Day 65 - 67 (Sun, Jan 15 – Tues, Jan 17, 2012): A few more details and we are officially ready. We have talked to folks and shared our “float plan.” Stowed things and verified with Chris Parker the weather conditions one last time. All looks good. Should be a southerly wind at about 10 knots. The sea state should be 1 to 2 feet and no discernable period. Will see…sounds like it should be a smooth crossing. We also called the marina at Lacaya where we will check in. All good on that end. Our float plan is as follows:
Leave Lake Worth INLET at Midnight Tues 17th to arrive in Bahamas (Lacaya) on WEDNESDAY 18 JAN around 4pm in afternoon or earlier.
Cross Gulf Stream at about 116 deg True heading targeting slightly south ( 17 nm) of our Goal (Lacaya)
Seas are very calm and winds very light. Actually some south wind may help us. We will have a Broad Reach and some stability if not some forward propulsion?
This will give us a “S” shaped curved course towards Lacaya. The Gulf Stream is about 40 nm wide with velocity of 2.5 knots avg.
So the 6.7 hours that it takes for Gaia to cross at 6 knots creates a North Drift of 6.7 hours x 2.5 knts = 16.8 nautical miles DRIFT towards north.
We will not execute the Rhumb Line straight course because that would be wasteful. Only very fast boats could do this efficiently.
Worst case: 97 nautical miles at 6 knots takes 16 hours. So if we leave at Midnight on Tues 17th Jan We will arrive on Wed by 4 pm.
Excellent. fair winds. Gerry
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