Advice on Route From Florida

Created by doina. Last modified on 2008-04-22 11:18:41
Topic: Routing
Countries: USA, Venezuela

Could you advise on a proposed route, please?

I need to sail from Key West to Margarita, towards the end of June. I had hoped to visit the Caymans, en route; but, this is not essential.

Am I correct in sailing to the Tortugas Is, first; await a NW wind and, then, sail around the west of Cuba?

This will be our maiden voyage in a Manta catamaran and will need to clear out of Florida waters within three months of June 6, because the yacht is ex-Florida tax!

Your plan sounds ok. I sailed that same route from key West to the Yucatan Channel and it was no problem. The problem you may have is later, once you reach the Caribbean Sea you may have ESE winds, i.e. you will be close-hauled for Margarita. So you need to get a reliable long-term forecast to find out if the winds are ok for such a passage.

Jimmy Cornell, noonsite