# sailing to key west,fl



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

new to sailnet & new to sailing, have a 23` hunter, loving it, now we want to try a cruise from venice, fl to the keys, fl. have been checking it out,looks interesting, but if anyone sailed there i could use any advise, or help that you can give would be great, thanks, pompi


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

Is the Hunter 23 a swing keel or a fixed keel boat...? If you do go...watch out for cold fronts coming down from up north..the winds will be strongest well before the cold air finally arrives...Florida winter sailing can be as deadly as anywhere..just ask the families of three football players off Clearwater last January...Stay within your limits...nothing wrong with staying in the kiddie pool until we learn to swim...we all had to learn some basics and we all are still learning how to enjoy our sport and live to tell about it in here. You're going to make some mistakes...if you didn't you ain't learned nothin'.just try not to make real big mistakes.....you'll learn alot if you go...know your limitations and don't force yourself into time constraints...being in a hurry might be the worst sin when you don't have as much experience as you wish you had... Read as much as you can and take as many local trips as you can squeeze in before you head south. Good luck...check the weather... have a blast...check the weather...post pics of your journey....check the weather forecast again...and tell us when you get to Margaritaville....


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

Little Shark River is an excellent anchorage if you're not taking the trip in the direct line. I notice that when I approach the NW Channel to Key West my first visual landmark is the huge landfill site that is NE of Key West. For a draft of 4.5 or less, it may be a nice cruising choice to make a loop using the route from Key West up Hawk Cahnnel to Long Key then North through Yacht Channel and by Schooner Bank back to Little Shark. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew


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## drfreddie (Jan 15, 2008)

I sail thru there in Dec. I would suggest being tight to coast line to Marco Island then Look to intercept mid-Keys and around Marathon slip into Atlantic side and again along coast to Key West. 

Read and re-read the advise SoulJour2000 wrote Its big water and boats are slow to out run trouble. Have several Alternate Plans for the day even.

Weather is King and if it's a trip in a car, a plane or anything else... Weather RULES. 

Otherwise sounds like a great trip and you'll LOVE it


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