Stamford, CT to Oriental, NC

[CaptEric]

I have been asked to deliver a 37'Tartan from CT to NC in mid August 2010. Anyone have experience with this trip this time of year? Is it best to go inside Delaware Bay & Cheaspeake or outside the Delmarva? I imagine it's an uphill trip. I may also be looking for crew.

[cla6665]

Hi there,
if you need crew pm me or email me at cla6665@gmail.com , I'll be happy to help you out

[SailFastTri]

If you're single-handed you should probably stay inside. As always, the boat, the crew and especially the conditions will be the key decision factors, and only you (with perhaps input from the boat's owner) can decide. Another consideration is that if you're not familiar with this particular boat and its systems, when things break you will have many more options for safe anchoring and assistance if you stay inside.

I haven't gone outside but have considered it. Having done the Delaware Bay & Cheaspeake route I know it's going to cost you an extra day (Delaware Bay is forever and can be stinky in wind-against-current), so if weather permits and you have adequate crew to run nonstop you should go outside. I've reviewed the charts of the Atlantic-facing Delmarva inlets and it looks like they'd all be pretty dicey in the wrong weather, with perhaps Ocean City (if memory serves) being the best option -- but without knowing it I wouldn't even try that one with the wind in any easterly quadrant and/or adverse current.

So IMHO the bottom line is go outside only if you're ready to commit to running the whole length of the Delmarva nonstop.