Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Cruising plans, discussions, etc.
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Free Time
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 3:43 pm
Location: Mystic, Connecticut, USA

Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by Free Time »

We plan to head South in our F-38 "FREE TIME" in late September 2014 (it is all about using "weather windows", isn't it?). We plan to live aboard each year between October and May, returning to Connecticut for the late Spring through early Fall seasons, for three years, and covering what we can beginning in the Bahamas and ending (maybe) in Central America, then returning North to sell the boat in New England. The purposes of this post are to:
- connect with other Freedom Yachts owners sailing (or who have sailed) in the same part of the world
- share information and advice (We just purchased the F-38 this Spring and have sailed her only 40 times)

We just purchased 11 books on various topics from Storm Tactics to Mr. Van Sant's various treatises on making inter-island passages (and other passage-making books). New GPS chart plotter with radar overlay, new VHF with cockpit speaker and remote mic, engine evaluation and rebuilt starter and alternator and various new and spare parts purchased, new wind instruments, planning on removable dinghy davits for out 8'6" inflatable, planning on 2 solar panels for recharging batteries.

Any good canvas shops in the islands (bimini and cockpit cushions need to be replaced)?

Recommended haul-out boatyards? Below "hurricane belt"? Insurance rate reduction for "safe" location?

Current reports on best cruising community "hang-outs"?

Current notes and advice on transiting the ICW?

We would love to hear from others who are transiting these areas or who plan to go there or have "been there, done that". You can post here or contact me (Rich) directly.

Cheers,

Rich and June

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sailmon
Posts: 237
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:53 pm

Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by sailmon »

We're planning to retire and head south in next 2 to 3 years - and would be interested in the information/responses you receive.
Sailmon (Captain Bob Allenick)
S/V Her Diamond
1991 Freedom 38
Cleveland, OH

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GeoffSchultz
Posts: 1135
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:39 am
Location: BlueJacket: Guatemala
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Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by GeoffSchultz »

I have over 40,000 miles aboard BlueJacket and many years in the areas that you're talking about cruising in. Please check my website http://www.GeoffSchultz.org for lots of information/photos/video/waypoints/etc.

-- Geoff
BlueJacket
1997 Freedom 40/40
http://www.GeoffSchultz.org

cberdie
Posts: 46
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:12 am
Location: 1980 Freedom 40 AC
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Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by cberdie »

Rich & June;

We just completed a cruise down the east coast, Conception Bay to Key West and then the Bahamas. You can see our blog and pictures at http://www.runningfree.us. I would highly recommend Robbie at Thunderbolt marine near Savannah for canvas work. We've had several dodgers and Bimini's made, and his were by far the best. The isinglass has a minimum of distortions in it, everything fit just fine, and for the first time I can unzip the forward window and zip it back up with no hassle or problems. We carried way too many spare parts and realized that West Marine is within walking distance of many marinas in the US. The Bahamas isn't as convenient, but what better place to wait for parts to come in. Staniel Cay in the Exumas flies mail in daily from Florida and will accept your packages for a reliable delivery. Call the Yacht Club there for details as they may have changed in the last year. If you are sending parts, you want directions from their man in Florida to get past customs easily.
Most of your concerns will be answered as you go along as the grapevine is extremely active and reliable. Take all advice with a large grain of salt as everyone is very opinionated and you will often find you know more than they do. If you're not aware of http://www.activecaptain.com become so. They provide some of the best information about all the spots you mentioned.
Carl Berdie

weremeer
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:28 am

Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by weremeer »

I have done the inter coastal two times. I sailed (motored) down in 1993 alone is a 29 ft. Ericson. I did it as a sabbatical from work. I was planning to bring the boat back north, to New York in the spring, but found the trip tedious and boring and decided to sell the boat in Florida. Then I helped a friend with a trawler sail his boat to N.Y. in the spring of 2005. It took about a month going every day. We had Skipper Bobs cruising guide and free anchorages, and took full advantage of the free anchorages. In Connecticut as in New York we get light winds in the summer. ( I sail the Long Island Sound.) I mean that the wind is either too light or too heavy and not like the south. In the South there is a winter wind pretty constant 10 to 15 and more.
Then I sailed to the Caribbean after retiring in 2000. I was in St Thomas and the other islands for two years. I had a boat that needed work. I did not get it done in the Caribbean. I had to build a wooden bow sprit and I went to Tortola to get hauled in Frenchman's cay. I got hauled and put into a spot where I could not get to the sprit. Then they did not want to let me out of the marina. They built a moat around my boat, claiming they were going to put fuel lines in. I had to struggle with them to put me in the water and sail back to St. Thomas. I sailed the Gentleman's Passage South, backwards, from St. Thomas to Miami, hitting all the islands on the way. I was told to go to Trinidad to get work done on the boat. But I never made it there. Then I heard that although the labor and wood (teak) is cheaper in Trinidad, the labor is not the quality you get in the States.
It sounds like you have a great boat for going down the inter coastal, Bahamas and Caribbean. I hit bottom a lot. In the Bahamas I was constantly scraping the bottom, cleaning the bottom of my boat. I got stuck everywhere. Get Boat U.S insurance so that they can pull you out. I was going down the inter coastal through North Caroling and the thing divided, I could not decide which way to go and got stuck in between. Luckily I had a case of beer, and a fisherman came by a hauled me out. He wanted a heck of a lot of money, but all I had was a case of beer. That did it.
Have a great trip....

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sailmon
Posts: 237
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:53 pm

Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by sailmon »

Speaking of Freedom 38's - Her Diamond, our 1991 F38 was just reviewed by Good Old Boat Magazine - will be featured in the January 2014 issue. We bought her 7 years ago so that we could have 10 years to complete upgrades and prepare for retirement cruising. We intentionally looked for an F38 with the 4.5' draft wing keel due to the shallow depths in the Intercoastal, Bahamas, etc.
Sailmon (Captain Bob Allenick)
S/V Her Diamond
1991 Freedom 38
Cleveland, OH

weremeer
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:28 am

Re: Voyaging South - ICW and Caribbean

Post by weremeer »

11 years ago I sailed the Caribbean. One of my favorite books was a Gentleman's Passage South. I followed that book and others to a tee. It is for people like you who want to go down the Inter coastal waterway and the Bahamas, to the Caribbean. Got stuck a few times. But loved it.

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