I have had a few request for more details on my H33 and our Tampa to Dry Tortugas trip. The boat is a 79 H33 that I am the third owner of. The previose owner had it for 14 years and used it as a cruising boat extensively. It spent allot of time in the Bahamas, made several trips straight across the gulf from Florida to Texas, went to Cuba and sailed the keys and Dry Tortugas. No structural upgrades have been made to this boat as far as the hull is concerned. All standing rigging was replaced with 1/4 inch and Stalock fittings by the previous owner. When I purchased her 3.5 years ago it had hank on jib .(Yes he was a real sailor). After sailing Invictus for about a year I upgraded the jib to a Profurl roller furling system which made sailing much more enjoyable. I upgraded the old Yanmar 2QM15 to a 2GM20F. I have sailed mostly up and down the Florida west coast with a few offshore trips . We planned the Tortugas trip for the end of April so that we could hopefully still have some wind and cooler temps without the typical summer thunderstorms. Our water supply was the original H33 water tank and several gal. of bottled water with of course a few beers. A holding tank is absolutely necessary in the marine sanctuary of the Tortugas. Our fuel tank on Invictus was replaced a few years before my purchase with a new 20 gal tank. We also carried 10 extra gal.of fuel. This was not quite enough to motor the whole trip but with the weather forecast we felt certain that we would be able to sail a good portion of the trip. Cooking was done mostly on the grill with some stove use. Adler Barbour refrigerated icebox kept most of our food while we also had a couple ice chests with drinks and frozen gal.jugs of water. My modest solar arrays helped with the batteries while we also had a Honda 2000 generator . In preparing for the trip we wanted to make the shortest passage possible which meant straight from the Egmont marker to the Tortugas, 200 miles away. This meant the most important preparation was picking the weather window. The week before we left a strong cold front moved south and brought strong winds to Florida. We had gust in the Tampa area of 50 -60 mph. They had 60+ in the Tortugas and we were told several boats drug anchor and the commercial fishing boats ran there engines to keep off the beach. We saw one shredded jib sail that had evidently unfurled during the blow when we arrived . Anyway our weather looked great for the next week after the front. A high was stationary to the northeast and that brought a forecasted east wind of 10-15 kts. And that's what it did for the next seven days. We were at the Egmont marker at the mouth of Tampa Bay by 3pm Saturday and headed south. Our fist night saw an increase of winds to 20-25 and some rough conditions although it was right on the beam and great sailing. No moon and the phosphorus glow of white caps as far as you could see was quite a unique site. The next day winds remained in the 15-20 range with beautiful clear skies .The beautiful deep blue water and sunshine with white caps 90 miles offshore, cool 75 degree temp on a broad reach with double reefed main and 100% Jib with no other boat in site was one of my favorite parts of this trip. We saw only one fishing boat on the entire trip down. That evening we were way ahead of schedule .I had calculated time enroute based on 5 mph, I think we averaged close to 7. We took down the main and furled the jib to slow to about 2.5mph for the entire night to time our arrival at daybreak. We were visited late that night by a pod of Dolphin that stayed with us for about an hour. I was off watch and laying in the V-birth and listened as they surfaced all around us blowing air. Don't think it would have been to bad going into the Tortugas at night but it was my first time and they also have a rule that all boats must be anchored from sundown to sunup within 1 mile of Ft. Jefferson. We entered from the north at the "I" buoy and made the NW entrance about 45 min later Monday morning. The NE channel is completely shoaled in . Had a great time at the Fort. All the park rangers were very nice and even attended a slide presentation one nite in the fort parade ground inside the fort. We went to loggerhead key a couple miles to the west and dove on the windjammer wreck and talked to the volunteer people working there. In the evenings commercial fishing boats come in and anchor. You can get all the fish you want for beer. We actually traded some meat for ice. Most of the time our 33 was the smallest boat in the harbor with a 27 being the smallest I saw during our stay. We cut or trip short with news of another front coming early the next week and left on Friday morning (don't think your supposed to start a voyage on Friday, bad luck and all). Left at daybreak and had good wind all day from the east. Sunset was beautiful with the first slack in the winds since we had left 6 days earlier. We motorsailed and watched the movie Jaws on the flatscreen and had dinner before the wind came on again. 15+ all night from you guessed it the east ,made for great sailing. We passed through a fleet of about 10 shrimp boats all lit up about 50 miles offshore and several other vessels through the night. Much different than our trip down. Saturday had good wind and we made Tampa Bay about 3 pm . The seabreeze gave us good wind for the 20 mile trip up Tampa bay to Ruskin. We motorsailed just to make good time because were were ready to eat and hit the bunk. All in all it was a great trip. We definatly picked the right weather week. We had two epirbs one being a 406. Two VHF radios, Three gps recievers with key waypoints installed on each. We pulled an 11 inflatable Hypalon dinghy which we think could have been a good liferaft. Our sail inventory consisted of one main with two reef points, one 100% working jib which we used exlusivly. One 150% for light air just incase, and a storm sail that we converted from hank on to hoist over the roller furled jib. I think the old 33 was perfectly safe and handled herself great the entire trip. We already want to do it again but very seldom does vacation wind and weather work out as it did on this trip.
