Coming home

[sharkbait]

After 3 long years I'm finally getting off this God forsaken rock. Didn't like it, but it was my last
job. ;D. I'll be coming back to the mainland soon and I'm thinking of doing the East coast for a while. Perhaps Pamlico Sound summers and The Bahamas winter.

Could you guys suggest a cruising guide similar to what Charlies Charts does for the West coast?

[Frank]

Explorer Chartbooks set the standard for Bahamas! Great detail and lots of local info as well. They have east coast chartbooks too.

[CharlieJ]

Explorer Chartbooks set the standard for Bahamas! Great detail and lots of local info as well. They have east coast chartbooks as well.

Plus 1. ONLY chart books to bother with. All I used all over

[s/v Faith]

Another vote for the Explorer Chart Books, best for the Bahamas!

Then John Kettlewelłs ICW guide, and an ipad to check the various free guides and you are good t? go.

If you want more, download Garmins free Bluechart app and you have all the detail you need.

I specifically recommend against "managing the waterway" I have used most of the guides out there, and find it to be the least useful.

[Captain Smollett]

For the East Coast portions (ie, not Bahamas):

I like Claiborne Young's cruising guides. 

Here's an excerpt:

http://www.pamlico.com/oriental/CGNC/

He also runs the Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net web site: http://cruisersnet.net/  with folks "out there" posting updates on things like shoaling and fuel prices.

Some folks also really like Active Captain, which is also good for recent updates from "out there" skippers.

Beware, though, any 'written' cruising guide for the eastern US is going to be out of date about the time it hits the shelves.  If you buy such a guide, check the more "live" sites for updates, watch the USCG Notice to Mariners, and take notes.  Things can change rather quickly (weekly to monthly timescales) in some areas.

And check out this post:

http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=4289.0

;D ;D

[Jim_ME]

...I'm finally getting off this God forsaken rock. Perhaps Pamlico Sound summers and The Bahamas winter.

I have not ever heard Hawaii described in such terms. Probably because it was mostly from people escaping from the local winters for a couple weeks and that welcomed the warm break.

As for summering in Pamlico Sound, John surprised me by informing me that the summer season is often hot, muggy, and without much wind in that (also his) area--and that spring and fall are more pleasant. You might want to consider an area farther North for the summer season? It seems ideal to me  here in Maine from about this time of year through early October. I've heard of many that cruise the Great Lakes in summer, including some that do the Great Loop each year, which brings them back down south in winter.

[Perhaps Chesapeake Bay is far enough North of Pamlico Bay to be fairly comfortable in summer? I'm not so familiar with it, but there are other SailFarers based there that know and may comment on this.]

[sharkbait]

Thanks for all the good ideas. Hawaii is good for a vacation but you dont want to live here.
CBI : $ 7-8

[Jim_ME]

An update...

Just saw this Great Loop map, color-coded for the best areas for the different seasons, on this page...
http://www.greatloop.org/sasonal-great-loop-map-cms-1035
which seems to indicate that New York Harbor/the mouth of the Hudson River and North to the Great Lakes/St Lawrence River, is the recommended summer area (shown in red).

[Chris]

I also vote for Main... Only driven it mind you but after reading one popular turn of the (previous) century published account of sailing the coast engineless I have often fantasized about re-tracing those steps if only to see how things have changed along that coast. I am away from Badger right now so when I can will get down there so as to post the name of this book unless you can think of it Jim...

[sharkbait]

What do you guys think about crowd sourcing my boat search? I want a Cal 29. Yes, you can second guess all you want, but for my purposes it's ideal. There aren't many on the market at any one time, but I'm willing to bet that there
are alot sitting in slips and never moving.
Your thoughts?

[Captain Smollett]

What do you guys think about crowd sourcing my boat search? I want a Cal 29. Yes, you can second guess all you want, but for my purposes it's ideal.

Cal 29?  Those pieces of....oh wait.  Nevermind.  Just kidding.   ;)

Will do.  If I see one in this area, will let you know.  Seems my fuzzy memory recalls one for sale here at one of the clubs about 3 years ago, but I do think it sold.

[Godot]

I was looking for one of those when I found my Bayfield. I liked the design; but all that I looked at were (overpriced) wrecks. I hope you have some better luck. If not, you never know, you might find another design you like just as much.