S6E12 How I Plan and Execute a Sailing Voyage From the US East Coast to the Virgin Islands
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- In this video I share how I planed and executed three sailing voyages (one double handed and two singlehanded) in a 36' sailboat from the US East Coast to the Virgin Islands. Some of the topics covered are route selection, Wx consideration, voyage timing, safety, provisioning, boat set up, safety, navigation, comms, and decision-making.
This video is not intended to serve as a tutorial on how others should plan and execute this voyage. This video shares my choices, base on my experience and my boat. Offshore sailing can be dangerous. Sail offshore at your own risk.
The photo of the flotilla of sailboats on the ICW at 5:28 is credited to the Sail to the Sun Face Book Group and is used without permission under the Fair Use Act. It is for educational and illustrative purposes only. There is no context other than to show a group of sailboat on the ICW.
The photo of a cabin cruiser and a sailboat going through a draw bridge at 5:32 is used with the permission of the website owner at www.sailingfortuitous.com
Season 6 episodes include building varnished cockpit coamings and teak winch bases, sharing varnishing techniques, demonstrating how the Cape Horn Windvane works, a four part series on refitting an aluminum mast, and now a two part series on how to build a reinforced boom.
The Far Reach is highly modified Cape Dory 36 I built from a gutted hull and deck over a six year period in a shed in our backyard in North Carolina. This was a complete rebuild retaining only the hull, deck, portlights, hatches, and a few cleats. Click here for a video summarizing the rebuild:
• S4 E1//From Gutted Hul...
In Season 5 I singlehanded the Far reach from North Carolina to the Virgin Islands in December 2021. It was my third voyage in the Far Reach to the Virgin Islands. In May of 2022 I single-handed the Far Reach back home to NC via the offshore route, a non stop voyage of about 1,440 Nautical miles.
In the previous Season 4 episodes I shared what it took to rebuild our 36' sailboat from a complete gutted hull and deck into my ideal voyaging boat, installed a small inboard Diesel engine with a folding propeller, and made some additional improvements to the Far Reach. Click here for a video on a from scratch installation of an inboard diesel engine including shaft long and folding two blades propeller: • S4EP2//Installing an I...
Previous episodes recap:
Season 1, Episode 1, contains a short synopsis of a six year total rebuild of the Far Reach from a gutted bare hull. I also double hand the Far Reach offshore with my sister from NC to the BVI.
In Season 2, I single-hand the Far Reach from Sint Maarten back to NC.
In Season 3, I share my Single-handed voyage from NC to the BVI as well as from the VI back to NC.
In Season 4, I detailed the original rebuild of the Far Reach then the planning and installation of a small diesel engine with a folding propeller. I concluding by sharing some additional modifications and upgrades as well as trouble shooting the Cape Horn windvane.
To learn more about the rebuilding of the Far Reach: www.farreachvoy...
To read about this voyage, and many others, including additional modifications and updates to the Far Reach since her launch in 2015: www.farreachvo...
For more information on the Stimson Bow Roof Shed visit bow-roof-shed.com
If you have questions or stories to share about your own voyages feel free to post them in the comment section. Happy sailing.
I’d much rather watch a true sailor like you than the typical “sailing” RUclipsrs who insert completely unnecessary drama. Subscribed.
Aww shucks. LOL. Seriously, I am glad you enjoyed it. I really appreciate such a nice comment. Very nice. Thanks.
Semper fi brother. I just purchased a 1981 cape dory 36 your channel has helped in my decision. Your channel is going to be a great to reference when setting the boat up and refitting.
Uraahhh Leatherneck! Thanks for the comment and engaging. Good luck with your boat. Are you a member of the CDSOA? Are you in a fleet? It's a great boat. It will take you anywhere you want to go.
Wonderful video. Added some books to my list. I think yours is my favorite boat out there.
Awesome, thank you!
I know of no finer step-by-step voyaging guide on here. This is remarkable. Bookmark this. Many thanks.
I am delighted you think so. I really appreciate the comment. Take care and good luck to you on your journey.
Well done. Immensely informative. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge in such an organized and practical way. After our trip to Newfoundland this summer, the crew is looking forward to heading south next November-December. Your advice is timely and tremendously appreciated!
