Travel time for ICW?

[Dennis]

What is the approximate sailing time from the Chesapeake Bay area via the ICW, stopping off nightly for rest, to the Cape Canaveral area? I understand most of it is running with the engine instead of actually sailing?

 

[Buck Harrison]

Depends...

on how hard you want to push... Portsmouth to Titusville, Fla via the ICW is about 800 miles. (Go to West Marine and get a cruising guide to the ICW).... You can do it in as little as 1 week if you go offshore to bi-pass parts of the ditch (especially SC and Ga).... or you can take 2 months and leasurely stop along the way to see all that the waterway has to offer.And yes, most of it is motoring or motorsailing; unless you go offshore with some nice weather.

 

[Vic]

For a rough idea check out this website below ...

and other than that you have in many places no control as to some of the bridge schedules. 50 miles is a full day with luck. Friend of mine did it last year in a 23 foot pearson and a couple of used outboard engines.Vic

 

[Randy]

ICW travel time

In the fall of 2001 a friend of mine moved his boat from Baltimore to Singer Island, Florida. Total travel time was 3.5 weeks. Due to weather, the whole trip was conducted in the ICW (no offshore sailing). I joined him for one leg (about a week), from Hilton Head, SC to Titusville, FL (just short of his final destination.) During the week I was aboard, our daily runs varied from 25 miles (1/2 day) to 70 miles (perfect day, favorable currents.) A "typical" day was about 50 miles. We motored continuosly, and usually had the main up for an extra knot of boat speed. Only once did we set a headsail, for a long reach. The trip was extremely enjoyable, and I'd recommend it. Doing it under extreme time pressure might make it a chore, though. Allow plenty of time, and you'll enjoy it, too.Randy