Clifton,
Great to hear about your plans. A well maintained and properly prepared Baba
35 will treat you very well. They are terrific boats.

We have been moving the Valerie Arden from CT to Fort Lauderdale and back
for the past 2 years, with trips during the winter to the Abacos. We love
it.

I like to go with at least one other person who can stand watch for the
offshore legs. It's best with 3 people onboard. We can then run a 2 hours on
4 hours off watch system and everyone arrives well rested and in good
spirits.

Pick your weather window well and it's a great trip. With any kind of sea
running, people leaving the cockpit are tethered. At night in any
conditions, people leaving the cockpit must have someone on deck and be
tethered. A man overboard is this skipper's greatest worry.

Last fall we left Charleston around noon and were docked at the City Marina
in Saint Augustine late the next afternoon. We have been able to find a 1/2
knot to 3/4 knot of countercurrent going south which makes all the
difference. STAY OUT OF THE GULF STREAM.

We then left St Augustine in the early a.m. and arrived in Fort Pierce the
next day. The amount of shipping really picks up south of Cape Canaveral. We
continued to Palm Beach in the ditch enjoying the "tour of homes" along the
way. Then outside again for a 7 hour sail to Ft Lauderdale.

Last spring we sailed from Palm Beach to Charleston in 48 hours using the
Gulf Stream and some favorable strong winds. One of my most enjoyable trips.

Best wishes,

Peter Nucci
S.V. Valerie Arden
Baba/Panda 40

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-baba-l@ballreich.net [mailto:owner-baba-l@ballreich.net] On
Behalf Of Clifton Crais Dr
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 6:01 PM
To: baba-l@ballreich.net
Subject: [Baba-L] Savannah to West Palm Beach, offshore

I am planning my first offshore trip this May, single-handed, leaving
from Savannah Georgia and, God-willing, arriving in West Palm Beach. I
am, well, a wee bit nervous, and would appreciate any and all
observations of folk who have done the trip.
With thanks,

Clifton Crais
Baba 35

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Received on Tue Mar 13 19:45:25 2007