Is it possible to sail a prindle 16 from Corpus Christie Texas to Galveston texas, about 200 miles, in a couple of days? Can a prindle 16 handle those conditions? Im thinking about making the trek with a buddy as a spring break trip. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated...

I'd start out on one of the barrier islands. The only shipping channel I went through was at Port Aransas and it was pretty narrow. One of those super tankers would leave no room to tack back and forth if the wind was coming right up the channel at you and they are way faster than you would think.

thanks, good advice, so you think it is possible on a prindle 16 though?

It isn't the boat, it's the sailor. If you gotta ask, the answer is no.

Get some advice from the distance race guys.

Pete --

Good answer! You go, sailor!!!

They used to sail the Worrell 1000 on Hobie 16s. in a LOOOONG day with moderate breeze, you can probably make 80 miles. Big breeze, probably 100 miles in a day.

In the Tybee on Nacra 20's with spinnakers, an 80 mile leg can take us 4.5 hours if the wind is right.

YESSSSS,
I did this last spring break, not quite all the way to Galveston but pretty close. It is a blast, but you have to be ready for a rough trip!
Send me a PM if you want details and some pictures of the trip.

Yes, it would be possible to make this trip on a Prindle 16 - but it will be relatively tough and 3 days would be more realistic. Do you have much experience launching through surf and what is the longest time you have sailed the boat for?

I'd recommend launching from the gulf side beach at Port Aransas to shave off a little distance (rather than launching from Mustang Island State Park). The first day will be the toughest - it is 100 miles to the beach at Matagorda jetty - and no where habitable to land along Matagorda Island (check out the charts or google earth). You could just chuck a couple of light weight sleeping bags and a little food and water in a drybag and camp rough on the beach on the tip of Matagorda Island, just before the Port O'Connor jetties.

The second day you could sail as far as Sargent or if the wind is good you could carryone to Surfside. From surfside it would be a relativly short day to East Beach, Galveston.

You would be sailing 2/3 of the Great Texas Catamaran Race. This race has two 100 mile legs back to back on the first two days. The first is from South Padre Island to Mustang Island (Corpus Christi). Along that stretch you could be picked up by a 4WD vehicle if you broke down (with a long drive on the beach, and padre island is split at Port Mansfield cut). The second day is from Mustang Island to Matagorda. Day 3 is from Matagorda to surfside (70 miles). Day 4 is from Surfside to East Beach, Galveston - approx 45 miles.

The Great Texas is sailed on F18 and Inter20s. The 100 mile legs took 8.5-10 hours last year - that is high performance spinnaker boats with experienced crews, and no camping supplied or other additional weigh on the boat. In some years the 100 miles has taken just over 6 hours.

I'm not saying don't make the trip - another person on this board did something similar on a Nacra 5.2 - just expect it to be an epic, and make sure you are comfortable in surf and don't expect an easy rescue if you break down on Matagorda Island.

Oh, and look out for the breakers on the north tip of Matagorda Island and the sand bars in San Luis pass. Both should be visible on Google earth.

Chris Green.

where are some places along the way that we can stop to get more food and water? anyone else have any tips or suggestions for this trip?

Hey I sent you an email, when are you thinking about doing it.

Be sure to bring an emergancy radio, sunscreen, and tp <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You will be much safer on a trip like this with a partner boat to sail with and among a long list of safety gear, would definitely carry a VHF radio, cell phone, and flares.

YOu have had some good advice. Re-read Chris Green's post on the course you're planning. Chris know this course well.

Make sure you're standing rigging is new, or close to it.
Bring spare parts in a small kit such as extra shackles, clievis pins, some lashing line, keepers, tools, etc.

Make sure you have the right amount of foul weather gear, you can always take some off when it's warm.

Yes, this can be done with na enjoyable trip, if enough pre thought is used.

And lastly, make sure you're comfortable righting your boat, and important things won't get lost if you capsize.

Go for it.

And, like my Hero Captain Ron always says:

If anything is going to happen, it's going to happen out there!

Well I am offering him a partener boat to go along for the trip.
I was already trying to find another boat to do the trip with us again.

From what I understand, forget the cell phone and VHF, they are useless on large parts of that course. If you want to call some one you will need a SAT phone.

Getting food and water along this coast is not easy. For example, between the Port A jetty and Matagorda Island (85 miles) there is nothing - those barrier islands are uninhabited and not connected to the mainland. At Matagorda I think there is now some type of concession stand built by the Lower Colorado River Authority - but don't count on this being open. The nearest gas station/convenience store is back in the town - 6 miles from the Coast. At Sargent it is a similar picture - the convenience store is a few miles inland. You either need ground crew or hope to hitch into town - and both places are small and sleepy. I've been known to scrounge hotdogs and beer from rednecks fishing on the beach, your mileage may vary...

Surfside is the the first real civilization close to the beach (the other communities just have private homes close to shore).

That is part of what makes this coast so fun to sail - you get a true sense of wilderness as you follow the land. No power lines, radio towers, buildings or other signs of humanity apart from the odd sunken shrimp boat.

If you have ground crew then they can feed and water you at the stopping points. I presume you'll have someone driving your trailer up the coast?

Chris.

When I did it last year we carried all our food and water, and we went both way to eliminate the need for a ground crew.

Gentlemen,

One small comment having done many distance races. Attach to your lifejacket a knife, a whistle and a STROBE/RESCUE BEACON. A knife to cut yourself free, a whistle for signaling (at night it can be heard for miles !!! and the strobe for if you get seperated from the boat .. carry a BIC lighter and money in a watertight container ... the BIC is for starting a fire if required for heat or signaling .. the money is for the "hot dogs". Having depended on the "kindness of strangers" several times be nice/polite and be prepared to repay the kindnesses in the future ...

New England 100 87'-91'(plank-owner)
"Down the Bay" 87'-93'
"C-100" 93'- current (plank-owner)

Travel Safe Gentlemen
Sail Flat, Sail Fast
HarryMurphey
H-18mag/#9458,Fleet54/Div11
P-19mx/#86, CRAC

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