Looking to cruise from Sanibel/Captiva Island area down to the Keys for 7-8 days in April. One-two days down, stay three days here and there, and two days back. Anyone interested?
Steve
Anyone interested in a 7 day trip to the keys in April?
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Steve
- Engineer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Anyone interested in a 7 day trip to the keys in April?
Hey Guys!
Looking to cruise from Sanibel/Captiva Island area down to the Keys for 7-8 days in April. One-two days down, stay three days here and there, and two days back. Anyone interested?
Steve
Looking to cruise from Sanibel/Captiva Island area down to the Keys for 7-8 days in April. One-two days down, stay three days here and there, and two days back. Anyone interested?
Steve
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Dimitri-2000X-Tampa
- Admiral
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Hi Steve,
I'm always interested in events going on in my area. But that sounds like a pretty amibitious (ie. impossible) plan. You planning to do 140 miles of blue water cruising in 1 or 2 days, or 175 miles of coastal cruising (mostly on uninhabited mosquito/alligator/everglades coastline) during that same time frame?
Mind you, it can be done, but I think it is pretty advanced and will take you the whole week just to get down there and back..ie, no time to do anything when you are there. One of the sailing schools in St Pete (maybe Colgate) has their advanced (like a graduation) cruise from St Pete down to the dry Tortugas. I understand it takes 8 days and they sail all day and night with multiple shifts....they turn around and go back very soon after getting there. Granted, you can make up some of that time on a Mac with fast powering...provided you are pulling a fuel barge behind you...
Anyway, not trying to douse your plans...just that if I were going to do a trip like that, I think I would want more like 2-4 weeks. Personally, I would like to try a 1 week cruise from Tampa down to Sanibel in the late March timeframe. Lots of nice beaches...but still plenty of marinas to pull into for gas or to duck out of bad weather (its usually quite windy here in March/April)...provided they have them all rebuilt after Charley that is... I understand the eye made landfall right over Cayo Costa State Park just North of Captiva.
I'm always interested in events going on in my area. But that sounds like a pretty amibitious (ie. impossible) plan. You planning to do 140 miles of blue water cruising in 1 or 2 days, or 175 miles of coastal cruising (mostly on uninhabited mosquito/alligator/everglades coastline) during that same time frame?
Mind you, it can be done, but I think it is pretty advanced and will take you the whole week just to get down there and back..ie, no time to do anything when you are there. One of the sailing schools in St Pete (maybe Colgate) has their advanced (like a graduation) cruise from St Pete down to the dry Tortugas. I understand it takes 8 days and they sail all day and night with multiple shifts....they turn around and go back very soon after getting there. Granted, you can make up some of that time on a Mac with fast powering...provided you are pulling a fuel barge behind you...
Anyway, not trying to douse your plans...just that if I were going to do a trip like that, I think I would want more like 2-4 weeks. Personally, I would like to try a 1 week cruise from Tampa down to Sanibel in the late March timeframe. Lots of nice beaches...but still plenty of marinas to pull into for gas or to duck out of bad weather (its usually quite windy here in March/April)...provided they have them all rebuilt after Charley that is... I understand the eye made landfall right over Cayo Costa State Park just North of Captiva.
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mgg4
- First Officer
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According to the "Cruise Planning" course taught by the U.S. Power Squadrons, you should plan to make about 50-100 miles per 24 hour period when you are under sail. This is an over all average for your at-sea time, and is used for planning purposes. It may be possible to do more miles per day, but you should not plan for that.
Using a 4-kt average speed (which is a reasonable average to use), 175 nm should take you about 44 hours of at-sea time. Given that you should probably break this up into 6-8 hour days, your passage should take about 5 to 7 days. Again, you may be able to do it in less time, but you shouldn't PLAN on it.
--Mark
Using a 4-kt average speed (which is a reasonable average to use), 175 nm should take you about 44 hours of at-sea time. Given that you should probably break this up into 6-8 hour days, your passage should take about 5 to 7 days. Again, you may be able to do it in less time, but you shouldn't PLAN on it.
--Mark
dont rush
we did a trip last April that took us from Labelle FL (W of Lake Okeechobee) out the canal, down to Long Key up the Atlantic, thru Biscayne Bay, ICW , canal, Lake Okeechobee to Labelle Fl. Took 2 weeks and we only stopped at night. Our traveling companions had a time schedule. We didnt get to see any of the keys. Next time we'll take a month or more. I like the suggestion above. We stopped at Florida City, Everglades City but didnt really have time to explore. We'll keep watch and see what you decide. Maybe we'll be interested.
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Steve
- Engineer
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Hmmm???
What if we motored the first 50 miles (the first day), then sailed on from that point? Get down to the keys in 2 days, bop around for 3 days, then ditto on the way back? Total trip time, 7 days.
Steve
Steve
We're heading down to the keys in the 3rd week of march. I love the idea of sailing from Sanibel or Naples; however, it's no possible for us (due to time constaints and the possibilty of bad weather) Otherwise we'd head for the Bahamas; only 55 miles. I've made a few 40 mile and 68 mile sails and enjoyed every one; even the 20 hour trip (many hours without wind or fuel)
We're planning on launching just north of Key Largo and working south to key west then return to Key Largo by boat or haul out in Key West in we're short on time.
We tend to stay longer in places we enjoy rather than keep a rigid schedule.
Perhaps we'll see you down there?
We're planning on launching just north of Key Largo and working south to key west then return to Key Largo by boat or haul out in Key West in we're short on time.
We tend to stay longer in places we enjoy rather than keep a rigid schedule.
Perhaps we'll see you down there?