Am I crazy for planning this trip?

[Seajet]

5 - 15k MIGHT buy you a serviceable small sailing boat capable of this trip, but would need someone experienced/qualified to give it a VERY thorough once over. And you afre unlikely to get much above the 25 - 27 foot mark for that money. A trip like that will take a fair toll on the equipment, and if its not up tos scratch you will bein bad troble very quickly. If you are looking at a Mobo, then forget it. Anything big enough and with good enough machinery to do that sort of trip will be selling for a LOT more. Would you buy an old banger of a car for a transcontinental trip? A car can stop roadside for repairs and spares. A boat can not, and engine failure at a critical moment can/will be fatal for both you and your boat, not to mention the dog! On the road, repair services are standing by. At sea, you may be asking rescuers to put their lives on the line to get you of trouble.

Agreed;

You might get away with using a cheap sailing boat, but only if you have the experience necessary; the years spent learning on boats have their own price, would you buy a cheap aeroplane and set off across the Atlantic ?!

 

[Mike32110]

By "cruiser" do you mean a sailboat or a motorboat? Whichever it is, I'd strongly suggest learning to use it and then getting a season or three of experience before considering trips like these.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'll respond to each individually. I am generally looking at buying a 25-40 foot boat with a small cabin, head, and galley. My understanding is that a cruiser is a smaller version of a yacht, but I am probably using the wrong term. I am FOR SURE going with a motorboat, and almost for sure will buy a boat with dual engines for safety reasons. I was planning on holding off for a few months on the Bahamas and practicing in the miami area until I became more confident, if it turns out to be a bad idea. For the record, I am planning on being EXTREMELY cautious on such a trip and was planning on having a backup GPS, radio, and a TON of backup flares as well as a sturdy liferaft. I was also planning on being extremely cautious on the trip and would only cross the gulf with perfect conditions, and then would go full speed to Bimini to refuel and then onto the big island.

My biggest concern with safety is the possiblity of a mechanical issue, as I have no experience with mechanics and could probably learn a bit of the basics to troubleshoot common problems. Is there anything that makes this particularly dangerous? Did I mention I'm a really good swimmer? Maybe not Miami-Nassau good though .

 

[Mike32110]

There are so many questions in your post (and lots of assumptions that you may be making) that it's difficult to know where to start.

My instant reaction is that buying a boat and planning to cruise through the Carib and N of S America 'in a few weeks' is a little unrealistic. (That's British speak for 'you must be joking'!). Some people take a year or three to cruise through the area and don't see much of it. I've sailed most of those water and hope to return but my strong advice is to go and buy your boat and sail round the Keys for a while.

I'm the wrong person to ask about dogs on boats. Our dog lives at home. We took her on the boat once and she loved it, but we didn't....

Sorry, I could have broken it up into a few posts, but I let my ADHD get the best of me . I grew up in Britain, so I appreciate the reference . I have been leaning more towards boating the florida keys the more I think about this. The dog is looking less and less likely, especially when I am learning the basics. I dont want the stress of figuring everything out combined with the hasle of trying to keep my dog entertained and calm. Thanks!

 

[Mike32110]

So much to say and so little time.

1. 8-9 days will barely be time to go to Bimini and back. No way you could go throughout the Bahamas.

2. What kind of cruiser, power or sail?

3. $5-15K unless you are the luckiest boat buyer in North America, will most likely get you what would be politely referred to as a "fixer upper", emphasis on fixer.

4. If you want to do Central and South America and the Caribbean in a few weeks I think you need to look at an airplane, not a boat.

5. Profit on buying a boat to put into charter? You would be the first one ever.

6. Yes your plan is too ambitious for your experience level.

Great info, thanks! 1. I was researching that it was only about 1-3 hours to boat to Bimini on a motorboat. 2. power 3. I've seen quite a few that are in that range on boattrader. I tend to get a few in that range that are about 20-30 years old, 25 feet, in good mechanical shape, but may need some interior work. I figure I can upgrade the interior later, but I don't want to invest more into the mechanics for the first year. 4. A few weeks could easily turn into a few months if I enjoy this. 5. Thanks, thats what I figured . 6. Thanks, that's what I thought.

Given all this info, do you think a trip to the keys would be good for the first few weeks and then maybe a trip to Bimini once I've got my sea legs?

 

[Mike32110]

1) go and crew on a boat nearby wherever you live to get more experience
2) decide whats more important dogs / girlfriend / sailing, you'll be very lucky to combine all three
3) answer to your Q = yes

1. I live in Calgary, Alberta. It's -10 outside,and the ocean is 1500KM away . Hence why I am moving to the ocean . 2. I am realizing that this is now unrealistic. FYI it would go dog, sailing, gf . 3. Thanks!

 

[Mike32110]

Read everything you can re magazines and books, before deciding on a boat, and if there's a club near you go and ask members if they need a crew.

Don't know about your neck of the woods but in the UK you don't need to join clubs and there are often people looking for crew, you don't have to be bionic and all knowing, often people just want company and a hand with fenders and lines - practice first before berthing.

Your ideas of a good boat will very probably change after a bit of time on other people's boats.