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Thanks for sharing
Nice job of writing. I think many of us enjoy reading this type of trip report. Ward
Nice job of writing. I think many of us enjoy reading this type of trip report. Ward
Tampa Bay
Great trip, valuable information as well. I was thinking of doing the same. Thanks for sharing this with us. Kevin where in Ruskin do you dock your boat. I am at Gandy over on the Petersburg side. Would like to hear more of your stories. siggi
Great trip, valuable information as well. I was thinking of doing the same. Thanks for sharing this with us. Kevin where in Ruskin do you dock your boat. I am at Gandy over on the Petersburg side. Would like to hear more of your stories. siggi
79 H33s tracks cross
Kevin, that's the best photo of a H33 under sail that I have seen. I hope that you'll post it under the H33 photos. My 79 H33 bay horse left Venice about noon heading NW toward Appalachicola on Tuesday, April 22 and so would have crossed your track heading south. Originally we were aiming for Appalachicola inlet but since the ETA showed us coming in at night, changed to clear Cape San Blas and showed up at the unmarked Crooked Island Inlet at daybreak on April 24, a distance of just about 300 land miles in about 42 hours. That old H33 is no slouch.
Kevin, that's the best photo of a H33 under sail that I have seen. I hope that you'll post it under the H33 photos. My 79 H33 bay horse left Venice about noon heading NW toward Appalachicola on Tuesday, April 22 and so would have crossed your track heading south. Originally we were aiming for Appalachicola inlet but since the ETA showed us coming in at night, changed to clear Cape San Blas and showed up at the unmarked Crooked Island Inlet at daybreak on April 24, a distance of just about 300 land miles in about 42 hours. That old H33 is no slouch.
Hey Kevin
great posting and photo. Looks like you ran you jib sheet to windward or what am I seeing by mistake? Scott
great posting and photo. Looks like you ran you jib sheet to windward or what am I seeing by mistake? Scott
Thank you Kevin,...
You have made me and my wife want to come join you. We would love to get our boat down to the area and do some cruising. The trip you made is what I dream about, best of all, you did it in a Hunter 33. Strange, I don't get as much thrill reading about Hunter 30's or 37's, but tell me its a 33 and I'm all ears. Hope the new ones can live up to the Cherubini design, but my guess is they are apples and oranges. Thanks for the additional information, well written. Keep in touch. David
You have made me and my wife want to come join you. We would love to get our boat down to the area and do some cruising. The trip you made is what I dream about, best of all, you did it in a Hunter 33. Strange, I don't get as much thrill reading about Hunter 30's or 37's, but tell me its a 33 and I'm all ears. Hope the new ones can live up to the Cherubini design, but my guess is they are apples and oranges. Thanks for the additional information, well written. Keep in touch. David
see pictures from this trip in the photo forum
Should have mentioned in this article that it was in response to a photo forum post called "Tampa Bay to the Dry Tortugas april 2004"
Should have mentioned in this article that it was in response to a photo forum post called "Tampa Bay to the Dry Tortugas april 2004"
Great Tale.
