Rhode Island to Florida in 460 DA

sailorjerry

sailorjerry

Member
Feb 12, 2011
185
Newport, RI
Boat Info
2003 Sundancer 460
Engines
Cummings 8.3 6CTA
I left RI on Wednesday and made it to NYC in 6.5 hours. Beautiful day. I got hung up in NY for poor sea conditions off NJ. I am planning to leave for Cape May tomorrow morning, then Norfolk, VA the following day. I will be travelling down the ICW for a couple of weeks. Any other boats headed that way, give me a shout. I would love to have a few beers and trade stories. This is my first trip south and I am doing it solo. Cheers!
 
I’ve never ventured out alone because I’m too afraid that something could happen to me. I could trip, break my leg, lose control of the wheel and throttle and my boat will end on the beach killing hundreds of sunbathers….

Ok, I’m exaggerating, but have you ever thought of installing a safety lanyard as the outboards have?
 
Good luck with your voyage. You're living my dream. May I suggest that you keep a handheld waterproof VHF with built in GPS on your person at all times, (with life jacket of course).
 
Wow.. what a trip... keep us posted and as others have stated be safe.... would love to see some pictures
 
Best of luck....keep the updates coming.....very interesting.
 
merlin said:
Good luck with your voyage. You're living my dream. May I suggest that you keep a handheld waterproof VHF with built in GPS on your person at all times, (with life jacket of course).
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Some friends from the Sea Ray Club are on their way to San Diego right now. They left Tuesday for Monterey, to Morro Bay Wednesday the Ventura on Thursday. That's the kind of cruise you need to do. There are three boats so they have a chance to support each other. One of the boats is a 410 Express that had never been on blue water. I would have gone but this is a 2 1/2 month trip and my job keeps getting in the way of my boating!
 
I did the same trip, also solo in 2009. Went in November as well. It took me 2 weeks, due to bad weather delays in cape may, and coin jock, nc. It was an amazing trip and doing it solo was very exciting. In a few more days you will be talking to your boat. Then in a few more days, she will start talking back to you. :). You will get to know your boat better than you ever thought was possible, in a good way. You will read wind and effect, much better than in past. Make sure to have extra racor fuel filters, in case you get bad gas. I was glad I had them when I had to limp into the cape canaveral inlet, due to the racors getting all clogged up in the ocem.

I did a lot of it offshore, but spent many days on the icw as well. I found it was easy to run over 140 plus miles per day offshore. On the icw, There were some days that 70 miles was too much. The run to coin jock is a very long day and only 50 miles. My advice is, take your time and travel based on weather and how you feel. Enjoy every minute of this trip, you will remember it for the rest of your life.

Are you leaving the boat in Florida for the winter?

I can't wait to do this trip again, but work will be in the way for quite a few more years.

If you have any questions, ask away. I will relive my trip, vicariously through you.

Best of luck!

Jeff
 
Great trip enjoy.
I hesitated to mention this I don't want to be the guy that pees on the birthday cake but I felt that I would appreciate it if somebody warned me. Did you notify your insurance company your taking your boat to Florida? I was talking with a boat owner at my Marina 2 weeks ago and he told me a story of how he took his boat on a trip to Florida from NJ. He was around Charleston pulling into a harbor hit a pile of submerged rocks took out his out drive and motor. When he called his insurance company he found that he was not covered because he was out of his insured area. Cost him a fortune. Just a thought.
 
I'm heading sound next week, but you'll probably be WAY ahead by then.
 
Turtlesboat said:
I'm heading sound next week, but you'll probably be WAY ahead by then.
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You must be on an IPAD with spelling correct? Are you going tobe taking your boat South every year?
 
Doh, damn apple spell corrector. That's the plan, I think. I like the fact that I can work on the boat all year round. Up in the NE, you can't do anything until the end of march.
 
Sailor.....Keep us posted on where you stop at night, fuel, where you wished you stopeed and wish you didn't, etc.......
 
sailorjerry said:
I left RI on Wednesday and made it to NYC in 6.5 hours. Beautiful day. I got hung up in NY for poor sea conditions off NJ. I am planning to leave for Cape May tomorrow morning, then Norfolk, VA the following day. I will be travelling down the ICW for a couple of weeks. Any other boats headed that way, give me a shout. I would love to have a few beers and trade stories. This is my first trip south and I am doing it solo. Cheers!
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Jerry, I am extremely jealous of your trip and look forward to reading the posts as you update all of us along the way. I'm sure there will be some really interesting tales! BTW, I'm impressed you are doing this solo since I am not sure I have even taken my 460 out solo yet in the 4 months that I have owned her!

Travel safely!
 
+1 to being jealous! +1 to being your deck hand.

I'd love to be making a trip like that. Not sure I'd have done it solo, but lacking a crew I'd have done it by myself.

Pics would be great.
 
Pietro said:
I’ve never ventured out alone because I’m too afraid that something could happen to me. I could trip, break my leg, lose control of the wheel and throttle and my boat will end on the beach killing hundreds of sunbathers….

Ok, I’m exaggerating, but have you ever thought of installing a safety lanyard as the outboards have?
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I have thought about the lanyard... briefly. Not sure how practical it is given that you really cannot be tethered when working around the decks. When in the cockpit, it is unlikely you will be ejected.....but it did cross my mind! Thanks!
 
Carpedmman said:
Jerry, I am extremely jealous of your trip and look forward to reading the posts as you update all of us along the way. I'm sure there will be some really interesting tales! BTW, I'm impressed you are doing this solo since I am not sure I have even taken my 460 out solo yet in the 4 months that I have owned her!

Travel safely!
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I bought the boat in April. It is my first powerboat. I love boating with a bunch of people and I love to clear the harbor (and my head) by being out solo. Since April I have put nearly 300 hours on her.
Take yours out solo on a calm day. You may not ask anyone to come aboard for a while....
 
Watch for skinny water in Ga. and SC. I made the trip from Fla in the spring and saw a few groundings-sure can ruin a fine trip. In your spare time at night pull up my blog "Belleair Beach to Baltimore a 30 day adventure" you might find something usefull there. Have fun and don't run the credit card too high on diesel.
 
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