jersey coast

what would the best weather window for the trip from Sandy Hook to Cape May? No wind flat calm would be ideal. wind direction,currents,wind speed?

The best would be north to west winds 10 knots or less. Avoid any direction 15 knots and over. If you are stabilized you can add 5 knots to above.

When winds are forecast out of the west along the Jersey coast with seas of 5 feet or so, the seas close in shore are much less, maybe 3'. So I would go in those conditions.

I would not like to go with winds forecast out of the east with 5' seas as they will be that way near the coast.

But any westerly wind component will knock down the forecast seas by about 2' near the coast.

So in other words, I would go with less than 5' seas forecast with an easterly wind component and up to 5' with a westerly component. And stay close to shore- within 1-2 miles.

David

Without boat, captain and crew capabilities and comfort levels....an impossible question to answer.

If discussing your 45 Jeff without stabilizers, are you willing to rock and roll for 30 minutes or so a couple of times on the trip?

If you are, hug the beach as much as you can and you can go in a gale as long as it's North or Northwest.

Otherwise....wind on the nose, 12 knots, on the stern 15 knots and less than 10 from the East.... especially if there is any swell component

The only real current against wind issue is a few miles near both Sandy Hook and Cape May...or entering any inlet.

The trip is quite benign in a good north westerly to westerly blow. Except at the mouth of Del Bay. The flood current gets kicked up nasty with wind against current. Maybe duck into cape may and transit the canal to avoid the Mcrie shoal drums.

psneeld said:

Without boat, captain and crew capabilities and comfort levels....an impossible question to answer.

If discussing your 45 Jeff without stabilizers, are you willing to rock and roll for 30 minutes or so a couple of times on the trip?

If you are, hug the beach as much as you can and you can go in a gale as long as it's North or Northwest.

Otherwise....wind on the nose, 12 knots, on the stern 15 knots and less than 10 from the East.... especially if there is any swell component

The only real current against wind issue is a few miles near both Sandy Hook and Cape May...or entering any inlet.

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This is the best post of the thread, true local knowledge, and besides, I agree with it!

psneeld said:

Without boat, captain and crew capabilities and comfort levels....an impossible question to answer.

If discussing your 45 Jeff without stabilizers, are you willing to rock and roll for 30 minutes or so a couple of times on the trip?

If you are, hug the beach as much as you can and you can go in a gale as long as it's North or Northwest.

Otherwise....wind on the nose, 12 knots, on the stern 15 knots and less than 10 from the East.... especially if there is any swell component

The only real current against wind issue is a few miles near both Sandy Hook and Cape May...or entering any inlet.

Click to expand...

Timing of topic is very helpful - thanks! I am actually planning a similar trip going either tomorrow or Friday. NOAA zone forecast has it getting to 3-4s on Friday afternoon and 2s and 3s tomorrow and early Friday. Period is at 6-7 seconds. Winds are out of S or SW. 10 hour trip for me. I will/would be going down with wife and two kids and boat is 42 GB that can cruise at 18kt. My question is how much would running along the coast would deviate (favorably) from the NOAA forecast - ie - If zone is 3-4s, a mile out from shore would it be expected to be the same or far more mild. Any insight would be most appreciated!

If from the S, it may actually be larger and more square within 5 to 10 of the coast due to added sea breeze.

Someines the sea breeze can add 5 to 10 knots to a southerly or southeasterly wind, a bit less to southwesterly.

Thursday or Saturday look ths best on my apps.

psneeld said:

If from the S, it may actually be larger and more square within 5 to 10 of the coast due to added sea breeze.

Someines the sea breeze can add 5 to 10 knots to a southerly or southeasterly wind, a bit less to southwesterly.

Thursday or Saturday look ths best on my apps.

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Really helpful, thanks - based on your apps - would Friday make for an uncomfortable ride in your opinion (recognizing that everyone has their own definition)? Most appreciated!!

legacy1977 said:

Really helpful, thanks - based on your apps - would Friday make for an uncomfortable ride in your opinion (recognizing that everyone has their own definition)? Most appreciated!!

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Of those 3 days, Thurs or Sat if you can make the whole run in one day. Friday afternoon looks pretty rough.

legacy1977 said:

Really helpful, thanks - based on your apps - would Friday make for an uncomfortable ride in your opinion (recognizing that everyone has their own definition)? Most appreciated!!

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Uncomfortable is a personal choice.

It wont be dangerous for a 42 GB, but only you can decide what is uncomfortable. Form the early look, you could be slogging into a pretty good chop for half a day or more on Friday.

But I havent really studied al, the weather inputs.

psneeld said:

If from the S, it may actually be larger and more square within 5 to 10 of the coast due to added sea breeze.

Someines the sea breeze can add 5 to 10 knots to a southerly or southeasterly wind, a bit less to southwesterly.

Thursday or Saturday look ths best on my apps.

Click to expand...

thanks, we are looking for a window next week. we would like to make the trip to cape may in one day but not tied to a schedule. leaving from Monmouth beach with a final destination of Chesapeake bay. I have the windy app, what else should I use.

Delaware and Chesapeake Bay Operational System Forecasts (DBOSF, CBOSF) National Weather Service....think they are in tides and currents section....

Here's one link...

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/o...egion=db&subdomain=0&model_type=wind_forecast

Don't overthink analyzing the weather forecast. In a good forecast get out real early and take advantage of the morning calm, as others have stated land breeze picks up later in the day. You will be running a very sizable well built boat, take advantage of that!

Thanks for all the thoughts!

My adventure to cape May had good weather but encountered capsized vessel turned by whale - maybe you saw on the news - not exactly what I planned for - first time (and hopefully only time) calling mayday - amazing how fast coast guard responds ......

Wow you saw it. Heard about it. One of the 2 guys who were on that boat was on the radio the other day talking about his experience.

TowLou said:

Wow you saw it. Heard about it. One of the 2 guys who were on that boat was on the radio the other day talking about his experience.

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My family and I were the ones that spotted them and put the mayday in, reported to the CG coordinates,and stayed with them until smaller boats and the CG arrived that could assist without running them over..... (that part of the story was missed)

Talk about an interesting first ocean run.........

Glad you were there! Well done. ?

Thanks.....everything happened so fast - went from saying to my son, I think I see a whale, to holy crap

Made that trip several years ago (May 2014) with 3 to 5's (and the occasional honest 7) on the port beam. You've got a harder chine than my boat so likely not as rolly. We inadvertently re-arranged a lot of furniture that day.