Chesapeake Bay to Bahamas - How Long Outside ?

[camaraderie]

So...you want to take what amounts to a "glorified Catalina 22" with a kick up rudder, little ballast and an outboard engine into the open North Atlantic to head 1000 miles against prevailing winds and currents during the winter eh?
Please do NOT carry an EPIRB or a Liferaft as it would be unfair to ask others to risk their lives to save yours with such an ill conceived idea. You can do as you please with your own.

[Vasco]

Cam,
In fairness, I think Aquaholic said he wasn't contemplating taking his small boat down. He's looking at a 35 footer. But I think you do have a point, if you have to ask all these questions you might not really be ready for this voyage.

[Aquah0lic]

Cam, as Vasco pointed out, I'm NOT TAKING THE HELMS. If you pay as much attention when you're sailing as you do when responding to a forum post, I suspect YOU are the one who will eventually need to be rescued.

Vasco, I understand your warning but it seems to me that someone who DIDN'T ask questions before a long offshore trip like this is a fool. I have been sailing inshore for a reasonable number of years, so I'm not really green.

Besides, how many people were TRULY ready the first time they made a trip like this? Much like many of the other things I've done, I study and prepare as much as possible, then dive in and shoot from the hip relying on my common sense to pull me through. I know the procedure isn't perfect but I have a surprisingly succesful track record. Half the battle is in your own head from people saying you can't/shouldn't try. If I had listened to the naysayers, I would have missed out on many great experiences.

Also, too all, by 'the route 66 thing' I basically meant just crossing the gulf stream and going south as suggested. I hardly see myself sailing halfway across the ocean to get to the Abacos.

[Pblais]

I think this thread is lacking in the "be nice" requirement of the Cruisers Forum. If you find posts offensive use the little triangle icon in the lower left corner of the post to report it to the staff. The staff of CF reserve to the right to deal with problems using our own methods and we do not permit members to decide who is and who is not acceptable. Inappropriate responses to inappropriate remarks as just as bad as the original remark.

Any member can go their own profile and add the name of any other member they just can stand to have around and the posts they write can then be removed from any views you care to read. Create your own world where none of the people you don't like will be there.

We are not going to allow name calling.

[Aquah0lic]

Sorry, Paul. He just got under my skin a little.

[Fishspearit]

Here's a chart of the gulf stream with your course in red to the Abacos. No shorter than hugging the coast inside of the stream, but at least you don't have to worry about seeing any land or many other boats.

[camaraderie]

OOPS...sorry about that. My bad. You can now have an EPIRB and Raft...