Tampa Bay to Marathon

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Hud3

....... and billions of crab trap floats to dodge! We went under Seven Mile Bridge at about 7 am headed west, and had two lookouts in addition to the helmsman to spot the buggars.

FWIW, the end of crab season was May 15th. Just completed ~275 miles between SW Florida, Key West & Dry Tortugas and the only traps we saw were a few 'lost souls'.

I do agree to not try this single-handed, especially if you are not a very experienced sailor. Take several days and run along the coast.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by DotDun

FWIW, the end of crab season was May 15th. Just completed ~275 miles between SW Florida, Key West & Dry Tortugas and the only traps we saw were a few 'lost souls'...

It was November when we came through Florida Bay and saw so damn many of them. Much better situation for the OP, for sure! Thanks.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by sailinman

THANKS so much for your detailed post. this is basically what I had prepared for already and it is great to get a confirmation....Im guessing that the northwest passage towards keywest is about 180 degrees, vs the 155 towards cape sable??? the only difference would be returning thru hawks channel south of Key West vs cutting to south cape sable and then heading 180??

next question.. If I find a crew to help me, shoul I expect them to act/behave as if they are delivery crew, and basically relinquish my role as 'captain' and let them choose course and decisions? or will they typically know that it is my boat and teh decisions are mine, and any discussion and decisions more or less a courtesy???

also, should I get photo-copies of ID's? should I formalize the agreement with a written descriptions??? should I search their belongings to make sure they arent carrying drugs???

there is a reason I have chosen single handing.... and the idea of having folk onboard who think they are running it is not going to be 'ideal'

If one were to lay a course directly to the northwest channel at KW from the sea buoy off Tampa Bay, it would lay at about 168º for a distance of roughly 180 (sea) miles. One cannot lay a direct course to Cape Sable. For that one would need select a route that kept one sufficiently off-shore during the less desirable portions of the passage, i.e. south of Cape Romano. In the boat you describe, 180 miles will take fro 36 to 40 hours depending upon winds/currents and your ability to manage the yacht. For coasting, however, the foregoing is irrelevant.

If you are able to recruit someone to sail with you, I suspect they would be more in the nature of a (perhaps new) friend doing you a favor. How much autonomy you allow them would depend upon your relative skills/experience/knowledge. Based upon your questions thus far, I suggest you need to recruit someone with rather more experience than you and learn from them. In most cases when a volunteer shows up to help someone with a passage they are doing so as a favor and perhaps in hope of learning something them self or simply for a (hopefully) fun adventure. Given the foregoing, and having had "pick-up" crews join me on passages, I have always tried to take into consideration the needs/wishes/requirements of the crew verses my own. Further, in most cases it is wise to try and get some sailing in with a prospective crew so that one can judge their level of competence and then plan accordingly.

In re formal agreements, I have never done that. Their might be some merit to having your prospective crew sign a letter of acknowledgment that the trip will be from point A to point B and that, by its nature, timing, stops etc. will be dependent upon weather and other conditions beyond your control and that sailing, by its nature, has inherent dangers that the prospective crew understands and voluntarily accepts. This would be more in the nature of a defensive letter should anything unfortunate happen during the passage than a "Ship's Articles". I have never done that in 50+ years of sailing but in today's litigious bent in society it might be wise, or at least something to consider. Remember that when one accepts a crew, one is normally also expected to provide for their needs--food and drink, accomodations, and perhaps return travel costs, unless they are accepting the trip as something on the order of a pleasure cruise and agree to front some of these costs themselves. If in the nature of a pleasure cruise, however, it needs be planned to make the trip enjoyable rather than a trial or you will surely loose your crew mid-passage.

FWIW...

[mangomuffins]

"I would suggest the Southwest Channel simply because Long Boat Pass can get pretty exciting at times as you have to negotiate the bridge--which is relatively narrow--traffic can be heavy and the channel has migrated somewhat south from what appears on the charts and one must be very cautious."

TRUE!! I've heard, not confirmed, that L.B. pass bridge has more boat/bridge collisions than any other. Seen a few boats go through sideways

sailinman... Hylyte is correct...take this advice
Don't try to do this by yourself if you can find someone with exp. to tag along

mm