# Need advice on Maine to Bermuda Run.



## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

I''m in the VI, my boat''s in Maine. Best case scenario shipping it to the islands approaches $15,000.00. Anyway, it''s a 1972 Bristol with original standing rigging, but spent many years on hard and maximum of 3 months a year in water with only weekend sailing. My experience is Gulf of Maine and frequent overnights between Portsmouth, NH and Penobscot Bay. Nasty weather, always the wrong wind direction, etc. Up to 12'' seas. Thinking hard on running SW Harbor to Bermuda to Virgin Gorda in May. Would acquire liferaft, rent epirb, replace furling gear and install a removable inner stay to masthead in order to fly a hank-on storm jib and a spitfire. Also pick up self-steering gear (I like Fleming). Install some deck boxes in the cockpit to eat up volume, jacklines and tie everything belowdecks down properly (cabin sole, batteries, etc.). I want the boat down here, but can''t see throwing over $10K into getting it here. Any opinions, bearing finances in mind, regarding sailing the old beastie down without rerigging, buying new sails, etc., etc. Sails are what I''d call "serviceable" for coastal, but of 1980''s vintage. I''m time-limited, so limping down the ICW to FL and then through the Bahamas is not a good plan. Totally insane? I''ve sailed the boat hard for days on end in the Gulf of Maine and never feared rigging, but am limited to < 100 miles offshore experience. No SSB planned - only a Grundig Yachtboy. GPS, sextant, VHF. Pilot charts favor May. Volvo MD2 Diesel has been rebuilt, and I trust it, but it''s an oldie. Bad idea? I''m thinking sail 2 days from Penobscot Bay, assess based on WX reports, bang a right or keep going. See, the thing that gets me, is there''s so many yahoos show up here in the Carib from all over the world in CRAP boats down to 22 footers. Scary what some cross the Atlantic in. I saw 2 guys in Grenada a few years ago that crossed in a SAD looking 26 footer. I know I SHOULD be able to do it without any trouble, but is it something that SOMEONE out there, similarly situated financially (po'') would be scared to death to do? BOATLESS VIEXILE


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

we sailed from new york to st. thomas last fall. we ran into huge seas. see
www.sailopo.com look at the swan comments .
they were sailing bigger boats than mine and got beaten. i think all the gear you listed is mandatory. including a ssb. you really want to check in with herb hilgenberg.
where are you in the vi''s?
sailing to a schedule is a good way to kill yourself
eric


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

Living on the northside of St. Thomas, watching the whales, dropping down over the mountain to work every morning. Got driven out of New England by my personal perception of the impending economy. Might as well be warm and broke. Can always fly back and touch snow as opposed to the other way around. Besides, no Bomba Shack in Maine. The reason I said I''m time-limited is that I figure I can run to Bermuda in less than 8 days, worst case scenario, then south from there in another couple weeks, as opposed to dicking around down the ICW and another 3 weeks in the Bahamas. I didn''t consider a fall trip based on the North Atlantic pilot charts - May is the best. I''m not interested in taking any HUGE risks, and, once underway, time is relative - that''s why I said "bang a right" if necessary after a couple days out of SW Harbor. Dammit. I''m convincing myself otherwise. I want my damn boat....


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## BobRivard (Nov 3, 2000)

Hey VIexile. 
I did the trip in O''day 37 from Annapolis to Beaufort N.C. There are some nice stops on the IC well worth the trip. Leave from Beaufort. You will hook you up with many boats heading out and a degree of safety in numbers. Have you considered the Carib 1500 Rally concept? 
If you have original rig with swaged fittings think of re-rig. Blowing a sail is one thing, collapsing the stick is un-thinkable. 
May is a bit early from Beaufort. You might hang out and wait for company. Is do-able SSB is degree of safety, life raft is no fun.

Bob


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

hi viexile,
our boat is in st.thomas. maybe we can get together when i come down later this month.
eric


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## VIEXILE (Jan 10, 2001)

It''s racing season here. St. Croix races all weekend and the around-the-Jameses race out of the yacht club tomorrow, then St. Martin at the end of the month, then PR, then BVI, then Rolex. Why am I in the office today? Eric, where''s your boat and when will you be landing? We''re probably going to fly down to St. Martin on March 1 and drink too many Heinekens for a few days....


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