That's awesome Daniel Culpper. Thanks much for engaging. I'd like to sail to Newfoundland at some point. I have a friend who sailed there in his Ingrid 38 this summer. He had nothing but great things to say about it. Good luck with your next voyage.
Looking good Far Reaches. I love your videos.
And I love the quote “ Hope is not a course of Action”
……We are planning to hop us the east coast of the USA next summer-2025 .
Our IP35 is in Freeport Bahamas right now so we have six months to cruise the USA…
Fair Winds …
Thanks. Appreciate the comment. IP35 is a nice boat. I hope you have a great time cruising in the US.
Your route planning information was excellent!
Great. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
Going again this Fall?
Let's see what happens.... There's always a lot of balls to juggle.
Just exelence. Muito obrigado.
De nada! Portuguese is a gorgeous language. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Couldn’t be better if you were in a bikini with a cry-face! 😊 most informative channel I’ve found, thanks
I like to watch a few specific channels about sailing who don't put up too much fluff and drama, I like your channel and am adding to my list I live in Massachusetts, recently got a Catalina 25 and am starting to day dream about some day sails and possible overnights(not a full on trip yet). But I also like to read maps and charts and so THANKS! I purchase some of these.
love your video
You were recommended as a guest on my podcast "Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell." Would you like to be on the show?
Sure Paul. Thanks for the invite. Sounds fun. You can contact me through a link on my website www.farreachvoyages.com
great
Excellent, really enjoyed your thoroughly meticulous explanations! Oohrah, former HM1
Awesome. Back at ya. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting. Anchor Aweigh my friend! USMC-Navy team all the way!
Wonderful video, congratulations. Greetings from Spain.
Hola! Juan. Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This is by far the most informative sailing video I have watched. You are greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much. Very kind words. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting. I had fun making it.
Excellent video again and particularly for an East Coast sailor. You probably know that we recently lost Don Street. I am jealous of your "leakless" boat, I continue to chase them down. After 40 years as my boat is many of the sealers and caulks have lost their effectiveness. I have also sailed in some pretty severe conditions and when your deck is raked by waves green water finds a way in. Your advice about squall preparedness is important, I was knocked down twice in the ITCZ when hit, 16 kn to 40kn in a heartbeat! While my boat is much smaller than yours I don't hold back on comforts and electronics, etc. My solar easily handles the refer and electronic loads but I have more permanently mounted panels than you do and of course a battery bank. I never run my engine to charge batteries. I to enjoy calms, 700 miles N. of Tahiti for 2 days was bliss! I love what you do and your boat, please keep it up. Thanks Ben S/V DAWN ps: if you decide to put in a refer let me know.
Ben, thanks for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated. Lots of insights there. Water is always trying to find a way in on boats. I think the big culprits on most boats are port lights and hatches and toerails and deck joints. Fortunately we have not seen a drop of water since the rebuild. We have gotten along without a fridge for a long time. This is just an experiment to see if we find it's valuable, if our small battery bank can manage it, and how it changes the nature of our simple boat. I don't want to add a lot more complexity to the boat (more solar/more batteries) in a quest for cold food. I find, for me, keeping the boat simple and uncomplicated provides me a degree of mental security and confident reassurance. Anyway, we are all on our own personal quest to find what works for us and helps us pursue a quiet relaxed outlook on life...or something like that.😂
Thanks for one of the most informative videos I’ve watched in quite some time. I found you online years ago prior to RUclips and just like then you have remained a valuable resource.
That's pretty cool. Thanks. Glad you found the video useful. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I had a Cape Dory 25. Loved that boat.
Anyway, quick question… what type of stove do you have? I think you said it was Kerosene? I have found those hard to find and would prefer no propane.
@@kevindreese5173 Kevin, CD 25 is a great boat. The stove is a Force 10 Propane. I'm very happy with it. You can learn more about on our website www.farreachvoyages.com. Click on the tab for projects/rebuilding the interior/galley. I also built a propane locker to ABYC standards. There is some info on the propane locker in the video called "Gutted to Gorgeous" S4E1.
Here in central Florida, there's another route we use. Basically it 300 miles east and then turn right, quite offshore from the Bahamas, and in the NE trades for a glorious ride south.
