Advice

[Hank Kivett]

I come to all you old salts for advice and here is my problem or situation..I have a 30 foot CS30 and my goal is to take it south from NC to the keys in the fall of this year...yes at them moment it will be solo...my plans are to go down the ditch (subject to some modification if needed). At the moment I have figured the cost of such trip a $1.00 per mile based on fuel, food, and selected stop overs...Average fule cost is $4.25 per gal. (mine consumes 1/2 gal per hr @1500 rpm and using 10 hr day for cal that makes it 5 gal per day on a 20 day trip. 4 select stops for refulling and resupply @$45.00 per stop. Food cost is projected to be around $10.00 per day...and yes there is maint. ie., oil change filters have been accounted for. So u are asking what experience do u have ...actully not that much and as for going outside NONE...My boat does not have solar but it will have by depart date...Now i ask what am i missing...are my assumptions and cal's wrong..am i physically able to make it...I wll be 74...had two open hearts...3 stints and looking at possibile heart valve replacement in the futher but workout everyday....so there u be

[robert sailor]

The CS 30 is in my mind one of the best 30 foot racer cruisers ever built so the boat has the capacity to make the trip, no problem there although I do not have knowledge of mast heights for the areas your talking about. Your physical condition is a personal matter and only you know whether you are physically up for the trip. Because you have limited experience it would make sense that you either went into a very substantial training program for sailing or found a buddy with decent knowledge and skill sets to go with you. Just take this as my opinion and nothing more but if I was in your shoes I'd be going! Let us know what you are doing and good luck either way!

[boatman61]

Fit a tiller/wheel pilot and steer by button as much as possible reserving manual steering for passing/tight/busy areas.. 10 hour stretches at the helm will put needless strain on your body..

[boatpoker]

Go for it. it's a great trip ! It will be a huge regret if you don't. You may not have many more chances.

PS, CS30 is a terrific little boat and will easily handle inside and outside coastal sailing.

[Hank Kivett]

Oh yes i failed to mention I do have auto pilot...a new vhf ...chart plotter with 300% backup...lap top with maptech nav with ext gps ant and a tender with 5 hp attached...I am looking very hard at adding radar....

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Hank Kivett

Oh yes i failed to mention I do have auto pilot...a new vhf ...chart plotter with 300% backup...lap top with maptech nav with ext gps ant and a tender with 5 hp attached...I am looking very hard at adding radar....

Enjoy....

[Cheechako]

Going down the ditch should be a lotta fun! Go for it. Just add a good waterway guide and binoculars. It's easy to drift out of the ditch between markers, next thing you know you're plowing mud!

[Mike Vogdes]

Sounds like you have all the bases covered. Heading south in the fall you will have plenty of company and will more than likely be traveling with a number of boats with the same goals as you. Every morning you all rise and shake out one after the other, and the reverse will happen every evening. Seeing the same faces daily.

[Tbrad]

Just do it!

[SkiprJohn]

You know your body and mind better than any of us so have a wonderful sail!
kind regards,

[sparrowhawk1]

Leaving in the fall you will be in company of many cruisers doing the same thing. Almost guaranteeing you a good time. I've been up and down the inter- coastal several times. The anchorages are about 30 miles apart making for easy day trips. They're also lot of inlets of the same distance and it's actually easier to go outside for a day if you watch the weather. I also highly recommend that you bypass Georgia, the nature there is beautiful but if you can handle a 24 hour sail you will save days off your trip.

[FSMike]

Hank -
Were I you I would think about a windlass rather than radar for this trip. Radar would be of more value offshore than in the ICW.
Only you know your physical condition, but raising anchor can be a strenuous activity, especially when you're fighting a current.
It can be even more so if you have a problem, and need to reset an anchor that isn't holding.
I'm turning 70 this year, and I sail around without a windlass, but I've been doing this for quite a while. Even so, I occasionally get surprised with more exercise than I wanted.
Have fun!

[sparrowhawk1]

A a windlass and a big anchor with a minimum of 50 foot of chain and at least 100 feet of line will be your best friends

[Hank Kivett]

In my planning i did not include any off shore...at this point in time not sure i am ready for that but here again i got all summer to learn...as for the windless i do like that idea but where to put it...on a CS 30 there in not much room on the fordeck...I had heard that Ga has it's problems...At the moment I have two big concerns that may put a damper if not total stop...I have computed and projected the cost and it comes out to $1.00 a mile @ 1000 miles ..well to say it was a shocker was and understatement...I know u are asking how i computed that...well 100 gals of fuel @ an average cost of $4.50 per gal and that is low...20 days worth of food @ $10.00 a day and at least 4 stops at marinas for pump/fuel/water and such $50.00 fee per stop...maintenance oil changes and such LS $100.00...have i missed anything...assuming no mechanical break downs...opennion anyone...

[Bud man]

Does your food allowance include a daily ration of grog?