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Vela Boat Season 2 starts off with a trip across the gulf stream and into the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas. If done correctly under the right weather conditions Gulf Stream crossings are not dramatic events.
If you combined the Amazon the Mississippi the St Lawrence and every other river that empties into the Atlantic Ocean they would move a.
Crossing the gulf stream in a sailboat. For crossing the Gulf Stream as fast as possible your heading should never be any amount south of due east on the way to the Bahamas or south of due west on the return. It was very eye-opening to us to turn literally two degrees south of due east and see our speed over ground drop over half a knot a few degrees more and it dropped nearly a knot. Any boat crossing the Gulf Stream should be well fitted out with storm sails and adequate safety equipment and those on board are advised to know how to cope with heavy weather situations.
If done correctly under the right weather conditions Gulf Stream crossings are not dramatic events. Tips for Crossing the Gulf Stream A sailor recalls tips for crossing the gulf stream and its effects on his route. Mother Nature is a tough teacher.
She usually gives the test before the lesson. If she used a textbook the page for boaters would include a line that says Never cross the Gulf Stream in anything but a south wind Here are my tips for crossing the Gulf Stream. It was a beautifully calm day with light winds crossing the Gulf Stream on March 6 2015.
It was so nice to share the passage with Heather and Stuart on our buddy boat Overdraught. The waiting and analyzing paid off and we had a great crossing this year arriving at West End at 3 pm. Crossing the Gulf Stream from Miami to Bimini or from Ft.
Lauderdale to West End is a choice all Bahamas cruisers must make. Their decision is usually based on what parts of the Bahamas they plan to visit. By the way crossing the Gulf Stream marks a milestone in most cruisers lives.
Crossing the Gulf Stream can be as easy as a day trip on Long Island Sound or Chesapeake Bay but it can also be a challenging undertaking that can have unfortunate consequences. It all depends on your planning preparation and above all patience for the right weather window. Crossing the Gulf Stream can be magical.
This comes into play because the Gulf Streams flow averages roughly two knots on a trip across from Florida to the Bahamas and it needs to be accounted for. For example if your speed boat can cover the 50 miles separating the two countries in two hours then you are looking at a four-mile northern movement during the. Effect and maximize the positive lift of the Gulf Stream.
The simplest way is three easy steps. Take your distance to run and divide it by your average speed to get your passage time. Multiply the passage time by 25 the average speed of flow of the Stream.
The result is the distance the Gulf Stream will take you north off a direct course. Crossing The Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream staggers the mind. At the height of the current in the Straits of Florida more than 30 million cubic meters of water are moved per second To put that force of water into perspective consider this.
If you combined the Amazon the Mississippi the St Lawrence and every other river that empties into the Atlantic Ocean they would move a. Our gulf stream crossing on our 30 foot sailboat a Catalina 30 named Whisper. We have a great time and make it to the paradise islands of the Bahamas.
Boaters who cruise across the Gulf Stream are treated to a tactically demanding but quick passage from Floridas Atlantic Coast to the nearest of The Bahamas islands. Bimini and Grand Bahama specifically the town of West End. Crossing the Gulf Stream by Boat.
Crossing the Gulf Stream from Florida is not to be underestimated. Crossing the Gulf Stream is necessary from any point of departure and monitoring the location of the stream eddies and forecast winds are essential. Strategies involve picking favourable conditions for crossing the Gulf Stream and a forecast for reasonably benign conditions to allow the vessel to get south of the North Atlantic gale track.
If you figure that you will be making ground Northward at an average of 25 knots per hour and it takes you 12 hours to cross then you had better start much farther South. You sure dont want to be bucking the stream in an attempt to head back South especially if you are in a boat that does only 4 - 5 knots to begin with. The Gulf Stream is a current of water that is shrouded in mystery and confusion.
This is all due to a lack of study of the water instead of actual lack of information available about the water. The Gulf Stream has been studied for decades and is. CROSSING the Gulf Stream.
SAILING TO BAHAMAS E31 - YouTube. If playback doesnt begin shortly try restarting your device. Videos you watch may be added to the TVs watch history and.
The axis of the Gulf Stream will be encountered at approximately 50 nautical miles south of the Florida Keys here the current can attain a velocity upwards of 25 knots. The roughest part of this crossing will be approximately 10 miles before reaching the axis and 10 miles after you have crossed it especially if the wind is gusting. Of the 4-5000 recreational sailboats that cross the Atlantic most of them are regular production boats.
It use to be true that you needed a blue water yacht for these kind of trips but now days you can just use your technology to make sure you are going to have mostly smooth sailing. CROSSING THE Gulf Stream To West End Grand Bahama - YouTube. CROSSING THE Gulf Stream To West End Grand Bahama Watch later.
If playback doesnt. Vela Boat Season 2 starts off with a trip across the gulf stream and into the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas. Erin shares the tricks hes lea.
January 14 2015. Frank Durant crossing the Gulf Stream today to West End Bahamas in his brand new Com-Pac 27 Allure. It was a bumpy ride but all is well.
Min boat size for Gulf offshore cruising Have had so many boats I have lost count. I have taken a total of six at least 25 miles out in the Gulf. The smallest was a 13 Boston Whaler and I wouldnt recommend that to anyone.