Sailing East Coast from MD to FL

[TexasFight]

I just purchased a Newport 30 and I'm interested in sailing it down the Atlantic coast from Chesapeake Bay to Fort Pierce, FL.

I understand this is not an offshore blue-water cruiser, so I would need the most favorable winds and seas.
What is the best time of year to make the trip?
How many days would one expect to make the journey?
Also, any advice on float plans, good moorings enroute and must stop locations.

Thanks,
Hook'Em Horns!

[PBzeer]

You don't mention if this will be a solo trip or with crew. But I'll treat as such.

For myself, I'd go through North Carolina on the ICW to the Beaufort Inlet. From there you can do a series of offshore hops down to Ft Pierce. If you can do overnight hops, you could make the trip in less than 2 weeks.

[TexasFight]

a crew of one or 2 adventurous souls into service. I need to learn as much as I can before I send out the press gang so I can persuade them on board with as little physical force as necessary.

[camaraderie]

Texas...check out the ICW threads under search here. Lots of good information. You can leave around 11/1 and using primarily the ICW (with short offshore hops if you desire), make it in about 3 weeks to 1 month of DAY only sailing/motoring. The offshore currents and prevailing winds are against you heading south. Especially with a new boat, I'd suggest staying on the ICW or doing short coastal hops when the weather is favorable.
In any case...John is right ...Beaufort rather than Norfolk is a better choice for heading offshore as you do NOT want to deal with Cape Hattras.
Routes, guides, stops, anchorage advice etc. are on the icw threads.

[kale]

Originally Posted by TexasFight

I just purchased a Newport 30 and I'm interested in sailing it down the Atlantic coast from Chesapeake Bay to Fort Pierce, FL.

I understand this is not an offshore blue-water cruiser, so I would need the most favorable winds and seas.
What is the best time of year to make the trip?
How many days would one expect to make the journey?
Also, any advice on float plans, good moorings enroute and must stop locations.

Thanks,
Hook'Em Horns!

WHERE YOU GOING WHEN YOU GET INTO FT PIERCE THAT IS MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS WHEN I HAD MY OL ERWIN 30 BUT LOST HER IN NORTSIDE MARINA IN HURRICANE JEAN NICE AREA IF YOU CAN FIND A SLIP YOU CAN AFORD ONE

[TexasFight]

I'll check out the ICW threads. Still learning the site.

Thanks camaraderie


Hook'Em Horns

[TexasFight]

that far ahead Kale.

I didn't know how hard it would be to find a slip or how expensive.
I figuered it would be one of the least expensive places on the FL east coast.
I want to have access to the bahamas in the not too distant future.

[gc1111]

I want to second the recommendation to go inside Cape Hatteras. Hatteras has a well-deserved bad reputation for weather. Even experienced blue water sailors will follow the ICW inside route to get past Hatteras, then go outside at Beaufort, NC.

In a new boat, stay inside until you get to know the boat really well. As someone else noted, the prevailing winds and the Gulf Stream are against you when you are headed south in that stretch of the coast. You really don't want to be in the Stream with a North wind.

[mccary]

I don't pretend to have an answer to your question. But I do have a suggestion when planning such a trip. There is a nice new (demo mode) website that puts NOAA charts on top of Google Maps. Pretty cool for planning (no printing and there are some problems).

NOAA

[camaraderie]

Tex...check out the Vero Beach Municipal Marina as a possible destination close to the Ft. Pierce Inllet (15 mi.). Great place and free transportsation to all stores hourly.
http://www.covb.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={C75CAE38-03F6-46DE-8F44-07D0EDDD77DD}