Across Atlantic, heading north! Trucking

[nick]

Hey all,

So I've successfully made it across the Atlantic. I'm writing to you from a beach bar in Barbados. I've been here a week and a half, and have my US visa, at long last. This afternoon I'm doing a night sail over to St Lucia, and then over to Antigua, where I will be on the 17th. I'm going to sail to Bermuda on or around the 20th of May, and then onto New York. I might skip Bermuda altogether... Sometimes once you've started a long passage, it's easier just to continue on, rather than break it up. We'll see.

Anyone near any of those places I've mentioned? Otherwise maybe I'll meet some of you if I choose the ICW back down for Panama in winter, or if I can truck my boat somehow. I would like to haul it myself, but with insurances and driving permits etc, I think it will be a nightmare to do on my own. I always wanted to do the great route 66 roadtrip in a Mustang, and I think if I had any style, I'd find a 1972 Mustang (to match the year of my boat) and Contessa trailer. Think:



plus



plus



Anyway, one can always dream... I guess I'll see you on the ICW ;)

(or the NW passage...)!

nick.

[AdriftAtSea]

Congrats Nick...

BTW, I'm a bit more partial to the late 1960s era Mustangs, as my brother had one.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Just been reading your back posts......really interesting and useful stuff!

Dunno about the Muscle Cars, but a 48 Foot bed seems a good idea  8)

[CapnK]

Congrats, Nick! Awesome! ;D

If you do wind up southbound on the ICW, you'll have to stop here, in SC just above Charleston.  8) James/"Lynx" will be passing thru headed north soon - I wonder if y'all might meet up some where north of here...?

Regarding Mustangs, I most prefer the ones made in the years spanning '39-'45, myself. ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

CapnK-

Fuel and ammo for those are a bit more expensive... so's the insurance. :)

[CapnK]

Maybe so... ...but they go to windward like you wouldn't believe! ;D ***


Nick, I was thinking about you towing a Contessa with that '72 ground-bound 'Stang. You'll probably need to beef up the suspension, maybe the frame too a little bit. Might as well put some wide tires on back there, a posi-traction rear end, and what the heck, some wheelie bars for kicks. Maybe a nitrous system for the uphills out west. ;D (cue the James Bond music...)




***

(Hijacking: I saw like 14 Mustangs in the air at once, up in Oshkosh. Along with a Spitfire, a couple F4U's, several F4F's, F6's, and F8 'Cats, 2 B-17's, a B-25, couple B-26's, topped by three large gaggles of T6, T28's, and T35's, and other warbirds. A stirring sight... Aviation is a passion I let my brother pursue; he's the Pilot, I'm the Sailor. ;D)

[nick]

Oh yes, I'm much more partial to the Mustangs from the 60's, I just wanted to match the year of my boat, that's all. It's all muscle though, and CapnK, I agree with all your suggested modifications. Maybe I should spend a couple of years in the US doing up the ultimate towing machine? Bigstang.com? I like it.

Made it to St Lucia today. Sitting at a bar overlooking the Lagoon entrance. For anyone looking at coming here, the Lagoon is mostly closed. That is of course you're a wee little boat, and you can stay there :) All the BIG EXPENSIVE BOATS have to stick out in the bay. Suffer.

Wish I had darn inflatable with an outboard though...

nick.