Hampton Road to Florida to Bahamas on December

[cofc]

Originally Posted by rnanaples

Make sure if you go inside you ask every power boat out there to slow down. Even though you are on an ocean going Vessel you still need to ask them to slow down. They do not have the right to enjoy boating and must go slow like a sailboat.

Hahahaha! Damn if there aren’t some whiners out there.

[ReynoldsWT]

Rounding Hatteras in December presents a high probability of challenging conditions. Cold weather, coupled with likelihood of stormy conditions, could easily put you in a tough position. This is inadvisable for a first rounding of Hatteras, especially is you single-hand. I've rounded Hatteras a dozen or so times, but sailing tall ships with full crew.

Running the ICW also presents challenges, but of a very different nature. You are silent on crew - if you are going solo, the run down the ICW will be demanding, but in a much different manner than rounding Hatteras - more mental than physcial. Your progress will be slow, as days are short and it is inadvisable to run through the night if you are not well experienced. Pay attention to your height of mast, and verify that you can pass all bridges; plan ahead for your anchorages, or marina stops. To make better time, line up a crew member or two to sail with you; if you are certain to make the run solo, pace yourself. I've run the ICW Norfolk to Florida and back multiple times running tug/barge units - even with professional crew it is demanding.

Take it easy, relax and enjoy the voyage.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Vanessallj

I am planning my first long passage to depart from Hampton Road to Florida then to Bahamas on first week of coming December. Initially I plan to sail all the way offshore, sailing not far from shore and avoid touching the Gulf Stream. But many suggest that not to sail offshore passing Cape Hatteras. Most people suggest taking ICW to Beaufort NC.

I sail on C&C Red Wing 35' MK1 1971, Atomic 4 motor. This babe sail smooth on sea but not great on just motoring all the way. It would be great for any experience sailor there to give any advice for this passage trip on:

1. What to watch and beware of sailing during December?
2. Would you prefer all the way offshore or ICW? Why?
3. If my final plan were Hampton Road - ICW to Beaufort NC - come offshore to Florida - Bahamas, any detail along this route that I need to be aware of?
4. Any suggestion on good spot to anchor for the night along this route?

Finally, any sharing, your stories, experience, or ideas are always welcome Thanks!

I'm going to be a major contrarian here. However, this is NOT advice. I'm telling you what I would do.

I'm a delivery skipper and an offshore guy. I've spent way too much time on the ICW driven by weather, boat limitations, and owner requirements. Day after day of droning down a ditch. To me it is mind numbing. Other people feel differently, or accept the motoring in exchange for lots of stops and sightseeing. That's up to you.

Remember it's going to be cold.

I'm worried about your comment "but not great on just motoring all the way." Motoring all the way is what the ICW is about. I would get a full service on your Atomic 4 and run through both the dockside and on-the-water calibration of your autopilot.

What I would do is top up fuel and water and provisions somewhere like Cobb's Marina in Little Creek (big shop in Annapolis at Sam's or Norfolk at Costco). For you, jugs of fuel in addition to the tank. Then I would head out Chesapeake Bay at 135T from CB watching sea water temperature until across the Gulf Stream and then aim as close as I could to North Man o' War Cut in the Abacos and check in Marsh Harbour. On your boat that's about six days, depending on weather (I'll talk more about weather here in a minute - routing first). Warm days and chilly nights a day or two past CB.

Hatteras gets a bad rap for three reasons. 1. Historically it was a crap shoot since weather forecasting was poor. 2. People stay in too close (taking the Diamond Shoals "short cut" where waves stack up over shallow water. 3. They aren't getting good weather data. See below.

On your boat, I wouldn't go around Hatteras because if you're disciplined you can get to Beaufort/Morehead City just as fast on the inside, if you can count on your engine. N.B. Get a towing insurance policy. Gold Platinum Ultimate Everything - best money you can spend.

Average progress on the ICW for cruisers is 35 sm miles per day. From Annapolis to Morehead City a few weeks ago I made 120, 105, 110 sm. Three days from Annapolis to Morehead City. It's a push, requires discipline, and a dependable engine. I'm happy to coach you through that if you choose inside. Joe Cruiser can make 60-75 sm per day with a good plan. Do you have radar on your boat? AIS?

Offshore hops West of the Gulf Stream start to make more sense when you get into South Carolina and Georgia. Single overnights are tough to justify as the overhead of running out and in inlets adds up and increases stress. Longer hops means better crew.

Okay - weather.

Gribs are the direct output of computer models. All the fancy web-based apps are just different displays for the same gribs. Pretty doesn't mean good. The models don't do a good job of showing fronts. Fronts lead to wind shifts and atmospheric instability that mean gusty conditions and rain. Your best bet are meteorologist value-added synoptic charts. See https://ocean.weather.gov/shtml/A_brief.php . You can get similar data for the Gulf Stream here https://ocean.weather.gov/newNCOM/NC...m_currents.php ; best Gulf Stream data comes from sea water temperature as you proceed (read your depth sounder manual). There is simply no excuse for getting caught by surprise off Hatteras. I've been around Hatteras well over a hundred times and turned back twice. Both were my mistakes. Everything I've talked about is available over weather fax which is a cheap add to your boat. Adding weather fax and heading straight to the Bahamas is cheaper than the gas cost of motoring down the ICW.

Now some advice. You want to be really confident in your engine. Otherwise don't go either inside or outside. You want to be really confident in your autopilot. Full calibration. You want to know where your fluxgate compass is and keep magnetic material away from it. You want a plan to eat and sleep decently. Service your head and know how all the discharge valves work. Have backups for nav.

If you go inside, AquaMap with a Master subscription for USACoE survey data is a great investment, second only to towing insurance.

If I haven't missed you, holler if I can help.

[Sparx]

I just finished a run south from Norfolk. Left Norfolk on a strong North wind coming off the backside of a substantial low. By the time we reached Hatteras the wind was nearly spent. We motored with the sails occasionally set, making Charleston on the fourth day. After a nice meal and topping up we were back out the following morning for the overnight run to St Augustine. The weather could gave not been better, except for maybe a little more wind would have been nicer for sailing.

I post this to validate what many experienced skippers post above that yes the ocean route is indeed quite viable even in December.