Winter Sailing from Annapolis, MD to the Caribbean

[Zanshin]

Today "Zanshin" was sailed for the first time since she was dismasted during Hurricane Irma in the BVI. It was a fun sail (but really cold) and the rig is now perfectly tuned for the passage south. I plan on using a good weather window tomorrow to depart and will head towards Bermuda while doing as much southerly course as I can. Once I hit the right longitude I'm heading south towards St. Martin.

For those interested in the passage progress, I did get a SPOT tracker and you can follow the passage at SPOT and spotwalla tracking map

The first 2 days are going to be really cold but then I'll be across the Gulf Stream and in warmer waters!

p.s. If you see a RED mark, then my user-id on the Jeanneau Owners Forum has become available and I won't be posting anymore.

[rxc]

Fair winds. .

[mpcsail]

save travels

[MartyB]

Enjoy the trip south. Hopefully you will not be getting sub freezing day and night temps as we are about to here in the PNW US thro the end of next week.

Marty

[ania]

Something happened you had to come back?

[Zanshin]

I had some issues with the turbocharger on the way from Annapolis to Solomon's Island and also needed to sort out problems with the inverter. While I took the turbo apart and unclogged it while at anchor, I still wanted to work on stuff at a dock for one night (with shore power for heating) so I left Solomon's and after an hour of motoring I realized that there were no marinas in a 5-hour motoring distance that could take my draft, so I returned and went to the docks at Solomon's Island. I'm here now and have the issues sorted out, except for a problem with the engine not wanting to go above 2000 RPM. But that RPM gives me 7 knots so I am still good on the power side.

I still have a weather window for departure, so I will be leaving sometime before noon today and going straight offshore. That will have me at the head of the Chesapeake just before midnight and I gather that is a busy location, but with radar and AIS it should be a piece of cake.

I'll turn the tracker back on when I leave the dock and hopefully someone might be interested in "Zanshin" and her progress.

[EMSTAR]

Also, your AIS showing up well on Marine Traffic - on course at 7.8 Kt.
Looks like you have the Bay all to yourself!

Fair Winds & Safe Passage Zanshin

[Zanshin]

Apart from 2 small private runabout fishing boats with 2 people aboard, I haven't seen a ship all day! I've just bundled up with many layers for the cold night ahead. I got re-routed by Chris Parker and will stay along the North Carolina coast until Cape Hatteras and only then will I cross the Gulf Stream and be in warmer weather. So another day of freezing ahead before things get better.

[mpcsail]

please be advised we are experiencing patches of heavy fog in Norfolk and Virginia beach. stay safe and warm

[freeflow]

Jan 13, 2020 13:02:48 GMT Zanshin said:

I'll turn the tracker back on when I leave the dock and hopefully someone might be interested in "Zanshin" and her progress.

of course someone is interested !.  fair winds, safe travels....   

[MalcolmP]

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable passage.

Malcolm

[mpcsail]

i saw that you pulled into little creek. let me know if you need anything as it’s my home.

[moonshadow]

I am also available at Little Creek if you need anything just send a message on this site.

[Zanshin]

Thanks for the offers, mpcsail and Moonshadow! I arrived at 22:30 at night and anchored outside for the night, then moved to Bluewater Marina in Hampton in the morning. I have a new inverter arriving tomorrow and will then continue on to either the Caribbean or Beaufort depending upon the weather.

[mpcsail]

sounds good. around all day tomorrow if you need a hand

[Zanshin]

Thanks for dropping by, it was great to match a name with a boat with a forum-id. It sounds like you have a great adventure coming up! I enjoyed our talk and am sitting here on tenterhooks waiting for my inverter to arrive.

Update - despite ensuring the correct model 3 times on the phone, the inverter shipped was a 24V 500W 230VAC instead of 24V 5000W 230VAC While it was considerably cheaper than expected, it is not fit for purpose and now I have another wait ahead of me.

[rene460]

Hi Zanshin, great to see you on the water again.  You have done incredibly well to achieve this is the short time since you have actually had access to the boat.

Well done to you and also to a yard well chosen, it’s been a great effort.

So now escaping from the northern winter, the coast is giving that much needed shakedown cruise before you head further off shore.

The inverter story is a frustration, but you seem to have found a nice place to wait.  Looking forward to hearing of your progress now you are back sailing.  

Take care and safe travels.  We don’t want to see any red marks.

rene460

[NZL50505]

Zanshin, did you say that you’re still struggling with the 2000rpm ceiling with your VW Diesel engine? For some reason I thought you had resolved that (turbo related) Or did I imagine that?!

[Zanshin]

I do indeed still have that problem. I will wait for the engine to cool down and then access the ECU to see if I can find any error codes or if the vacuum pressures for the turbocharger looks OK and then take it from there. I did sail Zanshin for the first first time today in over 2 years - downwind with just the triple-reefed genoa but I did close to 8 knots with the engine off (it was blowing 20+ knots) but at least she's a sailboat once again.

Weather is iffy. I might have a good weather window Monday/Tuesday for a straight shot down to St. Martin.

[rudds67]

I’ll be doing this sail soon next month . Boat is in Deltaville want to be in the Caribbean soon ..
Fair winds

[Zanshin]

The inverter just arrived!

I'd forgotten how things are in Virginia, I've been talking with the parts person at the local Victron distributor, and Crystal has been calling me "hon" all the time on the phone. It certainly beats living Sheffield, U.K. where the guys all call you "luv" (no, I'm not kidding). So now I've got the inverter (all 70lbs of it) aboard and will perform the switch operation tomorrow morning first thing. A weather window has opened Monday/Tuesday so I will be moving once again shortly. Now it is time to unpack the new inverter and prepare for the operation tomorrow before celebrating tonight with my benefactor, mpcsail from this forum, at a German place that has over 300 beers (I don't know how many of those are on tap, but they'll certainly have a couple).

[MalcolmP]

Hope installation goes well, despite or due to the 🍺, and safe passage.