Annapolis, MD to Virginia Beach, VA

[tchodgd]

Picking up a 22 O'day in Annapolis and plan on sailing her back to Virginia Beach, VA.

I'll be day sailing only and am looking for adivce from others who have made the trip, or similiar ones.

I'm interested in the following:

How many miles a day would I expect to average, sailing in early June.
Places to tie up, not interested in doing much anchoring.

Any other good bits of advice you would care to offer.

tks.

Dave.

 

[Buck420]

Picking up a 22 O'day in Annapolis and plan on sailing her back to Virginia Beach, VA.

I'll be day sailing only and am looking for adivce from others who have made the trip, or similiar ones.

I'm interested in the following:

How many miles a day would I expect to average, sailing in early June.
Places to tie up, not interested in doing much anchoring.

Any other good bits of advice you would care to offer.

tks.

Dave.

Suggest you get a Ches. Bay chart book and a copy of "Crusing Guide to the Chesapeake Bay". These will help you plan mileages and info about what to expect at your stops.
The trip has an infinite number of possible ways that it can be done, depending on how much time you want to spend, what places you would like to see, how far you want to sail each day, what to do when presented with various weather scenarios, etc. etc.
If you want to make the trip in relatively minimally time, only day sailing, one possible itinerary (assuming nice weather) might be ...
Day 1 Annapolis to Solomons
Day 2 Solomons to Tangier
Day 3 Tangier to Cape Charles
Day 4 Cape Charles to Va. Beach
But, as I said earlier, this would be only one of many possible ways to do the trip.

 

[Benny]

We have done multiple trips in the Chesapeake Bay on our trailerable Starwind 223. Be mindful of the weather as the Bay can get pretty nasty for a 22' boat. We were stuck for three days in Tangier Island in response to small craft warnings. Had a ball and loved the island and its people but I would avoid long streches of open water in the middle of the Bay if the weather is iffy. A comfortable distance for the boat is around 40 to 45 nautical miles a day and that is around 10 hours. I would hug the coast down to Deltaville and then cross to Cape Charles where the Bay is narrower. Don't be shy to run the engine to keep up your speed to destination but be mindfull of fuel consumption. Also watch the tides and currents to take advantage of them and avoid having to fight against them. Check the boat out well especially the rigging and rudder.

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

I made the trip last year, but I was in a 39 ft boat. I echo the others in that there are many ways to do it, you MUST get good charts and study them, get the Crusing Guide to the Chesapeake Bay and read it, plan your route, and be ready to sit out any weather. You have a small boat and it is new to you, so don't take any chances with weather. One more thing: crossing the Potomac is sometimes tricky. The water coming out can hit a rising tide, and if combined with an easterly wind, you will see 4-5 foot waves. I got some over that last summer. So, plan your timing well.