Sarasota Fla to Chesapeake Bay

Jul 5, 2005
21
Irwin Citation Kilmarnock Virginia
Boat is named Veritas in Sarasota for sale.
2007 model and trying to find out if anyone may know the boat. Also like to know a good marine surveyor if needed in that area.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Claugerbaum;
As a former Hunter dealer in North Carolina, the height of the mast was under 64 feet for the Hunter 49 but I am not sure if that was only the length of the mast or from the waterline to the top of the mast. It is the waterline to the top of the mast that is going to be the key when asking that type of question. There is one bridge referred to as the Corps Creek Bridge with a height of 64 feet alone at full tide but that is a swift current under the bridge and you will hit that with any attachments on top of the mast. In addition there are some places that you have to be cautious when mooring so staying in the channel is a must along with current charts. I would not try going thru the Alligator River section of the ICW at night either as it will be tough even for two experienced sailors one of whom was me. That is one reason I never stocked the 49 but all other boats under that. It is important that you the know ICW well with that mast height. Even going on the outside of North Carolina, many go way off shore as it is shallow. I would also tend to be cautious going thru the Dismal Swamp as well. Even on a Hunter 356, I had a friend who had a snake drop out of the tree into his boat.

IF you or your friend interested in the Hunter 49 paticurlaly at this time of the year, I would suggest strongly hiring an experienced delievery captain who knows the area. I now live owning property at the head of the James River in VA where my home use to be. Either way, listen to those who have transited down off shore and/or the ICW. Remember this is winter now and the weather even on the Rappahanock can change quickly
 
Jul 5, 2005
21
Irwin Citation Kilmarnock Virginia
Good advise Crazy Dave, thanks for your information. As a previous Hunter Dealer, do you know if it would be a major change to make a double forward cabin into a single berth with head on one side and shower on the other. I know they manufactured that configuration but don't know how difficult it would be to change it from two berths to one large.
thanks four your thoughts.
 
Sep 20, 2006
155
Hunter 49 Mystic CT
Mast height, and I measured mine, is 63'9" to top of windex Draft is 5'6" If the boat has the short Mast and winged keel.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
First built in 2007 the Hunter 49 has a reported mast height of 63.33'. Heavily provisioned for a trip and at low tide it should clear the Seven Mile Bridge. "mast height" as opposed to "mast length" is usually recognized as the length from the top of the mast down to the waterline. I reiterate my previous recommendation to have the Air Draft of the actual boat measured. It could save days of the trip and open up options to avoid foul weather or for convenience. As far as time duration for the trip I would shoot for 50NM a day in the ICW and 100NM a day in a non-stop passage on the ouside. You could get a boost by partially riding the Gulf Stream up as long as you do not encounter to many cold fronts coming down. This time of the year is not the best to be heading up North.
 
Jul 5, 2005
21
Irwin Citation Kilmarnock Virginia
thanks for the advice, shutting down this question and working with the original.
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
This time of year is risky for your boat with your mast height and draft and winter in Fl can be very windy with cold fronts coming down south,I would not want to get a storm coming down and you might be limited to go inside and not all inlets are good to enter with your draft.
Maybe find a Marina where you could keep it until the weather is less risky,I sailed my 2007 H-36 at the end of Oct 2008 and got as far as Ft Piece Fl after all offshore with a 2 day stop over in NC for repairs and it was 9 day trip for that part of the trip.
I left my boat in a Marina in Ft Piece Fl and did a fresh bottom paint and some other needed repairs and I think I got good weather at the end of January and 4 days later in Punta Gorda with every night anchored and last day with a over nighter before some stormy weather was predicted.
I live here in SW Fl and some times we get very crazy weather in the winter months.
Nick
 
Jul 5, 2005
21
Irwin Citation Kilmarnock Virginia
Nick, thank you very much for the advice. Nothing like the experience of "been there done that". My friend still has some research on the boat before purchase and I am trying to prepare in advance in case things work out. I really feel blessed to have found this forum and plan to do another post for experience making the Keys to Chesapeake voyage in the February March timeframe.
Take care, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and thanks to all the contributions to this post, hope to hear from everyone on my next "Keys to Chesapeake" posting.
 
Jun 9, 2008
1,771
- -- -Bayfield
It's always faster to sail on the outside than in the ICW for sure and since you are heading north, you have the gulf stream to help you along on the Atlantic side. As far as getting from the Gulf to the Hawk Channel side, you have a tall bridge in Florida Bay, which might not work for you due to the shallow channel and your draft, or Marathon at the Moser Channel. If you are too tall for those bridges, then you have to spin around Key West and head north. It will be a great ride, however.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
We Floridians really don't think about these things but there are folks that bring their boats down during the winter so that they can come down a few times to sail. Your boat is already here so why not just berth it until the spring. The best deals are to be found in the West Coast. To what advantage is it to take it to the Chesapeake Bay now?
 
Jul 5, 2005
21
Irwin Citation Kilmarnock Virginia
Thanks for the offer but SFS is right. Friend is looking at a 49 Hunter in Sarasota and I have been trying to help with research on getting back up the coast before the charter season begins on the Chesapeake. Friend is scheduled to look at the boat tomorrow and get a survey if he likes the look and the deal still looks good.
If things are still moving forward next week, you will likely see more post in the future.
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
The two threads asking the same question have been merged.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
In my humble, often disputed, opinion(s), it represents questionable judgement for a newbie to take off on a major trip of that nature aiming for a brief window of time in a newly-purchased boat, especially a big one w/many systems aboard, near this time of the year. A successful outcome wouldn't change that opinion. Benny's suggestion is sound; stick around until the boat has been properly "shaken down." Otherwise, he might hire a delivery captain as Crazy Dave advised. I only assume this friend is a newbie b/c this is the kind of "deal" that attracts those guys--ones w/big ideas on comparatively small budgets. jsailem obviously caught the humor of it. It's not even all that wonderful of an idea for an experienced cruiser.:rolleyes:
 
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SFS

.
Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Since the first look was scheduled for Dec. 27 and we haven't heard anything, and haven't gotten questions about surveyors or survey findings, it is likely this died on the vine.
 

BayMan

.
Sep 12, 2012
203
Hunter 450 Unspecified
Dont rely on the min 65 fixed bridge height on the ICW. It's just not so. Sometimes you cannot even rely on the tide board right in front of you. Florida is the worse for this but there are well known problem bridges in NC and elsewhere. Why the correct bridge heights cannot be shown escapes me.

At 68 ft you will be spending most of your time on the outside.