# Hi from Kemah, Texas



## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

Hey there! I figure I should really say hello, as I've been here for a while benefiting from the excellent content.. 

So I'm based in Houston, and have gotten back into sailing after a long absence.. but spent a lot of my youth on lasers in Scotland! 

Just bought myself a beautiful Mk1 Catalina 42'.. and now if trying to figure it all out.. Which includes sailing her back to Houston in November from Beaufort, SC! 

Nice to meet you all,









Bruce


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Welcome to SailNet! Watch out for Hurricanes going from Beaufort to TX in November.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Hi and welcome to Sailnet, Bruce.
Thats a great passage to do. you'll certainly know the boat after that. 
I dont know the area well at all, and I dont know the Gulf or Mexico at all. But what I would do is sail direct from North Carolina in November as soon as you think the hurricane season is finished. Go OUTSIDE the Gulf Stream, outside the Bahamas, through New Providence Channel (or maybe even through the bahamas south of Andros) and then turn right for a direct passage to Texas. Or New Providence Channel to Miami, refuel, motor/sail to Key west, refuel, direct to Texas.

I guess most will say go down the ICW but that will take months.

It will be interesting to hear what others say. Its only 1,700 miles so nothing to be really worried about.


Mark


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## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

I would love to hear a discussion between experienced hands on that route, or legs of it! Been hard to find too much info out there for that route.. 

I’d not really considered going outside the Bahamas, but that’s really interesting.. ..And… now for hours more pouring over charts checking that out 

i was thinking inside the stream and take hawk channel, round Dry Tortugas and head either.. Tampa, to shorten the GOM leg, or head straight towards the Mississippi ..maybe take Tiger pass west towards Galveston. 

Totally agree about ICW… not going to do that.. friend just brought his 40’ sailbot from Mississippi back to KEmah that way and he did not have a great experience at all, a lot of traffic, little mooring or docking.. SLOW going!


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## Greenwave (Jan 12, 2020)

I moved my Catalina 470 from Charleston to Kemah 2 years ago.

id stay as close to the coast as possible to avoid the gulf stream. Plus gives you some outs if you need to divert. Took me 12 days with one overnight stop in may port for weather. We stayed very close to Florida’s coast went around Miami and hawke channel then straight west out of key west for two days before turning north towards Galveston.


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## johnsonjay17 (Jul 20, 2015)

Hello Bothy,
I also sail out of Kemah. Which marina are you keeping the boat in?

JJ


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## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

Greenwave said:


> I moved my Catalina 470 from Charleston to Kemah 2 years ago.
> 
> id stay as close to the coast as possible to avoid the gulf stream. Plus gives you some outs if you need to divert. Took me 12 days with one overnight stop in may port for weather. We stayed very close to Florida’s coast went around Miami and hawke channel then straight west out of key west for two days before turning north towards Galveston.


This is great information. Pretty much my exact route, and 
It’s exactly what I was planning for the east coast run south Towards Key West.. 

I like the ideal of running west for two more days before heading north. So you only stopped once on the route? Im fuel limited, 36 gallons on board with as many cans as i can carry.. 

Did you motor much of it? Still in Kemah?


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## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

johnsonjay17 said:


> Hello Bothy,
> I also sail out of Kemah. Which marina are you keeping the boat in?
> 
> JJ


Hi JJ,

I’ll be at Blue Dolphin to start with, but likely Waterford or something on the south shore of clear lake eventually..

Where are you at? There are A LOT of marinas in Houston!


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## johnsonjay17 (Jul 20, 2015)

Bothy Loon said:


> Hi JJ,
> 
> I’ll be at Blue Dolphin to start with, but likely Waterford or something on the south shore of clear lake eventually..
> 
> Where are you at? There are A LOT of marinas in Houston!


I have a 30' C&C Mega OD (for sale) at Moon Caye, private condos next to True North. I am attempting to purchase a catamaran, survey this Monday, it will be kept at Watergate.
We definitely have a bunch of marinas! I know most of them if you have any questions feel free to ask. 

JJ


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## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

RoderickNash said:


> Welcome from a newbie!


Thanks Roderick! That's pretty much where I am at too


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## Bothy Loon (5 mo ago)

johnsonjay17 said:


> I have a 30' C&C Mega OD (for sale) at Moon Caye, private condos next to True North. I am attempting to purchase a catamaran, survey this Monday, it will be kept at Watergate.
> We definitely have a bunch of marinas! I know most of them if you have any questions feel free to ask.
> 
> JJ


Thanks JJ!


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## Greenwave (Jan 12, 2020)

Bothy Loon said:


> This is great information. Pretty much my exact route, and
> It’s exactly what I was planning for the east coast run south Towards Key West..
> 
> I like the ideal of running west for two more days before heading north. So you only stopped once on the route? Im fuel limited, 36 gallons on board with as many cans as i can carry..
> ...


we actually stopped for fuel in Miami. We did end up motoring a lot in the gulf due to lack of wind. We went due west out of the keys to optimize the Gulf Stream loops. Luckily I have 144 gallons of fuel. You will need to make a few stops I imagine.

oh and we keep our boat at Watergate.


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