GL: Wife Wants Rim Route

[Skipper Bob]

Doc,

You said "What do you think? Should I give in? ".  This is kind of an 
unfair question on two levels.  On the first level, being that your wife 
is asking and I assume you like to cruise with her, of course you should 
give in.  What the admiral wants, the admiral always gets on my boat.

On the second level, I have always advocated the rim route for 
cruisers.  Unless you can make it in daylight hours I don't recommend 
anyone except an experienced offshore sailor with a deep draft sailing 
vessel going straight across.  Of  course it can be done.  Many people 
do in shallow draft trawlers all the time.  Many people also rate this 
as their worst experience every while cruising the Great Loop.  Unless 
you get really good weather it can be a very uncomfortable trip.  Lets 
face it you could go straight from Pensacola to Tarpon Springs, but very 
few do.  The purpose of cruising should be to see places and meet 
people.  If all you want to do is get there then why take a boat, it is 
so slow.  Drive (as your wife is doing) and get rid of the boat.  If you 
want to meet some great people and see a really different part of 
Florida while doing all your cruising in short daylight hour trips, then 
by all means go the rim route. 

Bob

Skipper Bob Publications
Http://SkipperBob.home.att.net