Corpus Christie to the Bahamas!

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Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Hey y'all!

We are a couple guys who bought a Hunter 340 In Corpus Christie, TX about 4 weeks ago with the intention of sailing to the Bahamas, and, with any luck, down through the Virgin Islands. At the time, we had very little sailing experience, but we are quickly learning the ropes.

So far we've made it to Fourchon, Louisiana. Tomorrow we leave to make a big jump to Panama City Beach (hopefully landing with plenty of time to make Spring Break!).

Anyway, if y'all are interested, we've started a blog. You can check it out at www.navigatethesea.com/still-floatin-blog

Also, if anyone has done the trip and has any advice, we'll be jumping around this forum from time to time.

Also, the blog is setup, out of convenience, on a little online shop that we run that sells marine parts, but are by no means attempting to hock anything to you fine folks, just to quell any suspicions ahead of time.

Hope y'all can check out our progress!

Cheers,

Brian and Brian
 
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Oct 29, 2008
134
Montgomery 17 Dothan, Al
Anchor that sucker in front of CLub Lavela In Panama City Beach on a calm day and you will surely have a good time during spring break. I did it a few years ago and we are pretty sure we had a GREAT time.

The City Marina is nice and is straight ahead once you enter the pass. Close to a couple little bar/restaurants and grocery shopping with transient slips and clean showers. Good people running that marina too, you are sure to run into the friendly worker "Vulkar" there, great guy. They have block ice too if you need some. Free pump out when you buy some fuel too.

A popular hangout for boats is Shell Island just inside the pass on the weekends. It's gorgeous and draws a crowd. A good anchorage at night is to the east once you enter the pass behind Shell Island a few miles. Lots of sailboats and powerboats anchoring out there for the weekends.
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Club Lavela!!!! Yes!

Haha! Thanks for all the tips!

I love the idea of anchoring out in front of Club La Vela! That is hilarious and awesome!

We will definitely ask for Vulkar when we pull into town! He sounds like a blast!

Thanks again!

Bri

Anchor that sucker in front of CLub Lavela In Panama City Beach on a calm day and you will surely have a good time during spring break. I did it a few years ago and we are pretty sure we had a GREAT time.

The City Marina is nice and is straight ahead once you enter the pass. Close to a couple little bar/restaurants and grocery shopping with transient slips and clean showers. Good people running that marina too, you are sure to run into the friendly worker "Vulkar" there, great guy. They have block ice too if you need some. Free pump out when you buy some fuel too.

A popular hangout for boats is Shell Island just inside the pass on the weekends. It's gorgeous and draws a crowd. A good anchorage at night is to the east once you enter the pass behind Shell Island a few miles. Lots of sailboats and powerboats anchoring out there for the weekends.
 
Oct 29, 2008
134
Montgomery 17 Dothan, Al
Also, if you haven't found the ultimate sailing destination resource yet you absolutely need to check out Active Captain. It's like Google maps but on a chart where cruisers mark anchorages, marinas, restaurants, hazards and the like and they leave reviews for the places. It's really really cool and you can get really good idea of where you are heading.

I like it better than a cruising guide because you see the stuff on a chart and ordinary people like you and me, well you, have given honest reviews about the places.

It's a must.
https://activecaptain.com/
 
Sep 28, 2011
5
hunter 340 kemah
Hey guys I also have a 340. I made that trip your on back in 87 and 88 on a Bombay clipper which was my then boat. I have had this 340 for 2 and half years and have become fairly familiar withit so if y'all have any questions about the boat. Let me
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,075
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Kinda worried about these guys!.. They got run over last night by some really heavy weather and now the Spot is stationary in a kinda tricky area.. off the south tip of the Chandeleur Islands.. no one pushed the "Help" button on the spot so ya have to hope that they are anchored.. ??
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0YjFchX7KN6gPKTUJthF0UznG40G1mBmC
water in the area shown to be 1-4 feet deep..

EDIT Looks like they are moving slowly north now so they are doing OK, I guess
 
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Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Pick A Slip or pickaslip.com

"Also, if you haven't found the ultimate sailing destination resource yet you absolutely need to check out Active Captain. It's like Google maps but on a chart where cruisers mark anchorages, marinas, restaurants, hazards and the like and they leave reviews for the places. It's really really cool and you can get really good idea of where you are heading."

