[glymroff]

We are in Georgetown and are thinking about joining friends on their trip south. We had originally planned on going up from long->conception->eleutheras->abacus... etc.

Now I'm wondering about going south via the thornless.

Problem is that we have company coming in March(16-24). I need a reasonable place to meet up w/ them. Never done this trip so I'm not sure we will be past Turks&Caicos, or maybe meet them in Puerto Rico.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

 

[Yorksailor]

At this time of year going east from Georgetowncan be a very tough trip into wind and current...We have a 35 ton boat and barely made 4 knots under power with a 175hp engine, a friend on a 34 ft boat made 2 knots!

Listen to Chris Parker for free:

GreenLight Web

Check Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers - PassageWeather for a weather window like the one coming up this week.

Good luck

 

[glymroff]

Thanks for the info... but the question wasn't so much about whether I should go as to how far in a 4 week period could I reasonably accomplish.

 

[Yorksailor]

Should be easily done in your time frame, we have done the Miami to St Thomas 4 times and each took 10 days. Due east to 65W was easy, east along the coast of Hispaniola was hard...

The more north you make your easting the easier the trip as you avoid getting into the west flowing current.

 

[xort]

York
where did you depart the Bahamas area headed east? Turks?


t

 

[TQA]

Working to a strict schedule when making that trip using the methods described by Bruce Van Sant is just not possible.

You may spend 4 weeks holed up somewhere waiting for a weather window.

Leaving on a specific date to make a passage will lead to getting beat up sooner or later.

Someone gave me this advice relating to scheduling. You can tell someone when or where but not when and where you will be.

 

[glymroff]

great advice... I've given it plenty of times to others.

But I never said I had a strict schedule to follow. Just, simply, if I follow that route how far could I 'reasonably' get in 4-5 weeks?

I understand that the answer could be no where if the weather doesn't cooperate.

That answer is obvious. I'm looking for how long it took people to do this in their past travels along this route (and hopefully for this time of year).

thanks again

 

[Yorksailor]

Xort,

I have gone east from the Abacos, Georgetown and Great Inaghua...The further north the easier.

Phil

 

[TQA]

Georgetown to Luperon in the DR is slightly less weather dependent.

Crossing the Mona passage from the DR to PR is VERY weather dependent.

At least that is what I found.

 

[xort]

So how many days from Abacos to PR?

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

That answer is obvious. I'm looking for how long it took people to do this in their past travels along this route (and hopefully for this time of year).

thanks again

Hi, i did something similar 12 months ago... Key west through new Providence Channel to St Martin.
It took 13 days.

So yours is about 650 miles, fairly slow going, but nothing overly bad, say average 4 knots, you'll be to PR in a week.

If a passage is difficult i find the easuest way is just to knock it over. Stock up on goodies and luxuries and go do it... At least you can eat well and be slimmer at the end.

Mark

 

[sugarbird]

The more info you supply the more accurate the "guess" as to how far you could get. How large a vessel? Are you comfortable going offshore all the way, or want to island hop? How fast can your vessel motor into lumpy headseas and lotsa wind? How well does your boat point/go to weather? Is the boat and crew in shape for several/many consecutive days of pretty uncomfortable bashing to weather?

We've done it both ways several times in 40' monohulls, and my preference is the I-65 route, making sure to have charts of bailout ports onboard, in case something breaks, crew gets hurt, or it's just too darn nasty. I like to leave Nassau and pop out in between Abaco and Eluethera, the further south when you head east the more likely you'll be hard on the wind going east (or maybe even have to sail north of east).

I personally find the "Thornless Path" routine nerve wracking, stressful, and exhausting, but some folks find it very much to their liking. Either way it can be a piece of cake or the trip from hell depending on weather, boat and crew.

 

[orthomartin]

I have made that trip 4 times and although it is a bit of a pain going to windward it is only about 620nm. I (3 of the 4 times) went non-stop to Myaquana, took a break overnight and then it's only 3 (4 at the most) days to SW coast of PR. You will not have to wait "weeks" for weather unless you need perfect conditions. I motor-sailed with 30kt east winds and 12ft head seas by hugging the coast of DR and was able to make 4kts w/ is ok in those conditions.
Also once you turn the corner at Long you can really go at least until you have to turn east. And if you get tired or wx turns you can go into Ocean World in DR. Great and helpful marina but be aware of sig surge at slip with strong NE wind