[quote=benedict]The distance doesn't sound bad. I used to sail on Lake Buchanan in Texas. It's 5mi x 25mi. We sailed across it all the time. One time I decided to sail up its length and back. I doubt I hit the far point, but I figured we easily put in 40 miles on that outing. When we got back to our camp site, we decided to get back on the boat and keep sailing. So it wasn't even a full day.
But that's a lake. Not an ocean. The wind is different, the waves are different, lakes don't get currents the way oceans do, etc. etc. etc. Nine times out of ten it's not the distance that'll get you. It's the conditions. There's a 30 mile stretch here that would be a snap if it wasn't for the waves (often 15-20' seas) and the wind (35+ knots is typical).
Your best bet is to ask people who sail out of Cape May to see if they think it's a sane idea. If they get bug-eyed while you're describing your idea, that's a bad sign. At the very least I'd be cautious of the tides and winds. Tides coming out of a bay as big as the Delaware Bay can be nasty. And if the wind dies on you or speeds up to the point where you're massively over-powered, that's a recipe for disaster.
Good news is there appears to be a regular ferry route across the mouth of Delaware Bay. If you do decided to do this, bring a handheld marine radio and flares. The ferry may not be able to help in case something goes wrong, but their radio will have better reach than a handheld, and they can act as a relay.
Tom
P.S. I just took a look at the route I took last time I went out and measured it on Google Earth. About 12 miles round trip, low wind (5-7 knots), and about 3 hours on the water. We were barely moving. In decent wind, your 24 mile trip shouldn't take eight hours.[/quote]
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