Cruising Florida to the NE

[dbene9815]

Let me fist say what a great site this is and all the input has been very useful!

I want to throw out a trip concept I'm pursuing. I will be leaving from Pensacola, Florida and attempting to reach somewhere in Maine. The boat is a small day cruiser that has been customized and the trip will embody the environment that so many of us face these days in doing more with less.

The trip will also used as a fundraising/publicity platform for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization. I am working with the branch in Tallahassee (the Big Bend branch) to develop a partnership, we are in the planning phase, and I have their initial buy in. The plan is to stop at various cities along the way to generate interest in the organization which hopefully translates into some dollars towards our goal.

I wanted to throw this concept out there to see what response and input I can receive. Please feel free to comment on either the sailing logistics side (I can use all the help I can get), or the fundraising element (or both). I'd be happy to respond with some more of the trip details.

Also, if anybody or any company would be interested in partnering with us on the trip, please let me know. We are thinking big in terms of the publicity we want to generate and would ensure that all partners who committ any kind of resources will share in the benefits.

Thanks for the time,

DB

[sailingdog]

Just curious, what boat are you using. Saying it is a small day cruiser that has been customized could mean anything from a Drascombe Lugger out to a Alerion 28.

While much of the trip can be done fairly easily in many different types of boats, a lot depends on what route you were planning on taking. Some smaller sailboats will have issues with the C&D Canal, as the current can be rather brisk, as is also the case with the Delaware river.

I would also recommend that you not work with the Tallahassee branch but the national organization instead. Most of the people not in the Tallahassee area will have little reason to donate to the Tallahassee office of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. If you are partnered with the national offices, they may be able to help you get liaisons at the various city offices along the way, which could make fundraising more effective as well as smooth out some of the logistics of the trip itself.

[dbene9815]

sailingdog: Great things to think about. It's a Compac 16, very modest but has been good to me.

I'm in the process of plotting the course and highlighting problem areas, so your thoughts on the C&D canal and the Delaware river have been jotted down. That is an astute observation about the fundraising in other states/locations. As it stands now, the Big Bend branch will provide all the administrative coordination (i.e., web space, accounting, etc). Donors in different in locations will be able to donate to their respective branches. We reached out to the BBBS headquarters, but they replied it would be best to such an event at the grassroots level.

Thanks,

DB

[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by dbene9815

sailingdog: Great things to think about. It's a Compac 16, very modest but has been good to me.

I'm in the process of plotting the course and highlighting problem areas, so your thoughts on the C&D canal and the Delaware river have been jotted down.

Thanks,

DB

Surely with a Compac 16 you don't plan on going into the open ocean. You should be doing more then jotting down what sailingdog said and look for another boat if you plan on making this trip.

[marianclaire]

St Andrew sound in Georgia can get nasty; basically it is like going out an inlet and then back in. With the draft you have you could use the alternate route even though it is shoaled, some parts are down to 2-3 feet at low tide. Are you planning on crossing Fla on the Okeechobee or going around thru Fla Bay? Neuse River, Albemarle Sound can be interesting also. Have no experience north of the Neuse but plan to remedy that in a few weeks. Be safe out there. Dan S/V Marian Claire

[dbene9815]

Many thanks to the both of you, this advice will be closely considered and incorporated into the planning process.

Unfortunately another boat isn't an option at this point. Like so many folks these days, I'm forced to work with what I have. However, I'm comforted by own committment to personal safety and those around me, as well as the philosophical opines of Goethe- "The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could ever dream would come his way"

Thanks for the time,

DB