Sailing across the gulf stream

The Gulf Streams warm waters which can create its own weather particularly thunderstorms with lightning heavy rain and strong winds. Choose the wrong time when a strong wind is out of the north blowing against the current and youll find this a dangerous place to be in any size boat.

Make this arrow the same length as the current speed.

Sailing across the gulf stream. The past 6 months of our lives have built up to this one day. WE ARE FINALLY LEAVING FLORIDA SAILING TO THE BAHAMASGet all the Details on our site here. Were leaving the Bahamas using the Gulf Stream to make speed northbound.

This is our last sail on the amazing Bahamas shallow banks as were preparing for the passage north to Beaufort and the Chesapeake Bay. For the first time were going to sail right up the Gulf Stream and hope to use the current to add to our speed. The Gulf Stream waters are a breeding ground for many of the severe storms experienced by those living along the eastern seaboard.

Anyone crossing the Gulf Stream from east or west or across the north wall is advised to exercise caution and careful planning to ensure favorable conditions. We have crossed the Gulf Stream many times in both power and sail. Sail was the most fun as we left from Marathon jumped into the Gulf Stream and rode that puppy North.

We left the Keys around 400 pm and were in West End around 200 pm. The only down side was leaving on Sunday lots of. Before you get to paradise though you have to cross the Gulf Stream current a virtual river within the Atlantic thats 45 miles wide and flowing north at about 25 knots.

Choose the wrong time when a strong wind is out of the north blowing against the current and youll find this a dangerous place to be in any size boat. It felt like a 30 some mile day sail. It felt so nice.

You could think about other things besides your survival and take care of the boat. Cause thats how it felt crossing the Gulf Stream. It felt like okay It felt like were destroying the boat That Yeah I need water but the water But the water bottles empty.

Our compass heading will be reading something different as we compensate for the Gulf Stream. We will be crabbing into the current and will need to figure out how much crabbing is the right amount. You can see the Gulf Stream is active all the way across the Straits of Florida.

The current in the chart reads from 18 knots up to 33 knots. The Gulf Streams warm waters which can create its own weather particularly thunderstorms with lightning heavy rain and strong winds. The current affects every boat whether power or sail.

After noon the wind backed just enough for us to raise the reefed mainsail and make for a much more stable ride and finally some hot coffee and grub. 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. 2 Weeks at sea.

I am struggling with just how to encapsulate all that this great sea isIts frustrating. The Gulf Stream is a north-setting current that can reach up to 56 miles per hour 48 knots. It winds its way through the Gulf of Mexico and then up the Atlantic coast of the USA.

It can present quite a navigational challenge even for experienced sailors. In this episode Nick explains exactly how to sail across the Gulf Stream what type. The Gulf Stream runs from south to north generally following the coast so you need southerly winds as if its wind against flow it can get pretty dangerous with steep waves.

The idea is that you use the flow to increase speed and we estimated wed gain about 2kts average making for a 3 day passage. 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. The Gulf Stream presents a unique set of challenges as we plan our voyage from Florida to the Bahamas. First the current will push your boat north at 2-4 kts as you try to head east at about 7 kts.

Its like swimming across a fast moving river and anticipate the currents push. You have to account for a lot of drift so you steer your boat. Sailing Across The Gulf Stream.

The power cord is being pulled the fenders are being stowed away and the sails are going up. We shove away from the familiar shores of Florida cross the notorious gulf stream and enter the clear blue Bahamian waters. It feels oh soooo good to finally be on our way again.

The Gulf Stream and its significant current runs from south to north. Its current needs to be factored in when crossing it the same as you would if putting a kayak into a river and planning where youll come out on the opposite side. The part that gets tricky about the Gulf Stream is that if the wind is flowing in the opposite direction.

Distances may not be a huge but we are out of shelter in deep water and away from an easy port of refuge giving a rather different feeling from sailing across the English Channel or crossing. Calders guide on the Western Caribbean while now pretty outdated has some helpful and fairly timeless information on making passages across and updown the Gulf. Id recommend you start there then review the Pilot Charts andor Cornells World Cruising Routes and bounce what you see against what Calder offers up.

Draw an arrow to the north or in the estimated Gulf Stream direction line 2. Make this arrow the same length as the current speed. Sweep an arc to make the third line.

Measure your estimated boat speed on the right or left side of the navigational chart. If you think you can average 5 knots across the Stream then measure 5 miles.