OK...summer is drawing to a close. What did everyone do?? Where'd ya go? What'd ya fix?
Now....fall is fast approaching....where ya headed????? (warm I hope)
Stayin home...what winter projects??
Oh ya.....remember...we all love pictures ;D :o ;)
Plan is to cruise the Gulf coast this year, maybe make Bahamas again 2014, with any luck.
Right now, entire goal is to get Tehani back afloat and in sailing trim.
I had a very nice trip to Florida with Necessity in tow. 3300 miles with zero problems.. since then, she's been sold, and all focus is on Tehani.
Well, and of course, keeping the house maintained.. VERY different world as a single hander
CJ.... I have an idea. About 3-4yrs ago there were around 5 or 6 of us in Bahamas.
WHY DON'T WE PLAN ON THE ABACOS AS A 2014 DESTINATION FOR AS MANY AS CAN MAKE IT??? COME ON....IT'S EASY....GET YOUR BUTTS IN GEAR!!!!! I'll buy drinks at Sundowners on Gren Turtle Cay to all that come ;)
2014...CJ's hopefully in, I'm in....who else??
NOW THERE's a goal to shoot for.
I'll sure try. REAL hard ;)
Depends a whole lot on Mom's health right now as to what I can really plan.
Spent the day sanding old bottom paint- YUCK, that's nasty work. You shoulda seen the bottom of the shower afterwards :o :o :o
Ok, for planning purposes- are we talking fall of 2014? or spring, like March - April?
CJ....maybe we'll see what others think. Sometime Jan-March in 14? Too soon? Winter of 15 then? March is nice as the days are longer and "winter winds" typically are subsiding. Thoughts?
I'm spending this week, in the rain, replacing all of Mathildas through hulls, seacocks and bottom paint.
I NEED a drink in the Abacos....... ;D
But, I'm on the diagonally opposite end of the continent.... so post pics when you get there, and I'll raise one to you all from here.
What would be the general weather patterns - most likely place to cross from say in or around first of March? Uh - Frank? Just how plural is the word drinks?
jim
During winter there are frequent fronts...at times back to back. 20-25+knt winds are not uncommon. This makes crossing windows rare with long waits to go at times. By March, there are more extended periods of decent weather and crossing windows are more frequent. Weather is weather...ya never know till you're ready to go ;D
Crossing to Abacos is easy. You can make it from West Palm Beach (Lake Worth inlet) but you'll have to motor-sail as the gulf stream's working against ya. Ft Lauderdale is 40ish miles south making it easier. Either one...you head for the "West End" Grand Bahama Island. Figure 11-14hrs to cross.
Lots of good weather sites with extended forecasts including wave hieghts as well. "Passage weather.com" is one..."Windfinder" is another.
Finally...If you make it to Green Turtle........don't worry about how many :o ;) ;)
PS...that offer does NOT apply to Capt K. My visa doesn't have a big enough limit!!!
Quote from: Frank on September 05, 2013, 04:41:47 PM
PS...that offer does NOT apply to Capt K. My visa doesn't have a big enough limit!!!
;D ;D ;D
;)Made the trip in early June 1962. Due to Hurricane season we were darn lucky to get 4 weeks of cruising in before we scooted for the Florida coast.
When Mary and I were heading south on the ICW, we spent a evening aboard a live aboard cruiser owned by Tom Neale who wrote articles for many cruising rags, plus he wrote a book called; All in the Same Boat. They followed the game plan of
getting across the Gulf Stream before X mas so they could be in Nassau for the Junkanoo festivities right after Christmas.
According to Tom "there is always a 24 or 36 hr opening between Nov and X mas",
its up to you to find it. By doing this and then heading further south, you miss all but the extreme Northerners.
this is going to be my approach. I wanna be south beyond Georgetown. I'm
not a good groupie, Charlie Jones is a great one.
ole salts view,geneWj.
met a couple at anchor whom had spent the last 40 winters anchored in Georgetgown. This was their last trip that far south.
