Cruising Overview

Cruising will be relaxed and casual. Plans are likely to be altered by wind and weather conditions. If there are too many boats for any of the planned destinations, separate cruising groups will be formed. Individual boats are free to join or leave the group anytime along the way.

If you would like to lead a cruise or propose an additional cruise, contact the cruise chairman.

See the Destinations Map to find out where all the great cruising areas can be found.

Cruising will be divided into three segments. Cruises will be added, canceled, or changed based on weather, sea conditions, and number of participants.

The first segment will be a multi-day cruising with cruises forming up between Friday 8/1 and Sunday 8/3, and leaving Buzzards Bay Saturday 8/2 and Sunday 8/3. Cruises will return to Buzzards Bay no later than Tuesday 8/5 so people can participate in the parties, racing, spectating, and other Nationals events.

On race days (8/6 through 8/8), non-racers can join the spectator fleet or join the cruisers for day sailing to nearby Buzzards Bay locations. On One of these days, there will be a Just For Fun Cruisers Race.

Following the race days, the third cruising segment will start on Saturday August 9th and will continue on for various lengths of times depending on the individual cruise.

Proposed Cruises

Cruise A1:
Form up in Red Brook Harbor (Pocasset) starting Friday 8/1. The group will be anchored behind Bassetts Island.
You can join the group:

  1. At Bassetts Island anytine before it leaves Sunday Morning.
  2. In Buzzards Bay as it passes by Wareham, Marion, or Mattapoisett.
  3. At Cuttyhunk on Sunday.
  4. At Menemsha on Monday.
  5. At Martha's Vineyard on Tuesday.
  6. Or anywhere we hapeen to be.
Note: Schedules by change at any time and you should contact one of the Cruise Captains before you attempt to find us.

The curise will likely (but may not be) as follows:
Friday 8/1: Anchor/raft up at Bassetts Island.
Saturday 8/2: Swim, hang out, afternoon beach party (bring food and drink to share).
Sunday 8/2: Sail to and overnight at Cuttyhunk.
Monday 8/3: Lunch at Tarpaulin Cove.
Monday 8/3: Overnight in Menemsha Pond, Lake Tashmoo, Vinyard Haven, or Woods Hole. Menemsha low tide is at 4:07 pm. Enter between 2:15 and 6:00 for acceptable current conditions.
Tuesday 8/4: Return to Buzzards Bay in time for the evening festivities.
Note: 8/4 current through Woods Hole runs Northwest from 1:31 pm to 6:46 pm.

Cruises B1, B2, B3
Day sailing on 8/6, 8/7, and 8/8.
Possible destinations include Woods Hole, Hadley Harbor, Pocasset, Cuttyhunk, Onset, and Tarpaulin Cove.

Cruise C1
Leave Buzzards Bay Saturday morning 8/9 around 9:30 to 10:00 am. Catch the West to East current through Woods Hole starting at 11:00. Proceed on the Martha's Vineyard and stay overnight at either Vineyard Haven or Lake Tashmoo. Return to Buzzards Bay on Sunday (8/10) catching the current through Woods Hole between 6:08 am and 11:19 am (DON'T BE LATE, YOU CAN NOT GO AGAINST THE CURRENT!).

Cruise C2
This cruise will join cruise C1 for all of Saturday and Sunday morning. On Sunday it will proceed East either going directly to Nantucket or with and interum stopover on the way. After a night or two in Nantucket, the cruise will head back to Buzzards Bay, either directly, or with a stop over in Edgartown or Waquoit.

Cruise C3
Heading West from Buzzards Bay, possible stops include Cuttyhunk, Narragansett Bay (Newport), Point Judith, Block Island, Stonington/Mystic, and Long Island.
The curise may break into two groups, one heading into Long Island Sound, and the other going up into Narragansett Bay. Cruise members can go on an extended trip or head back at any time.

Warning! Any information on tides, currents, or navigation is for informational purposes only. Consult proper sources before sailing.