Finalizing our initial itinerary. Need to get to northern side of Tortola. Quick math puts me 11 Nm downwind to Sopers the 5 up to CGB. Aboard a 52Cat, assuming 7 knots speed.

1.5 hrs to West End, 1 hr up to CGB (motor), estimating up puts me at 3 hrs sail time.

Assumptions correct? Hows the downwind ride in the channel end of March?

Thanks.

Why would you go to Soper's hole to get to CGB?

Wouldn't stop, just using as a point of reference.

sorry, I don't get the reference. Soper's is 5 miles from CGB, in the wrong direction.

3 hrs, Hodge Creek to CGB, is a good guess. The downwing ride, with a 52' Cat, will be a piece of cake.

I guess it depends on which way you go around. Isn't it shorter to go clockwise out of Hodges Creek to get to CGB? So you would pass Soper's hole.

He said the north side, the south route would be longer

Hum... North or south route, it's about the same distance.

He actually said he needed to get to the North Side of Tortola. He indicates he would be taking the South route.

If you plan on 6.5 knots on a 50 cat or mono you should be able to stay on schedule. You may find you are reaching the attention span on some crews as you approach three hours just moving the boat. Sometimes just a slight shift in the angle of your wave attack may have a big difference in crew comfort.

A few good points brought up!! If there is a southern wind then south route, northern wind north route... either way, same distance.

It sounds like they were first thinking clockwise from Hodges Creek along the south side of Tortola to the eastern tip of Tortola then NW to Cane Garden Bay.

May want to take the CW southern side of Tortola route if winds are out of the E or SE. The CCW north side of Tortola route if winds are out of the N or NE. Pretty much a game day call and if anything else pops up on the agenda.

The peaks of Tortola can really shield you from the winds.