When they first started their winter trips there might be 20-30 boats. This season over 300
all trying to anchor in the same spot .LOL. next year they will spend their time at anchorages on Andros Island where they normally check in to the Bahamas.
I'd really like being back on North Bimini in Alice Town for Easter weekend. That's the homecoming weekend and they do party. Population more than a triples. Bands from all over the Bahamas, food booths, and just a blast.
And they celebrate Easter Monday there- cranks up on Friday, through Monday evening
The folks I've talked to who make the trip during the lulls normally say leaving at night after the seas calm down and then motoring all night normally can anchor in 18-20 ft of water in the morning before the wind and seas build up, again.
CJ....Bimini is certainly "funkie". Haven't been there for 11yrs but I'm sure other than the original Fishermans Club burning...not much has changed ;) Sounds like it would be a hoot!!!
Easter is April 20, 2014. Would be a cold hard push to make it. Better yet leave before winter sets in. Hang out in Fla through the winter and sail over just before Easter. Spend 3 months in the Bahamas sail back to the states then up the east coast to start the great loop.
Yep- Just looked in Log book.
We were held in Marathon for a month due to fronts. Left AngelFish Creek on March 25th, bound for Bimini. Winds were forecast as south, but actually shifted almost east, so we couldn't lay the rhumb line under sail. Motor sailing we were losing about a degree an hour for the channel into North Bimini. At 1800 raised Bimini, but we had been pushed about 8 miles north. Now 8 miles isn't a whole lot, but that meant we had to motor into the Gulf Stream's 2.5 kt current, with a 5 knot cruise. Takes a LONG time to make up 8 miles, at 2 to 2.5 ts :o
We anchored off Bimini at 2130.
At 0530 or so the next morning, a front was moving in, we had strong SW winds, putting us on a Lee shore. Made it inside and anchored JUST as the downpours began ;D
NEVER underestimate that current!! It never stops ;)
I double handed a 42 Westsail from Long Island to the Azores then on to the Canary Islands, amazing trip, fair winds
Back up in Maine after our year long cruise to Georgia and back. 4000 miles or so. Pretty amazing. Now, we'll be here more than not, boat projects, family illnesses, refilling the kitty, ... take your pick. Hoping to take a long cruise to the Maritimes next summer if all goes well. Beyond that, who knows?
Quote from: CharlieJ on September 06, 2013, 07:01:09 PM
Motor sailing we were losing about a degree an hour for the channel into North Bimini. At 1800 raised Bimini, but we had been pushed about 8 miles north. Now 8 miles isn't a whole lot, but that meant we had to motor into the Gulf Stream's 2.5 kt current, with a 5 knot cruise. Takes a LONG time to make up 8 miles, at 2 to 2.5 ts :o
NEVER underestimate that current!! It never stops ;)
Charlie, reading that reminded me of the story (http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=1343.0;wap2) of Gene's passage on an Alacrity 19 and was swept 100 miles North. Gave me chills to read it again and imagine what it would be like in a 1500-lb sailboat if the weather had gotten worse, possibly making it impossible to make the Bahamas. Seems like a long way to Virginia, as he writes...or Bermuda. Yikes.
Welcome back to Maine, Colin and Anne. I'm curious to learn more about your trip South from here, as it is something I'd also like to do eventually.
I had also seen the Hurley 20 [that you posted in sellfar] in the CL ads. That reverse shear kinda makes it look like it might be a bit over-inflated... ;) It's by the same builder as the Alacrity 19 in the story above. I have heard that Hurley does build some rugged boats, but in a group where a 5,000 + pound Ariel 26 or Meridian 25 is the standard small cruiser...at some point it seems like that saying..."there is no replacement for displacement..." must start to seem pretty true?
