I have been reading all the sailing sites I can. I have noticed not much if anything is ever said about sailing to Bermuda. Is it not a good place to sail? Is it closer to Florida than the Bahamas?
Just wondering...
Bermuda (?)
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Mac Ziggy
- Engineer
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:21 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Barnwell, SC, 07 26M, ETEC 90
No one ever comes back to tell us …
A couple of friends sold their sailboat and agreed to deliver it to Bermuda. The further they got out the more they realized that finding a small island that far out, not to mention the changing whether, is quite a task. They didn’t have GPS but even if you do, you have to be prepared for the loss of equipment.
I don’t know the exact distance but they kept referring to 600 miles of ocean. The Bahamas are about 60 miles. They did say they would be willing to bring a boat back from Bermuda. It’s a lot easier to find land.
A couple of friends sold their sailboat and agreed to deliver it to Bermuda. The further they got out the more they realized that finding a small island that far out, not to mention the changing whether, is quite a task. They didn’t have GPS but even if you do, you have to be prepared for the loss of equipment.
I don’t know the exact distance but they kept referring to 600 miles of ocean. The Bahamas are about 60 miles. They did say they would be willing to bring a boat back from Bermuda. It’s a lot easier to find land.
Yah, that is a long sail over open water to reach a little bitty island. It is just my opinion, but that journey seems well outside the design parameters of the MacGregor-series of trailer sailors. It would probably take 3+ days of hard sailing to get there and then you've arrived at a little spec in a big sea.
Why not spend those three days trailering down to Florida and hop over to the Bahamas with a group or play around in the Keys? If there is one area I really miss from my MacGregor days, it is the freedom to do just that. With my Beneteau, I have to draw a big circle around my mooring in Jamestown, RI, and say "this is my cruising potential for a weekend". Oh well, every boat is a trade-off, right?
If you are curious, Google for the preparation boats in the Marion-to-Bermuda or Newport-to-Bermuda races have to go through before they are allowed to participate! Pretty serious stuff. Boats are sometimes lost on that run.
Dean Thomas
Dutch Harbor Boat Yard, Jamestown RI
Formerly Lion's Paw, 1999 MacGregor 26X
Now Second Wind, 2001 Beneteau 361
Why not spend those three days trailering down to Florida and hop over to the Bahamas with a group or play around in the Keys? If there is one area I really miss from my MacGregor days, it is the freedom to do just that. With my Beneteau, I have to draw a big circle around my mooring in Jamestown, RI, and say "this is my cruising potential for a weekend". Oh well, every boat is a trade-off, right?
If you are curious, Google for the preparation boats in the Marion-to-Bermuda or Newport-to-Bermuda races have to go through before they are allowed to participate! Pretty serious stuff. Boats are sometimes lost on that run.
Dean Thomas
Dutch Harbor Boat Yard, Jamestown RI
Formerly Lion's Paw, 1999 MacGregor 26X
Now Second Wind, 2001 Beneteau 361
Bermuda
I am not going, I just noticed no one ever says anthing about it. I plan to put in around Jacksonville and go to Boot Key and hang in that area for the winter. then back to Jax to trailer up and head back to Indy for the summer. I will learn to sail on the lakes up here this summer before heading to the real water.
Nice!!!! When we get dusted by some flavor of "J"-boat, I joke that they must be cheating with their ENGINE! Nobody believes me, though!Catigale wrote:Hello Dean - Ive got the ultimate solution to that problem - get your kids best friends' father to buy a J35, put it on a mooring at the Round House at Jamestown, and then be the only one he calls for doublehanded crew...
(Look for us in Jamestown on Bravo Zulu)
Those boats are really fast. We are on the other side of the island from you, but I'm sure we will see you at some point. We spend pretty much every weekend on the boat (which is one of the reasons we traded the Mac for a bigger boat).I briefly contemplated getting another little trailer sailor, but my wife would have NONE that nonsense - one boat at a time, thankyouverymuch.
Dean Thomas
Dutch Harbor Boat Yard, Jamestown, RI
Formerly Lion's Paw, 1999 MacGregor 26X
Now Second Wind, 2001 Beneteau 361
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DaveB
- Admiral
- Posts: 2543
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:34 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Cape Coral, Florida,1997 Mac. X, 2013 Merc.50hp Big Foot, sold 9/10/15
Re: Bermuda
Somehow someone comes up with this brain fart idea and usually 4 sheets to the wind as they Post.
Dave
Dave
TerryB89 wrote:I have been reading all the sailing sites I can. I have noticed not much if anything is ever said about sailing to Bermuda. Is it not a good place to sail? Is it closer to Florida than the Bahamas?
Just wondering...
Hi Terry,
I've done a couple off-shore type passages from time to time in a Mac and the one time I tried for Bermuda (granted it was more or less on the spur of the moment while heading west from Sombero cay in the Anagada Passage) I basically got the Doo, Doo, kicked out of me big time and limped on into Grand Turk for a much need drink or two; Never did ever make it out there in my Mac, though I've passed through on other boats.
Bermuda can be a very bad crossing either way and not to be taken lightly in any boat, IMHO it can be as rough as crossing over the top of Alaska or running East along the North side of Hispanola in strong tradewinds.
Don't let nasty replys discourage you from asking questions, most of us 'old salts' who have been pounded of Cape Horn or in some other equally nasty place in our youth realize that this board and Mac sailors in general are mostly 'first time sailors' trying to learn the ropes. I could have easily asked the same question back when I was first starting out and trying to remember what the pointy end was called?????
Cheers, MM
I've done a couple off-shore type passages from time to time in a Mac and the one time I tried for Bermuda (granted it was more or less on the spur of the moment while heading west from Sombero cay in the Anagada Passage) I basically got the Doo, Doo, kicked out of me big time and limped on into Grand Turk for a much need drink or two; Never did ever make it out there in my Mac, though I've passed through on other boats.
Bermuda can be a very bad crossing either way and not to be taken lightly in any boat, IMHO it can be as rough as crossing over the top of Alaska or running East along the North side of Hispanola in strong tradewinds.
Don't let nasty replys discourage you from asking questions, most of us 'old salts' who have been pounded of Cape Horn or in some other equally nasty place in our youth realize that this board and Mac sailors in general are mostly 'first time sailors' trying to learn the ropes. I could have easily asked the same question back when I was first starting out and trying to remember what the pointy end was called?????
Cheers, MM
Mr. Mike Sir I am happy to read your posts and I can only say “Thank you”! 
FYI Terry he is a “Legion” (and I don’t say that lightly). Mike is probably the best “Adventurer” around here. It is well worth looking up his posts and hunting down his “Mods” to his Boat if you are really interested!!!
I think Mike’s stories have been the most inspiring and imaginative posts anywhere on what exactly can be done with a Mac, but then again he is “MADDMIKE”!
FYI Terry he is a “Legion” (and I don’t say that lightly). Mike is probably the best “Adventurer” around here. It is well worth looking up his posts and hunting down his “Mods” to his Boat if you are really interested!!!
I think Mike’s stories have been the most inspiring and imaginative posts anywhere on what exactly can be done with a Mac, but then again he is “MADDMIKE”!
