# Sailing form Boston to Florida



## cla6665 (Jul 22, 2010)

Hi there, I am thinking of sailing from the Boston area to Florida with a 38 footer sometimes in September. Anybody did this? How challenging is the trip and what would be the best time for it.

Thank you


----------



## k1vsk (Jul 16, 2001)

Lots do it; some do it every year. It all depends on your/the crew's experience. However, September is probably the worst time to go.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

September is prime hurricane season on the East Coast. A very bad thing if you hit one en route. A very good thing if all you hit are strong winds and they help speed an offshore passage.

And of course once you reach Florida...you still need a place to _secure _that boat for another month or two during hurricane season.


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Also, it depends on whether you're planning on going offshore or via the C&D Canal, Chesapeake, and ICW.


----------



## CaptainMorgan21 (Jun 19, 2009)

From your post, it sounds like you do not have the experience or knowledge to attempt this trip. Even going by way of the ditch can be very trying. If you do not have very good navigational skills, charts, and seamanship skills...I would suggest going with someone who has. 

As far as what is the best time to go to Florida, from December to about May. Good luck!


----------



## cla6665 (Jul 22, 2010)

Hi, I do have sailing experience having sailed quite a bit in Europe. I am new to the Atlantic and I am trying to find out some info before I decide to do so. Charts and skills are not a problem, I am just trying to get some info from somebody that has done it before. I will probably go through the C&D canal. Like I said I am new to the Ocean and I'd like to go the safest way .


----------



## cla6665 (Jul 22, 2010)

What are the bridges clearance from Chicago to New York? Would I need to take the mast down or is there a way to avoid that?

Thank you


----------



## puddinlegs (Jul 5, 2006)

How do you plan on getting from Chicago to New York? And is this supposed to happen this month so you can get to Boston, then sail to Florida in September? Are you thinking St.Lawrence seaway to the Atlantic, or Great Lakes t to the NY canals? If you're planning to go by canal, you'll have to drop your rig. For the St. Lawrence seaway, you'll be fine, but it's a long trip.


----------



## cla6665 (Jul 22, 2010)

Thanks puddinglegs, I thought about the S.L. Seaway but like you said it's going to be a long trip.
I think I'll have to drop the rig and go by canal, or , but I am not sure yet, get the boat transported by land. 
I am looking at different options trying to figure out the best way to get it to the New England area and then go from there.

Thank you


----------



## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

You don't HAVE to get out into the atlantic until your reach new jersey...

How much time have you allotted? 

Get to Annapolis for the boat show in October then start working your way down on the inside. 

Hurricanes aside...September and October are two of the best sailing month of the year on the east coast....follow the good weather south.


----------



## CaptainMorgan21 (Jun 19, 2009)

From Chicago to New York you could go the Erie Canal to the Hudson River
instead of St. Lawrence Waterway. There is a lot of info on the Great Loop website. You would have to unstep your mast until Troy, NY. You would go by West Point, Governors Island, Statue of Liberty, and the Verrazano Bridge before having to go out into New York Harbor. A most beautiful trip. From New York Harbor is open ocean until Barnegat Inlet, where you could take the ICW. Or you could stay outside until Cape May, New Jersey. Good luck.


----------



## RXBOT (Sep 7, 2007)

I agree with post 10, Sept - Oct are good months. You will have days of warning of any named storm coming up the east coast. Lots of time to duck in somewhere. As for Dec. thats when Nor-Easters arrive with little warning. This is the North Atlantic. How many boats have been lost heading to Bermuda in Nov.- Dec.? Go south and hang out in the Carolinas until tropical storm season is over.


----------



## tomandchris (Nov 11, 2009)

Lots of answers but what is really the objective? Do you want a boat in Florida that is currently in Chicago? Is expense and time part of your equation? Do you want a trip and a adventure? Or, do you just want to get the boat to Florida?

If the latter, ship it, it will end up being cheaper. If the trip is your objective, do the lakes and canal to NY and go from there. That is not a short trip, but can be quite nice September and very early October. Late Sept. and October you start losing services on northern Lakes Michigan and Huron.


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

........................... do you just want to get the boat to Florida?...... ship it, it will end up being cheaper.[/quote]

Maybe cheaper, but only if you're giving up lucrative work time. It will not be cheaper to put the boat on a truckbed if you travel with efficiency. We normally make the trip from Maine to Florida or the Bahamas with casual days and short hops offshore along with much ICW travel that we enjoy. When not making ca 5kts under sail we motor at 6.5kts at a little less than 1 gallon per hour. We frequent free docks and anchorages, but sometimes stay at marinas. We are not calculating our time as an expense and we are not including the cost for our basic living expenses that we would have regardless of traveling. Our costs would be less than ten percent of shipping over land! Take care and joy, Aythya crew


----------



## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Captain Morgan,

Manesquan ( which is one of the three best in NJ- Atlantic City and Cape May the other two) is the first inlet which you can stop in on the way down from Sandy Hook. Also the NJ ICW is very very shallow and narrow and not for a boat of much draft.

Its usually Sandy Hook and the above mentioned inlets thats the safe way. We do Barnegat twice every year on our Long Island trip, but it is not a desireable inlet in bad wweather due to the shoals extending 11/2 miles from the jetties into the ocean.

Dave


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

CaptainForce said:


> ....................... Our costs would be less than ten percent of shipping over land! Take care and joy, Aythya crew


After checking current shipping estimates, I'm wrong. Our travel would cost abput 30percent of the trucking cost,- not 10 percent.

Concerning the NJ coast, we have traveled the ICW from Manasquan to Atlantic City with a 4'3" draft with a little soft mud plowing at Manaloking. We use Manasquan, Absecon & Cape May Inlets regularly. The Cape May Canal suits if you can clear a 55' fixed bridge. Take care and joy, Aythya crew


----------



## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Having lived in South Jersey for over 20 years and keeping my boat in Barnegat Bay for 12 years I would again avoid most of the "ICW" in that area of NJ execept the portion from Manesquan Inlet to Barnegat Inlet. 

If you do travel it make sure you have paid in full for Boat US unlimited towing.

Barnegat Inlet is certainly an option if you are traveling in all but the worst of weather. e recebtky used it two weeks ago on our trip back to the Chesapeake from Newport/ Sag Harbor

Dave


----------