Yes, we have heard of Active Captain it's a good tool. Ever hear of "Pick A Slip" or pickaslip.com? You should check it out when you've got a second. It's a marina marketing directory that we own/ operate. Pretty useful for boaters looking for a local slip. The database is near 20,000 marinas. Let us know what you think about it, and anyone else who may be reading! We love input. It helps guide where we take things next.
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Hey Y'all!

Kloudie! You were right to be concerned! We got railed by those storms! Tore our main and jib up! thought we could make it to Pensacola, but the storms were everywhere up there! So we ducked west back to louisiana to anchor, but the T-Storms came in heavy there too!

Nasty nasty night! This morning we were towed by some really cool coast guards. 40 miles and 5 hours of towing! North, which was awesome, cause if they had taken us to Louisiana, we'd be back where we started!

anyway, we're all good, minus our main and jib... This'll take some repairing...

Thanks again for lookin out!

Cheers,

Bri

ps

I was seconds away from hitting the SOS button on that Spot several times during the night...
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
It would (or will) be interesting to hear what others think of the boat's suitability for this trip. We own a 336, which is the same boat as the 340 before Hunter added the arch and starting lying about the length. Personally, I consider it a fine boat for coastal cruising in good weather or sailing in protected waters in a bit of a blow, but I can't see myself trying the Thorny Path to the Virgin Islands in it. What do you other 340 owners think?
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Seaworthiness of the 340

Hey Robert!

Yeah, we are also interested in the trek through the coral reefs in the Keys. Any knowledge people have on cruising through the bahamas and Virgin Islands would be awesome. Those reefs sound scary. Luckily, our draft is 4.5, so at least we have that going for us.

Cheers,

Bri
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
Hey Robert!

Yeah, we are also interested in the trek through the coral reefs in the Keys. Any knowledge people have on cruising through the bahamas and Virgin Islands would be awesome. Those reefs sound scary. Luckily, our draft is 4.5, so at least we have that going for us.

Cheers,

Bri
Do you have a copy of Bruce Van Sant's book "A Gentleman's Guide To Passages South?" It details how to take much (but not all) of the pain out of the Thorny Path.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,075
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Brian.. Have yall found these guys?? http://www.schurrsails.com/default.asp
They are in Pensacola .. they did a great job for me a couple of years back, repairing some sails that got involved in a similar situation as you guys encountered.. Good folks to work with.
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Schurrsails

Hey Kloudie!

That is a great site for sails! We are looking at sails, and hoping to find something used but in new condition or very good condition. Looks like they have some sails, but nothing specific to hunter 340s. I'm wondering whether we could get away with something else, or if there is something special about hunter sails...

Any input or advice?
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
Used mainsail

I have a used full-batten mainsail for my 336 that I'd sell you. You might have to have the foot cut to a different angle, because I'm thinking since they added an arch to the 336 to make it the 340, that changed the angle of the boom a little bit. According to the boat info database, here's how they compare:

H336 H340
J 11'6" 11'6"
P 43'7" 44'
E 15' 16'

The good news is that I live in Pensacola, and you could get Shurr Sails to make any modifications it might need. The bad news is that it is a very used sail. No rips or tears that I'm aware of, but it's as soft as an old bedsheet.

Of course, none of this matters if you have a roller furling main.
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Hey Robert!

Ohhhh Man! That would be huge! I need to talk to the other Brian, and get his opinion on buying a well used sail, but if you can vouch for it's strength, then I'm very very interested!

My e-mail is briguyfried@gmail.com

Hit me up!

Much much much appreciated!

Brian
 
Feb 17, 2013
18
Hunter 340 Texas
Oh,

And Kloudie, thanks a ton for the advice!
You guys are super helpful! Thanks so much for the support!

Cheers,

Bri
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,830
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Sails

If you are looking for a roller furling main than look back on gear for sale here maybe 6 months back sooner but any way this gal on east coast around miami was selling her 06 main roller inmast,she got a new sail with verticals for racing or some thing and pretty sure she was selling on this forum awhile back but it should still be available and like new.
Nick
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
Hey Robert!

Ohhhh Man! That would be huge! I need to talk to the other Brian, and get his opinion on buying a well used sail, but if you can vouch for it's strength, then I'm very very interested!

My e-mail is briguyfried@gmail.com

Hit me up!

Much much much appreciated!

Brian
I sent you an email. Let me know if you don't receive it.
 
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