With the 2024 hurricane season in our wake, many sailors and trawler owners from the Northeast are either en route or preparing to head south for the winter. Whether you’re a veteran or newcomer to navigating the eastern seaboard of the United States, it never hurts to brush up on the basics.
We talked to veteran Ocean Navigator contributor Ann Hoffner from her home in Sorrento, Maine, and to John Hines, an instructor at the Offshore Sailing School, for some tips on making sure the trip is a successful one.
You would think that prepping your boat and gear for the trip would be obvious, but it’s worth reminding people to inspect all safety gear and personal locator beacons and EPIRBS on boat. “Install or check radar, AIS and other navigation aids,” added Hines.
Check the boat’s bottom paint and put on a fresh coat if necessary. Inspect rigging, sails, and lines for wear and tear. Replace or repair as needed. Ensure the mast, boom, and all hardware are secure. For engines, change the oil and filter and check cooling systems. Carry spare impellers and belts and a comprehensive set of tools in a waterproof toolbox.
To check the battery and charging system, take a couple of preliminary short trips away from shore power to identify weaknesses in the circuits.
Cruisers have a choice of routes when heading south, so a captain must be honest when it comes to understanding the limitations of the boat and crew. “If you’re not offshore ready, take the Intracoastal Waterway from Virginia and stick with bays and sounds coming down from the Northeast,” said Hoffner. “Even if you go offshore in the Northeast, be ready to navigate inshore waters if your plans or conditions change. We planned to go outside from New York Harbor along the south coast of Long Island to avoid the long stretch of tides and currents and motoring but opted not to when we realized we didn’t know our month-old boat well enough.”
She continued, “If you take an inside course in the Northeast, especially in a small boat, take the time to research how to find information on tidal currents. The Eldridge Tide and Pilot book, also called The Little Yellow Book, is the best resource I’ve found, but even it has limitations.”
Carry charts for any area you might wind up in and have chartplotter modules plus small scale paper charts for planning if you do head offshore. Bring cruising guides for as much of the trip as possible. “We made the mistake once of thinking we didn’t need one for New Jersey when we planned to travel outside from the Chesapeake to New York Harbor and had to turn back because we lacked local knowledge,” said Hoffner.
Added Hines, “Decide on planned stops, but note other marinas and anchorages where you can stop if you encounter bad weather or mechanical problems. Use the resources in Active Captain and Navionics to get reviews of marinas and anchorages.”
While the ICW has more protected waters compared to heading offshore, it presents different navigational challenges. There are points on the waterway where crossing large bays and inlets in the wrong weather can be rough. Carry an ICW cruising guide and make a daily navigation routine of figuring out how many miles you can comfortably motor (even in a sailboat) and reach an anchorage or marina in daylight.
“Know your rules of the road,” said Hoffner. “The challenges are different for the ICW, where you have to understand the rules of passing and the etiquette of boat encounters.”
She added, “When offshore know nav lights especially for fishing boats and traffic you may encounter around inlet entrances. Offshore boaters should know how to heave to when waiting for daylight to enter.”
When heading offshore, you still need cruising guides and good charts to inlets. Navigation involves understanding coastal distances between usable inlets, figuring out how far you can go without stopping (consider boat capability and weather forecasts) and being comfortable with sailing at night.
When heading offshore, understand when it might be best not to. “Do you want to go around Cape Hatteras or, like we did on one trip, take the ICW to Beaufort and head south offshore,” asked Hoffner.
“If you are in a hurry (not a good idea at any time) and hope that an offshore trip will be quick, still watch the weather and go with a good forecast of several days,” she adds. “We’ve been on the inside and watched the same boats go offshore only to meet them again at another anchorage further along with all their foul-weather gear hung out to dry after a rough passage.”
When heading outside, also know where the gulf stream is. There could be a countercurrent running south close to shore. If you cross the gulf stream, make sure everything inside is stowed and all gear on deck is strapped down in preparation of a rough passage.
The ICW also calls for stowing any loose gear. Large motoryachts passing without slowing will create a wake big enough to toss about any unsecured equipment.
Get comfortable with communicating via VHF radio. On the ICW you may need to raise a boat that is making life difficult or acting unpredictably, and to monitor calls from commercial traffic. If you aren’t on a cell phone with your sailing buddies, there’s still the VHF. “Ensure satellite phones or other communication devices are operational for emergency use,” adds Hines.
For sailors, know your mast height, not just your depth. If your mast is too tall you may still have to hop outside if you can’t clear a bridge.
Regardless of the route you take, carry appropriate anchor tackle. Be prepared to anchor to the side in channels and in areas with reversing tide; have two anchors at least, preferably including a kedge or stern anchor.
Even if you’ve planned out your stops, know additional locations where you can buy fuel. Also, plan your food supplies and be comfortable with coming alongside a dock unless you are prepared to haul everything by dinghy.
Speaking of a dinghy, service the motor, if applicable. It’s even better if it a can be rowed as well.
If you bring along crew, know them well. Hopefully your personalities will still mesh when the boat leaves port. A good captain always prioritizes passenger comfort. Stock a first aid kit, including seasickness medication and carry prescriptions in original containers.
If you head south in late fall, don’t imagine you can escape cold weather just by getting out of the Northeast. We found days motoring the ICW cold until we hit the Florida line. It was 52 degrees in Florida on Nov. 22.
Those taking the offshore route need to be prepared even more for colder conditions, including getting soaked by spray. Carry gloves, hats, sea boots, foul weather gear, provisions for making hot drinks and have warm blankets in the berths.
Lastly, leave detailed itineraries with family and/or friends and establish regular check-in protocols. Oh, and remember to enjoy the trip.