Yet he [Gene] did go on the cruise the Bahamas in that Ay19 with his wife and two children. I've heard at least one report of an Alacrity doing a transatlantic...perhaps from the Canary Islands to the Bahamas with the current and tradewinds?
Hey Jim,
I'd be glad to answer any questions you have about the trip south. It's a fascinating way to see the East Coast and there's tons of great people to meet along the way. Do it if you can!
As for the Hurley, I try not to presume what purpose another might have for it. I do love the idea of bilge keelers, though. The anchorage access is really unparalleled when you get a draft like 2'7" and can even dry out at low. Heck, if the water was warm enough, I might even try a cruise on such a boat without a dinghy (depending on the grounds.). Seems like it could be a good boat for some trailer based adventures, too. Mainly I posted it just because it's British and a bilge keeler with a good reputation which is a bit unusual over here.
Speaking of the Hurley, here's a link to someone who did a couple of Atlantic crossings in one: http://endlessdesign.com/noggin/
Quote from: Jim_ME on September 16, 2013, 01:18:50 AM
Quote from: CharlieJ on September 06, 2013, 07:01:09 PM
Motor sailing we were losing about a degree an hour for the channel into North Bimini. At 1800 raised Bimini, but we had been pushed about 8 miles north. Now 8 miles isn't a whole lot, but that meant we had to motor into the Gulf Stream's 2.5 kt current, with a 5 knot cruise. Takes a LONG time to make up 8 miles, at 2 to 2.5 ts :o
NEVER underestimate that current!! It never stops ;)
Charlie, reading that reminded me of the story (http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=1343.0;wap2) of Gene's passage on an Alacrity 19 and was swept 100 miles North. Gave me chills to read it again and imagine what it would be like in a 1500-lb sailboat if the weather had gotten worse, possibly making it impossible to make the Bahamas. Seems like a long way to Virginia, as he writes...or Bermuda. Yikes.
I know who that is! That's the guy who was so adamant about his daughter Heather sailing single hand round the world in Flight of Years, the Flicka. Had her start on THE day promised, even though it was storming. She and I shared some emails.
She's no longer sailing, from what I understand
Yeah, I remember him :P
Quote from: marujo_sortudo on September 16, 2013, 06:52:02 AM
As for the Hurley, I try not to presume what purpose another might have for it.
I didn't mean to say that they are over rated. I meant that the way the shear line seems to bulge upward in the middle, makes it seem like it was physically over-inflated. It does add to the idea that it is unconventional in style, which is cool. The classic Amphibicon wooden boats also had a similar form. Kinda makes me want to bolt a set of 1959 Cadilac Coupe-de-Ville fins onto the stern rails to complete the package... ;)
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I do love the idea of bilge keelers, though. The anchorage access is really unparalleled when you get a draft like 2'7" and can even dry out at low. Heck, if the water was warm enough, I might even try a cruise on such a boat without a dinghy (depending on the grounds.). Seems like it could be a good boat for some trailer based adventures, too. Mainly I posted it just because it's British and a bilge keeler with a good reputation which is a bit unusual over here.
I should confess that last fall I actually picked up an Alacrity 19 that came up for sale locally, for many of the reasons that you describe. Its hull has been repainted a couple times--the last time with a brush. Got some good Van-Goghesque brush-stroke texture style going on there. 1'-10" draft and 480 lbs of ballast in its twin keels.
After the thread (http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php/topic,3575.msg42357.html#msg42357) about finding and renting or purchasing a small boat already at a cruising destination (such as Europe) as an alternative to sailing over there, and reading a blog (http://alacrity19.blogspot.com/2007/07/famous-voyage-of-alacrity-hotfly-from.html) about a guy who had sailed over to France from the UK in an Ay19 and cruised through the French canals to the Mediterranean, when a project boat came onto the market here, I got it. Haven't done much with it, and have been having some second thoughts. Needs quite a bit of work. The cabin berth and sole panels are delaminated from moisture. On the plus side...it is a small boat. It is a nice size to bring into a garage for the winter to work on, something that I regrettably don't have.
