Irwin,
Depending on your tolerance for motoring....You can make it in about 5 hours from the Boardwalk to the Yacht basin. Winds from the SE and a tack battle all the way down 8-9. I do not recommend tacking through the ship channel. Those big tankers close on you much faster than you would think. December and January have a good chance of winds from the North so you might get a downwind run in which case you will have done better than I ever managed.
Two more things: If the wind is prolonged from the North it blows a lot of water out of Clear Lake and Galveston bay, it wouldn't be unusual to be below Mean Low Tide after 2-3 days of North winds. Also, as you approach the ship channel near 61 there are a lot of oyster beds marked with PVC pipes sticking out of the water. Not always the best maintained or marked so approach during daylight until you get a feel for where they are.
What marina are ya'll in? We are at South Shore Harbour.
Michael