[pirateofcapeann]

I’ve used to take my Columbia 22 through there, with a 1.2 HP British Seagull, with no problems. But the last times I went through, both east to west passages, were pretty rough! One was in my 28 footer last year and this year I took a Concordia 41 through. Both times I got my arse whipped coming down by Stony Point into the Buzzard.

I entered the canal on the Sandwich side at the turn of the current. When I got down the other end, it was at full ebb and a nasty sou-wester had built into it. This created a wicked steep and tall chop starting around the Maritime Academy and Onset.

Last year, barge traffic forced me out of the lane and into the shallows along the dyke. My 8HP, hanging off the transom didn’t have the power to keep her moving, nor with all the hobby-horsing, was the prop in the water long enough to get me back into deep water. Luckily, I cleared the end of the dyke before I fetched the hard. Even so, the Ware river was about the best I could make after!

This year, I managed to motor-sail, beating with the current into those same conditions but without the barge traffic. I held good water right up to the channel markers on both sides but even that Concordia hobbied unmerciful and it was a damn wet ride!

So from my experience, if it’s blowin much above 20k sou-west, you’re gonna get whacked comin into the Buzzard with the current! Otherwise, it’s business as usual.