One question though, looking at the photo, it appears you have both mid-boom and end-boom mainsheets. ??? Are you just a control freak? or is there more to it than I can see.
One question though, looking at the photo, it appears you have both mid-boom and end-boom mainsheets. ??? Are you just a control freak? or is there more to it than I can see.
? for Terry
Terry, How about posting a voyage report on your trip? I'm trying to figure out how to get offshore with my coatal wife. We have "Short Circuit" in Biloxi and both want to go to Clearwater in the future, but she doesn't like the idea of nite sailing. So, give me some route suggestions. We've sailed or motor-sailed to Pensacola, so my need is to find out a good jumping off point for the leg to Tampa/Clearwater area. Also, is there a more favorable time of year to make the voyage? I may have another sailor that would switch watches with me and leave the first-mate to keep an eye on us. I'd also like to hear from others who have this route experience. My Progressive insurance is limited to 50 miles from the coast. Do you just make your own 'personal' waiver for those trips? (H'mm a lota questions!)
Terry, How about posting a voyage report on your trip? I'm trying to figure out how to get offshore with my coatal wife. We have "Short Circuit" in Biloxi and both want to go to Clearwater in the future, but she doesn't like the idea of nite sailing. So, give me some route suggestions. We've sailed or motor-sailed to Pensacola, so my need is to find out a good jumping off point for the leg to Tampa/Clearwater area. Also, is there a more favorable time of year to make the voyage? I may have another sailor that would switch watches with me and leave the first-mate to keep an eye on us. I'd also like to hear from others who have this route experience. My Progressive insurance is limited to 50 miles from the coast. Do you just make your own 'personal' waiver for those trips? (H'mm a lota questions!)
for Jim
Jim: I've done that trip, but in reverse. We sailed from Fort Pierce, FL to Pensacola about five years ago. It was in April. Our last port was Naples, FL direct to Appalachicola. There were 4 crew. We stood 2h on/6h off watches which worked OK. To make a long story short, The last night was motoring all night into 4-6 ft seas with a 15-20 kt headwind. You don't want your spouse to go thru that, or youll be sailing alone. Some advice: 1) minimum of 3 crew, 4 would be better 2) pick the best weather window possible 3) Consider emergency ports like Steinhachee and Cedar Key. This is a potentially dangerous leg, and not to be taken lightly. When we pulled into Appalachicola at 02:00 we were whipped. It took 48 hr of R&R before we were ready for the last leg to P-cola.
Jim: I've done that trip, but in reverse. We sailed from Fort Pierce, FL to Pensacola about five years ago. It was in April. Our last port was Naples, FL direct to Appalachicola. There were 4 crew. We stood 2h on/6h off watches which worked OK. To make a long story short, The last night was motoring all night into 4-6 ft seas with a 15-20 kt headwind. You don't want your spouse to go thru that, or youll be sailing alone. Some advice: 1) minimum of 3 crew, 4 would be better 2) pick the best weather window possible 3) Consider emergency ports like Steinhachee and Cedar Key. This is a potentially dangerous leg, and not to be taken lightly. When we pulled into Appalachicola at 02:00 we were whipped. It took 48 hr of R&R before we were ready for the last leg to P-cola.
comments
Kevin, I thought your story was very informative, so much that I jumped on it to ask my additional questions. Thanks for the great article and photo forum. Richard, thanks for your input. I'll probably send you a query off-line using the owner's list. happy sailing
Kevin, I thought your story was very informative, so much that I jumped on it to ask my additional questions. Thanks for the great article and photo forum. Richard, thanks for your input. I'll probably send you a query off-line using the owner's list. happy sailing
h 33
Kevin, Love to hear about 33's out crusing. I sailed my 33 "MerEllis" from Ft. Lauderdale to The Chesapeake on the outside. While in the stream we recorded 10.5k over the ground at times. Our 33's are great solid boats. Don s/v MerEllis
Kevin, Love to hear about 33's out crusing. I sailed my 33 "MerEllis" from Ft. Lauderdale to The Chesapeake on the outside. While in the stream we recorded 10.5k over the ground at times. Our 33's are great solid boats. Don s/v MerEllis
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