Were you thinking of like me trying to get a job as a fisherman for a couple of months or something? I never thought about that as I figured the whole point was relaxation, but it's not a bad idea! Thanks.

 

[Mike32110]

I agree!
S

Nope, just an ignorant, yet idealistic, land-locked Canadian with dreams of moving to Florida and starting a hobby of boating in the Carribbean .

 

[Mike32110]

It would appear that the dog is a very determining element in your planning - what with ensuring s/he has enough space to exercise, poop and sleep! Sure, nice to have the company etc but the g/f might want you to be thinking about her needs above its maybe?
Your priorities may require some tweaking me thinks.

Now onto the sailing bit......eventually....the trip sounds a tad over-ambitious for a shake-down/familiarisation one to me, especially as you don't really seem to have an idea of type of boat, but there again, meandering down through the Bahamas is enough to raise the little green monster in me, especially as I have just chucked a bucket full of ice off the spray hood this morning.
Whatever you decide to do, get your priorities right from the get-go and at the top of that list should be ability over confidence (is that too patronising?)
Oh and enjoy it.

Yeah, i have realized the dog won't work for several reasons. I don't want to overwhelm myself when Im learning, I want to start with a smaller boat (25-35) and would likely need at least a 40+ footer for my dog to be on there for any reasonable amount of time. I do have a pretty good idea on the boat that I want now, but I am still not sure if it is ideal for my needs.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Mike32110]

Not a troll, but clearly a dreamer of unrealistic dreams. I suppose sitting in Calgary and looking at a small scale chart of warm places can have that effect!

Yup, exactly. I did try and research the sailing times, and am looking at much shorter trips.

 

[Mike32110]

Totally impractical and dangerous, would you buy a light aircraft for your $5k and fly it over water far from land. I suspect the answer is no, if so, that gives you an idea of what you plan to undertake with your proposed boat.

You will just make fun of me for this, but I spent the last 3 months deciding whether I would invest in getting my private pilots license (costs about 15k) or buy a boat and explore the Caribbean . I wouldn't buy a 5k plane, no. I have seen some small boats listed for that price that seem to be fine mechanically. Am I delusional? There seem to be some REALLY good deals in the Florida area, which makes sense because they still have not recovered from their recession.

 

[Mike32110]

You can buy a reasonable boat for the money you are talking about. At least LOOK at a Catalina 30 [diesel] before you buy anything. http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1983/Catalina--2673808/Palm-Coast-Daytona/FL/United-States#.VKDAtl4AJA

Charter co are divesting themselves of their small monohulls and going to cats. Serious money so forget that.



The above is seriously unrealistic. I have crossed from Florida to the Bahamas a few times and on average I guess I waited 10 days each time for a weather window. It is a tough crossing in a small boat. I had a bullet proof 38 ft steel ketch but did not take crossing the Gulf stream lightly.

As for going South get hold of A gentlemans guide to passages South by Bruce Van Sant and STUDY it. In the Caribbean basin the winds are mostly Easterly and there is current running at 1 knot + almost everywhere from the East. So to go East you are bashing upwind and upcurrent.

I am not nearly ready for a sailboat, and want to start with a motorboat for now, as I assumed it's easier for rookies. This is the type of information that I need to know! I had no idea that a 10 day window to cross was realistic, as I figured it would be much easier. I have been studying the current maps to get an idea. Thanks!

 

[Mike32110]

5 - 15k MIGHT buy you a serviceable small sailing boat capable of this trip, but would need someone experienced/qualified to give it a VERY thorough once over. And you afre unlikely to get much above the 25 - 27 foot mark for that money. A trip like that will take a fair toll on the equipment, and if its not up tos scratch you will bein bad troble very quickly. If you are looking at a Mobo, then forget it. Anything big enough and with good enough machinery to do that sort of trip will be selling for a LOT more. Would you buy an old banger of a car for a transcontinental trip? A car can stop roadside for repairs and spares. A boat can not, and engine failure at a critical moment can/will be fatal for both you and your boat, not to mention the dog! On the road, repair services are standing by. At sea, you may be asking rescuers to put their lives on the line to get you of trouble.

This was one of my big concerns, so thanks for the input.

 

[Mike32110]

Crazy? No. Its a dream.
There's nothing wrong with dreaming. we all do it.
I still dream and even make a few plans. buying a boat in Florida was one of them. still is when I am cold.

I suspect your interest is in a power boat rather than a sail boat. This forum tends to be inhabited by sailors.

Before you go all the way to Florida, take the dog and GF down the Vancouver and take them out on a boat for a weekend it will cost you a couple of hundred bucks but might save you a lot more in the long run. Find out how the react to life aboard.

If you can run a house boat on the Sushwap. you can run a small power boat on the sea. but its go a lot more hazards.
I strongly recommend contacting your local Power Squadron and doing one of their boating courses before you leave. They are available in Calgary.

From a cost point of view your plan to use a power boat to explore Florida and the Bahamas is feasible. But the running cost is going to be relatively high.

You need to nail down what kind of boat you want.
Displacement trawler style?
Small fast planing?

