My new boat is now at Manasquan :)

[Garffin]

Hi again! down at Manasquan atm! I pulled through the breakwall at 4:01 pm. I left Atlantic Highlands Marina at 8:30 with a North wind and some choppy water. It took me almost 2 hours to make it around the Hook at Sandy Point. Once I got out it was all good. Although the winds could have been a bit stiffer. I stayed about .5 mile off shore for the most part. About around Asbury Park I went to about 1 mile out looking for stiffer winds. I only used the main sail the whole way. I had about a 2-3, swell and the wind speed was only about 5-10 mostly. The weather people got it all wrong with the seas and wind speed. It was out of the n-nw though. It was good to be out there. I am thinking now that I might wait here for a bit for better weather and make the run outside the whole way. Manasquan- Atlantic city-Cape May. Yes this boat is a lot better in the ocean. I did forget to fill the bow water tank but with the weather like it was it was np. I am at the the bar and my hamburger just came so I will try and update in afew thanks again guys. Dan

[Garffin]

The other night while I was on the hook inside the the harbor just west of the last ball. The wind came up and was blowing around 20-25 with gust up to 30 I guess. My little ole anchor held me tight although I dig swing around a bit it didn’t once drag. It felt good to sleep them few days on the hook. Why would you pay for a morning ball if you have an anchor.??
I really need to fix an issue with the end of boom. I am going to drill the rivets out so that I can put a new screw and washers in it. I hope to do this here. This little union landing bar has some good burgers. The surf board on the wall says that I am in Brielle NJ? So the tides where with me today leaving and coming. The bridge coming into the little harbor here was up but not by much. So far so good. I did see a few sails way offshore. One boat I kept an eye on just over the horizon all of a sudden dropped all of its sails. In about 5 min. They were all back up. Thought that was kind of weird. All in all not a bad day. So let’s see what the weather is going to do and thanks again guys. Dan

[NautiG]

Nice job Dan. I'm rootin' for ya!

If you only raise one sail, it should probably be the jib. Especially with a following wind, the boat will be a little easier to control. The boat could get a little squirrely with just the main up in a lot of wind.

Scott
Gemini Catamaran Split Decision

[deniseO30]

A reefed main and partial jib could give you good speed with less handling problems and less fatigue on your part too Dan. I'm not far from the coast of NJ and the skies are finally clearing! Tomorrow is looking like a real good day! Congrats on making it round the "hook" (to me it would be the equivalent of going around Cape Horn!

If you drill and use screws on the boom be sure the screws are short! Then can interfer with the downhaul and other lines if you have them in the boom.

[chef2sail]

Dan,

We have taken the trip you are many times/ Sometimes the rounding the Sandy Hook Cape out of NY Harbor is the roughest part of the trip. Manesquan is a good inlet and easy to navigate, as are Atlantic City and Cape May. Anchor across from Clam Creek after you come in the inlet when going to Atlantic City. Cape May has a great marina...Utsches, before you trek up the Delaware river.

Dave

[Garffin]

I have to fix the boom before I leave. I can sail like it is but the amount of stress that the end can under go in a heavy wind would be more than I think I would risk it like it is. So even though I really really really want to leave on the tide I think I am going to fix it. I am thinking I will just put the same size stainless steel rivits in it. I have to take the end cap off inorder to tighten up that bolt. I am sorry for my lack of sailboat terminology but I think its called the outhaul. 
Oh who should I get Tow us or Sea tow? I meet one of the boat us back in atlantic highlands and man he scared me to death. “Oh you will get stuck going down the ICW a few times and there is no way you are going to make it in that boat down to NC. You will just get mad and leave it somewhere along the way.” What a jerk! So I am leaning toward Sea tow now. Any ideas?
Thanks Dan….

[CrazyRu]

Originally Posted by Garffin

I have to fix the boom before I leave. I can sail like it is but the amount of stress that the end can under go in a heavy wind would be more than I think I would risk it like it is. So even though I really really really want to leave on the tide I think I am going to fix it. I am thinking I will just put the same size stainless steel rivits in it. I have to take the end cap off inorder to tighten up that bolt. I am sorry for my lack of sailboat terminology but I think its called the outhaul. 
Oh who should I get Tow us or Sea tow? I meet one of the boat us back in atlantic highlands and man he scared me to death. “Oh you will get stuck going down the ICW a few times and there is no way you are going to make it in that boat down to NC. You will just get mad and leave it somewhere along the way.” What a jerk! So I am leaning toward Sea tow now. Any ideas?
Thanks Dan….

I know that my opinions are controversial normally, so here we go.

Don't mess with the boom right now, just wrap a rope around loose fitting, so if it brakes, rope takes a load.

Don't get any of towing services, why waste money.

Go to Sporting goods store or West Marine and buy inflatable kayak.
You can get one around $300 or so.

You will be navigating tidal waters, if you run aground, tide will refloat you sooner or later in most cases. With the kayak you can take the anchor into deep water and winch yourself out. You boat can take grounding and drying out, just use it as opportunity for cleaning a bottom.

And, finally, it is better to navigate all inlets, in and out, with incoming tide.

Good luck, my memories of my maiden trip from Houston to New York are still fresh It was a lot of fun...

[xort]

Everybody has an opinion, even the towboat operators. I wouldn't take one guy's opinion as any sort of guide as to whether you should get tow insurance from boat us.
That guy with the opinion you didn't like might be the best tow boat operator in the world. His opinions have little to do with his skills.

TowBoat US generally gets high marks for their service. To me it's a cheap insurance policy in the event you have a problem.

[eherlihy]

Originally Posted by xort

TowBoat US generally gets high marks for their service. To me it's a cheap insurance policy in the event you have a problem.

I have never used them, and invite those with first hand experience to set me straight. However, my understanding is that their "service" mimics that of AAA. That is; paying customers have first priority. If you get stuck, they will get to you when they get to you.

[WanderingStar]

You need not get stuck on the way down, just be careful. You will need charts or guides for the ICW because the channel splits, and sometimes seems to go the "wrong" way. I took a larger, deeper boat north just in may. We touched a couple of times, grounded in Cape May Harbor, but we always got off without help. Good luck.