Cruising to the Caribbean in a Tartan 30

[Chessiebear]

Hi There,

My Boyfriend and I (24/25 years old) are planning a trip from the Chesapeake Bay area to the Caribbean in his families Tartan 30. We plan on sailing the ICW down to Miami, then to the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and finally down to the VI's. Joining us will be our Labrador Retriever, Chessie. We are both very experienced sailors/racers. We have not done a lot of cruising. We are going to get a new engine for the boat and plan to do some other upgrades. The hull is in very good condition.

I would like to know if anyone has done this trip or one like it in a Tartan 30 or a similar boat. Do you have any advise for us? What cautions do you have for us? Is there a better boat to make the trip in?

Thanks!

[CalebD]

TARTAN 30 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

I've only sailed from the BVI's to TCI (Turks and Caicos) on a 50' Beneteau once but I think my Tartan 27' could have dealt with the conditions we had. Our forward progress would have been slower. It was really nice that the Bene had a reliable wheel autopilot, redundant GPS units, diesel, radar, sat phone, life raft, and the owner/captain was a veterinarian but you don't really need all of that if you can pick good weather windows for sailing. The Bene I was on had been outfitted for the ARC race so it was a no brainer for me to join on for that short 400 NM leg.

[Chessiebear]

Thanks Caleb,

We are really trying to figure out if the Tartan will suit our needs and keep us safe on our travels. Thanks for posting, it's helpful to know if other people think the 30 foot boat can handle the conditions.

[Faster]

The Tartan 30 is a classic with a solid reputation... I'm sure a good one could take you anywhere. The trip you're contemplating is a fairly major one, esp with the many hundreds of miles Easting you need to to against the trades which will be the toughest part. Once in the Eastern Caribbean the passages are short and relatively easy and you have the luxury of picking weather windows.

I'm not sure that the T30 is a particularly roomy boat for more than 2, and I'm wondering too about taking a large dog on a trip that is going to involve some longish upwind legs.

But I do think a good T30 may well be tough enough... and unless your experience already includes difficult offshore passages, maybe tougher than your crew.....(no disrespect intended )

[john1066]

Solid little boat. I'd have no hesitation in doing that trip in that boat with two aboard. We did the same journey in a Pearson Vanguard.

I wouldn't take the dog - way too much hassle and unfair to the dog. My personal opinion, of course, based on having taken a small dog from Chesapeake Bay to the Keys and back. Going foreign adds considerably to the hassle factor.

[TQA]

Lots of similar boats have made the trip. But it will be tough and you can not do it to a strict schedule if you want to avoid a beating. Take your time and wait for the weather windows. If you have not yet got a copy of Van Sant's Guide to passges south get one.

You might want to do a search on the forums on dogs aboard in the Caribbean. The fees for your lab will be considerable and the restrictions also considerable. I would think twice before taking a dog on the trip. Esp. as I think the USA is regarded as a 'rabies endemic' country.

[killarney_sailor]

Go for it if the boat is properly prepared. We noticed in the Eastern Caribbean that almost all of the young people and smaller boats (down to 25') were Europeans. North Americans seem to feel that you need a big boat and the time to go is when you are in your 50s or 60s.

Take your time and follow the suggestions in van Sant's book and you should be fine.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by john1066

I wouldn't take the dog - way too much hassle and unfair to the dog.

X100

[Jeff_H]

If I had to go cruising to the Caribbean on a tight budget, a properly prepared Tartan 30 would be very high on the top of my list of choices. I personally have always thought that these were one of the nicest boats of this era.

If there is a short-coming to a boat like the Tartan, or any other boat this size, it is in how to handle carrying the dinghy and how to carry enough consumables (water, fuel and food). The later is not all that insurmountable with collapsible tanks and the like, eliminating refrigeration and the use of seawater for initial cleaning. The dinghy is a harder question. To be safe I would want a dinghy that can be safely secured below decks and that of course limits your choices.

I personally would consider a good steering vane a must on a boat like this since you don't have the luxury of carrying enough battery and solar panels to operate an electronic autopilot round the clock.


I would also look very carefully at a specialized sail inventory. I would want a mainsail with two reef points, two line slab reefing, and a storm trisail that was rigged all of the time. I would consider using a hank-on jib of perhaps 120% or so with multiple reefs, that could be doused, or in part reefed from the cockpit with downhauls. I would also consider adding a storm jib. I personally would not add a separate stay for the storm jib.

I would respectfully suggest that taking the dog is a really bad idea. Life at sea on small boat is not a Labrador retriever’s idea of fun, and sharing a small cabin with a large, wet, seasick canine really does not enhance the ambiance of the voyage.

I wish you the best of luck.

Respectfully,
Jeff

[Chessiebear]

Just an FYI our lab is a lab golden mix and she is only 50 lbs. She is 7 years old comfortable sailing.

Since we are in the first stages of planning this trip. It is becoming more clear that perhaps cruising the ICW down the states and then heading down to the bahamas and turks and caicos may be plenty ambitious.

We do have the luxury of being able to wait for the "right" weather to make passages in.

Thoughts or suggestions on route?

Thanks!