A small Bayliner with a gas engine. Might fit the bill but be prepared for some big bills unless you have the mechanical knowledge to over haul it your self.
It will cost a lot to get any where.

Don’t stop dreaming. As you get closer to reality ask more questions.

Thanks for the awesome reply! I am interested in a powerboat, and didn't know that this was more of a sailing forum. That explains the confusion. That's a really good idea to go to vancouver and try it out there, however, the only thing is that I am very much considering moving down to Florida permenantly. I have driven a houseboat in the shuswap before, and it was pretty straight forward. Thanks for the info on the boating classes.

I was assuming that if I parked in a relatively low priced dock my annual fees exclusing fuel would be around 2-5k a year for a 5-15k 25-35ft boat. Is that realistic?

Why would you recomend that boat for example? The boat that I want would be less than 15k used (20 years old or so), at least 25 feet; has a cabin, galley, and head; and I would probably sacrafice a bit of fuel econemy for a more roomy/less efficient boat as I plan on using it as a liveaboard for a breif while. Thanks again.

 

[Thistle]

Reading the subsequent posts, can I claim to have heard the first cuckoo of spring? Cuckoo, cuckoo, CUCKOO!

 

[0camxuc]

Some people take a year or three to cruise through the area and don't see much of it. I've sailed most of those water and hope to return but my strong advice is to go and buy your boat and sail round the Keys for a while.

 

[skipmac]

Great info, thanks!

1. I was researching that it was only about 1-3 hours to boat to Bimini on a motorboat.

About 46 NM from Ft Lauderdale sea buoy to Bimini. In the right boat you can do it in 20 minutes. Best I ever did was just under an hour. That's in very calm conditions. BUT, it will take you most of a day to clear customs when you get there. THEN, the next stop from Bimini is about 100 NM. This is all dead against the wind by the way so if it's not very calm then in a 25' boat you will be going a lot slower or you'll beat yourself and the boat to pieces. Coming back to the states figure most of a day to clear back in, unless you're a US citizen.

2. power

OK. Can do it a little faster that way.

3. I've seen quite a few that are in that range on boattrader. I tend to get a few in that range that are about 20-30 years old, 25 feet, in good mechanical shape, but may need some interior work. I figure I can upgrade the interior later, but I don't want to invest more into the mechanics for the first year.

You might find one in reasonable shape for that price but better get a good mechanical survey. You know that a boat that small will have very, very minimal accommodations. Assume you're into camping.

4. A few weeks could easily turn into a few months if I enjoy this.

5. Thanks, thats what I figured .

6. Thanks, that's what I thought.

OK. You're getting there.

Given all this info, do you think a trip to the keys would be good for the first few weeks and then maybe a trip to Bimini once I've got my sea legs?

Keys, Bimini. Not much difference. Bimini just means a little further for Seatow to come to get you.

 

[Seajet]

Mike,

" lay up in the Bahamas, Bimini..." One has to admire the modern branch of dreamers, a far cry from Thor Heyerdhal; are you sure you don't want a crew ?

 

[skipmac]

I am not nearly ready for a sailboat, and want to start with a motorboat for now, as I assumed it's easier for rookies. This is the type of information that I need to know! I had no idea that a 10 day window to cross was realistic, as I figured it would be much easier. I have been studying the current maps to get an idea. Thanks!

Perhaps you meant it this way but one doesn't need a 10 day window but might have to wait 10 days or even more to get a one day window with suitable weather to cross. This is more of a problem in the winter when cold fronts can blow into south Florida every few days that bring strong north winds which generate really nasty, sloppy conditions in the Gulf Stream.

 

[Uricanejack]

Thanks for the awesome reply! I am interested in a powerboat, and didn't know that this was more of a sailing forum. That explains the confusion. That's a really good idea to go to vancouver and try it out there, however, the only thing is that I am very much considering moving down to Florida permenantly. I have driven a houseboat in the shuswap before, and it was pretty straight forward. Thanks for the info on the boating classes.

I was assuming that if I parked in a relatively low priced dock my annual fees exclusing fuel would be around 2-5k a year for a 5-15k 25-35ft boat. Is that realistic?

Why would you recomend that boat for example? The boat that I want would be less than 15k used (20 years old or so), at least 25 feet; has a cabin, galley, and head; and I would probably sacrafice a bit of fuel econemy for a more roomy/less efficient boat as I plan on using it as a liveaboard for a breif while. Thanks again.

I don't know enough about power boats to recommend a particular make or model, I just see small Bayliners with gas engines are among the lowest price. A friend used to have a Unifite. They were built in PNW so not many in Florida. Bayliners are every where.

Just a quick look at prices there is a lot to choose from in the 15k range. Most seem to have gas V8‘s
Big V8’s suck lots of gas. Old legs a major pain and expense.
If you can find straight drive is more reliable.

A ball park range for moorage in a marina here (BC) is about 10 bucks a foot per month plus insurance and some maintenance 5k a year is possible.

Fuel cost is the killer if you want to go far. Although if you chug along slowly without planing. It can be reasonably economic at 7 maybe 8 knots rather than 15 to 25 knots.

You could try asking on the motor boat forum which is related to this site. It has a more British content so less information about American built boats