Thanks for all the great advice guys. Having only sailed two Hobie Cats and being crew on a 22 foot sailboat race that lasted 45 min I had no prior sailing experience. I purchased a 38-200 in Cambridge Maryland and sailed it back home to Poughkeepsie NY.
I spent many hours over the past year watching Christians Alone Togeather You Tube videos as well as many of his other great videos. This was my inspiration. Thanks Christian.
My Uncle who has zero sailing experience was drunk enough a few weeks before the trip and said he would come along for the experience! The two of us headed to Maryland in a rental car for the sea trial and provisioning for the 6 day journey home.
Privisioning was a lot of work, new Jabsco toilet, west marine dingy, Harbor Freight Generator (just in case) tools, drill kit, two new marine batteries $500+ hand held vhf, off shore life vests, jerry cans of diesel and gas binoculars... ect. Cambridge Maryland is a great town full of experienced sailors great bars and good advice!
Day 1 we had great winds and saild north. The Navionics app for android and iphone is awesome and helped us find marinas and anchor points. Old Garmin not so much!
The first stop was in Rock Hall. Nice town, great people, however the whole town shut down at 9pm. Only place to get food was at the gas station! Strangley though there is a little tram pulled by a jeep that will take you all over the closed town up to midnight!
Day 2 We started out sailing but as the wind dropped off we motor sailed untill all wind was gone. The Chesapeake was loaded with runoff debris that made it challenging but we made it to the entrance of the C&D canal. We stayed in Chesapeake City inn and marina. Awesome place. Imagine Jimmy Buffetts house. What a great place after 10+ hrs of boating.
Day 3. Motored through the canal, stopped halfway for fuel. Only took 5gal! Raised the sails as soon as we exited the canal and shot straight out into the Atlantic! Then quickly shot into the Cape May canal and anchored next to the USCG station.
Day 4. Heavy winds! Thought about fueling up again but the winds kept us away from even thinking about it. Rattle siphoned only 5 gal. till full from jerry can. Nice! Headed out into the Atlantic into big seas! My uncle looked scared and confessed later on that he thought I would have turnned around. We motored into the wind all day to The Golden Nugget Atlantic City. Nice docks, bathrooms and casino. My unle lost 60 bucks while I drank beers and admired the band.
Day 5. Fueled up at the dock and back out into the Atlantic. Great winds blowing from the southeast pushed us up towards Sandy Hook at 7+ knots. Sail got all jammed up on the dutchmann system when trying to lower it at dusk. Ugh... managed to free it, tie it up and motor into the Sandy Hook Bay. Christian and Navionics led us to an anchor point at the Atlantic Highlands in total darkness and heavy rain. Boy were we glad to see some anchored sailboats. Not fun at night in an unfamiliar marina.
Day 6. Up and motoring at 5am. Coffee under the Verrezzanno bridge and head on a swivel dodging ferrys, taxis and freightors. 14hrs later touchdown at the Shadows Marina in Poughkeepsie where family and friends were there to celebrate!
Once again guys. Thanks for the support. I love my new Ericson!