I do think that it would be a great trailer sailer for gunkholing in. Not sure that it would be my first choice to do a transatlantic in though. ;D
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I'd be glad to answer any questions you have about the trip south. It's a fascinating way to see the East Coast and there's tons of great people to meet along the way. Do it if you can!
Thought that I should visit your facebook blog again, read up and gather as much as I could from there before asking too many questions... I'm also especially interested in how you have simplified your land-based life to free up resources and commitments to be able to cruise as you do.
Quote from: CharlieJ on September 16, 2013, 09:28:20 AM
I know who that is! That's the guy who was so adamant about his daughter Heather sailing single hand round the world in Flight of Years, the Flicka. Had her start on THE day promised, even though it was storming. She and I shared some emails.
She's no longer sailing, from what I understand
Geez...I didn't hear about that. :( Hope that she will find her way back to sailing--on her own terms.
Here's a link to a small write up on it. Happens to have been one of our own who wrote it. (Dan of Adrift at Sea) Note the side long reference to the father, and HIS dreams.
I won't go much into the father, but he posted here for a while. Oh, and when Bruce Bingham, who DESIGNED the Flicka went to see them with some ideas, the father threatened him with a lawsuit if he ever came back. He was a real piece of work, that one.
http://blog.dankim.com/2008/03/14/death-of-a-dream/
Not to beat an already "dead horse"....but her father has a very colorful past. Simply google his name. Scams and jail time. The expression "father, son and holy dollar" comes to mind.
I thought I remembered something. Just did a search here on SailFar and found where he was banned from this forum. He'd also managed to get himself kicked off several others.
Jim, if you are garageless, but have space on land, you could build a bow shed. Very inexpensive and right-sized for most microcruisers and sailfar type budgets. Work on a project boat with a space to do it in is way more pleasurable and goes faster. A real season-extender around here, too:
http://www.by-the-sea.com/stimsonmarine/bowroof.html
Oh, and there's certainly lots of good sense in getting a boat that's where you already want to cruise, esp. if small boats are your thing. Of course, a project boat far from home could be more of a challenge, but it would be easy to find a boat well suited to local cruising in the waters it is already in....
Quote from: marujo_sortudo on September 16, 2013, 06:24:07 PM
Jim, if you are garageless, but have space on land, you could build a bow shed. Very inexpensive and right-sized for most microcruisers and sailfar type budgets. Work on a project boat with a space to do it in is way more pleasurable and goes faster. A real season-extender around here, too:
Thanks, Colin, a good suggestion. I had seen something about this bow-roofed design...maybe on the wooden boat website or such. I did build a similar shelter maybe 30 years ago over a old wooden boat that I had taken on in a fit of wild optimism about my abilities... ;D
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Oh, and there's certainly lots of good sense in getting a boat that's where you already want to cruise, esp. if small boats are your thing. Of course, a project boat far from home could be more of a challenge, but it would be easy to find a boat well suited to local cruising in the waters it is already in....
After I had read the blog about the guy cruising around Europe in his Alacrity 19, I was thinking (when a cheap one became available) that it might be good to have one here and to get used to it, and maybe have some good sails and other equipment specific to it that I could even take to and use on a remote sisterboat...
I have got the Ay19 set up on a trailer and it's probably more likely that I'll just use it as a trailer sailer. Would be nice to tow it down and gunkhole around Chesapeake Bay and farther South. Maybe do some camping sailing, where the shallow [<2 ft] draft would allow bringing the boat in close to the shore and campsite.
I am landlocked at work in Indiana. May get a little sailing vacation in Florida after Christmas on our O'Day 23.
It is cold and gray here, so see I AM BEGGING YOU!!!! Tell us about your latest fun sailing adventure!!!! Tell us a little or a lot!!!! Tell us about your boat!!!!
Please help.