I sold my Alber 30, a boat very similar in design to yours, at the beginning of April in 1983 to a couple who added a bit of gear for safety's sake, like lifelines and stanchions (!) and a single sideband radio. They left at the end of April and called me from St. Thomas 11 days later to let me know that they had made it.
I have friends who have used this route and have been happy to avoid all the traffic along the south Florida coast, or, even worse, the plethora of time restricted bridges in the ICW that seem always to close minutes before you get to them
So they ended up in the Virgins at the beginning of hurricane season? That's the opposite of what we are trying to do in this video. Maybe they lived there? Certainly people summer there but it can be risky during the hurricane season. I have friends who live there with sailboat but it is nerve wracking I think. And marine insurance these days would be astronomical....
We are going to have to agree to disagree on that being a good route. It's true some strange things happen with the wind sometimes. But, I have sailed the route the opposite direction your friends sailed at almost the same time of year twice. Check out S5E9-10. Historically, very little wind. The Bermuda High is sitting out there killing the wind north of the Puerto Rico, the Virgins and northeast of the Bahamas until it moves north in July. And the wind rotates clockwise around the high so all the wind I have experience there in May is from the SE. There is also a north west setting current slowing you down if you are headed to the Virgins from FL offshore.
I'm not saying it can't be done but you could wait a long time to get 12 days of good wind for that voyage. Maybe you could sail part of it and motor most of it in the extensive calms. And here is the thing--In three seasons of sailing in the Virgins and St Martin area I have seen very little of the NE trades in the winter and spring. What I have seen is a lot of east and ESE trades and it is booming.
The A30 is. great boat. Would love to have one if I didn't have the boat I have. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
I've done a fair bit of offshore sailing myself, but not as experienced as you. That said I have a lot of respect for your approach. I'm planning a trip from the Chesapeake in the fall of next year, heading to Georgetown, Bahamas, and back in the spring. What would you think about an offshore route down and cruising through the islands on the way back?
We have talked about spending a winter in Bahamas at some point and what you are suggesting is probably similar to what our approach would be. I'd want to sail there offshore then sail back through them SE to NW.
However you do it I hope you have a great time. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you. I'm just starting to be interested in sailing. While I'm fortunate to live in the Seattle area, watching videos of different passages is always educational and entertainging. I'm sure you were trying to keep the video short while informative, yet being a newbie, I found it was fast and required a lot of pause / replay. Still, lots to reference and research!
You are on a great adventure my friend. I am really glad you enjoyed the video. You live in a great area for sailing. I'll make one recommendation if I may. Reading is a far better way to learn about it then watching RUclips. Maybe you are doing both. Some authors: The Smeetons, John Guzwell (from your area), the Pardeys, Hiscocks, Harry Pidgeon, Moitessier, Knox-Johnson, Hal Roth. I could name dozens more. You'll learn a lot more about sailing from those folks than from anyone on RUclips.
Good luck to you and your journey. There is a great prize out there waiting....
Oooh Rah! You are truly living my dream. Gotta get hours on the water before making the trip.
Excellent. Make a plan and ruthlessly execute it. If you keep your eye on the prize you can get there. Good luck to you! Thanks for watching and commenting.
This is hands down the Best sailing/voyaging video I've ever seen. Very well done .
Wow! That is. very nice thing to say. Much appreciated. Thanks for commenting and for watching the video.
A wealth of knowledge and very inspiring. Thank you.
You're welcome. Happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
That was awesome. Thank you very informative.
Ray Davis you are very welcome. Thanks for commenting!
Great video thanks for sharing
You're welcome. It was fun to put together. Thanks for commenting.
Great video - Thanks!!
You're welcome Rick. Thanks for watching and commenting.
You have a very cozy boat. Super!
Thanks BorisNazin. I agreee. 😂
So slow
?
Excellent stuff!!! Thanks!
We joke about that sometimes. But the reality is there are a couple really good sailing channels without bikinis.
@@FarReachVoyages lol the bikinis are hard to beat though
Ha! I replied to the wrong comment. But you were quick and went with it. 😂
amazing
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
@@FarReachVoyages are you school teacher?
great video, add a young lady with a bikini you get more views and subscribers 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
We joke about that sometimes. But the reality is there are several good sailing channels that don't feature bikinis.
@@FarReachVoyages non of those don’t have a clean sailboat like yours. Sam Holmes cape dory is falling apart,your is a irk of art