You're about to be teleported...

Phil Herring

Phil Herring

Alien
Mar 25, 1997
4,923
- - Bainbridge Island
If you -- and your boat -- could be teleported anywhere in North America (US, Canada, and Mexico), where would you go?

Lush Maine or the Pacific Northwest? Sunny Florida? The fresh water Great Lakes? The mind boggles at the opportunities.

What would meet your ideal of fantastic cruising grounds and livability?
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

.
Jan 7, 2011
5,695
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I would off on the Great Lakes for another month (or 3). Water can get hard this time of year.

BUT, so salt and no tides to:contend with!

Greg
 
thinwater

thinwater

.
Mar 26, 2011
3,748
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
As I approach full retirement and have no real desire to live in the same house for practically my whole adult life, I ponder this.

I'm actually pretty hooked on the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Open water or sheltered.
  • Endless anchorages.
  • The water does not actually freeze in most of the harbors.
  • Cheap marinas
  • Lots of places to live and proximity to lots of things
but...
  • Hot in the summer. I really don't like over 85F, not when the wind dies.
  • The wind is only good ~ 30% of the summer.
  • Cold in the winter. It's less fun below 50F.
  • The water is not clear, but except for snorkeling, that doesn't mean much.
  • Not wild about thunderstorms.
So...
  • Florida and the Caribbean are too hot
  • Florida is awful for pop-up thunderstorms
  • Anywhere farther north is no-go in the winter
  • The cruising grounds between the Chesapeake and Bahamas is boring
  • Maybe the PNW? Don't know enough, one of the few places I have not sailed.
I guess I'm stuck, unless I start looking at sailing a 6-month pass time, which is not likely.
 
Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

.
Jul 7, 2004
8,496
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I think the PNW from what I have seen and heard from others. Meantime I sail the great spots vicariously thru you other members
 
Hayden Watson

Hayden Watson

.
Apr 5, 2009
3,144
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
If I could teleport anywhere, it would be nowhere because I am there.
PNW for all the reasons that thinwater stated.
Like the Chesapeake
  • Open water or sheltered.
  • Endless anchorages.
  • The water does not actually freeze in most of the harbors.
  • Cheap Lots of marinas (although they are not so cheap)
  • Lots of places to live and proximity to lots of things
  • plus
  • sailing 12 months of the year
  • very few bugs
  • no tornados
  • no hurricanes
  • almost never over 85ºF
  • almost never below 32ºF
  • drop dead gorgeous scenery
  • clear water (great scuba with dry suit)
  • Dungeness (the best tasting crabs in the world IMHO)
 
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Rick Webb

Rick Webb

.
Jun 2, 2004
3,566
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
I'm already there, problem is other folks have figured it out also, too many.

I got another spot picked out but I ain't telling nobody.
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,360
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Or on a ferry in the winter.
 
Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

.
Oct 19, 2017
7,992
O'Day Mariner 19 Littleton, NH
There's not much more appealing to me than a tropical reef to dive on, fish on, sail around from one to the next. I am fascinated with finding sunken ships with pirate treasure and buccaneers barbecuing on the beach.
Send me to the Keys or Puerto Rico, so I can have a great area to explore and a jumping off spot to sail farther asea.

-Will
 
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Dalliance

Dalliance

.
Oct 6, 2007
1,145
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I’m pretty content sailing out of Chicago; here at the soon to be topical end of the Great Lakes. We make such intense use of our six month sailing season that I‘m usually ready to take a break by October and I have enough other interests to keep me busy through the winter.
There are lots of places that would be interesting to explore - the PNW, Chesapeake, coast of Maine….. but maybe not on my boat. She’s never been in salt water and I hate the idea of doing that to her.
 
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DArcy

DArcy

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,770
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
I'd like to sail around Newfoundland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Nova Scotia. Eventually maybe make it down the East coast, although Maine seems very enticing and could draw me in.
 
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Sola Gratia

Sola Gratia

.
Jan 30, 2022
8
Cal 29 Chesapeake Beach
I’ll put in a vote for the Chesapeake. So many good reasons. My profile pic is only one Example.
However, coming from the PNW where you jump in the water to wash up, it is still hard for me to believe that water can be so bad you need to wash up when you get out. But that is probably the biggest drawback. Sooo many other positives for casual cruising!
 
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Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

.
Oct 26, 2008
6,304
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Escaping New Jersey! I don't know why teleportation has to be involved here. Have Boat Will Travel ... there is no ideal location. The only ideal is get out there and sail away. New Jersey may not be the greatest cruising ground but it is a great place to sail away from! Do I want to go to Long Island and Narragansett Bay? Sure! An easy trip from New Jersey! How about the Chesapeake Bay? Even easier! Bermuda, Bahamas, Florida, Key West? Can do! Similarly, the Maritimes! The Hudson gives me access to the Great Lakes and I can dream about the Great Loop. I like the options so I have no problem where I'm at right here on the Jersey coast!
 
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jon hansen

jon hansen

.
May 25, 2012
4,338
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
yes sir will. sailing it is! all this talk of land locations. well that's great for some. me, i want wind, lot's o wind. blowing all the time. with lots of sail aloft. "more sail' will be the cry. all day, all night, repeat
driving on watches. no need to stop, "more sail" and the crew scurries.
a boat underway. lots of wind with plenty of room with a strong boat under me.

only two types of wind. gradient and thermal. playing both is the game.

lots of places that are full of wind. i get to sail on such. the great lakes.

real happy were i'm at. lots and lots of wind:cool:

more sail !
 
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Hayden Watson

Hayden Watson

.
Apr 5, 2009
3,144
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
jon hansen said:
yes sir will. sailing it is! all this talk of land locations. well that's great for some. me, i want wind, lot's o wind. blowing all the time. with lots of sail aloft. "more sail' will be the cry. all day, all night, repeat
driving on watches. no need to stop, "more sail" and the crew scurries.
a boat underway. lots of wind with plenty of room with a strong boat under me.

only two types of wind. gradient and thermal. playing both is the game.

lots of places that are full of wind. i get to sail on such. the great lakes.

real happy were i'm at. lots and lots of wind:cool:

more sail !
Click to expand
That is why I enjoy "off season" sailing best in the PNW. Our summers can be rather light.
 
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