. The whole US east coast is a target.

[barnakiel]

Start working hard now you might yet get ready by November.

b.

[cheoah]

Hi there, I'd get going, just not south so fast. Tool around the NC sounds, do some coastal sailing from Beaufort to Wrightsville, or head north via Dismal swamp to Chesapeake and shake it down. You'll figure out where the boat needs attention before you're needing to be south.

If you're truly new to sailing and boat handling, you'll be wise to take your time and ease into it. You can still live in it dockside or on the hook, but can study up on piloting and other practical knowledge that will make your cruising a little less eventful. It can take longer than you think to get your ducks in a row, don't worry about getting stuck at the dock. Plenty of places to see up here and will give you practice entering new harbors, reading cruising guides, figuring out all your routines, apps, joker valves, anchoring, and on and on ad infinitum. If you bounce around between Beaufort, CApe Lookout, Oriental, Ocracoke and Manteo you'll find a much friendlier environment for a new boater than say Florida.

Conventional wisdom says don't go south now, in fact an entire industry bases their profitability on that. Many of us have insurance policies that do not allow us to sail south of GA until Nov. Of course, there are plenty of boats in FL and Bahamas right now, and NC is not out of harms way either.

What boat did you buy?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by theodyssey

hi all.

here's my situation, was wondering what you would do:

bought a boat, she's currently on a trailer in North Carolina. I'll be getting to her late July and figure I have a 3 weeks of work before she could be put in the water.

my idea was to take it slowly down the coast and then cross over from Florida to The Bahamas and then around the Caribbean.

but... there's the ole hurricane season.

so what would you do?

- spend more time fixing her up and wait until October*?
- head out anyway and pay attention to weather reports?
- something else I'm not thinking of?

any advice whatsoever is appreciated.

thanks!

a

*my hesitancy to this is becoming one of those people who never seem to get going.

If you're really a "spankin' new sailor" and weren't just describing a hobby (grin), spend the time really learning how to sail and how to sail YOUR boat. When you're going to go offshore, the smaller the boat, the stronger your sailing skills need to be.

So I'm saying hire an instructor, and get those lessons on YOUR boat. You can do the first few on any boat -- you could be taking lessons while your boat is being worked on -- but then get an expert sailor who is a good instructor on your boat with you, in as many varying conditions as possible.

You don't have to be caught in a hurricane to be in a peck of trouble.

Oh by the way -- I strongly recommend SAILING FOR DUMMIES. I think it's an outstanding book dor newer sailors.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Talbot

You are already in the hurricane season as some people consider this is June to November.

Spend longer getting her ready as it will also be cheaper to buy the spares than doing it in the Islands.

Yeah people like the guys at the National Weather Service ...