Caribbean crusing - some preliminary questions...

[bbilly]

I'm digging deeper into the idea of cruising the Caribean in 2007 for a sabbatical year and one of the options is to acquire a vessel in the US ($ will probably stay weak against the € for a few more years) and set off from there. I am considering an Island Packet 31 as these are supposedly sea kindly and therefore easier to singlehand (extra crew must be an option rather than a necessity), spacious for 1 -2 persons, well built (and therefore resellable). The questions I pose to the salty dogs with experience in these matters are:
1. Typically what are max. passage times on the beaten tracks (which I don't know) are they a few days or can they be much longer? And therefore, in part
2. what is the mandatory extra cruising kit you consider necessary for Caribbean cruising - not oceanic and I am used to Med heat so a/c is not "absolutely" necessary this is just to gauge my necessity levels. Things like tankage, energy levels (to sustain a CD player and a 'fridge, communications SSB, email (to stay in contact with my favourite forum /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif), do I need radar? Autopilot - what type for the passages? Ground tackle? etc, etc, you know better than me.
3. buy in the US (FL, AL) and cruise from there - is this a good idea or better to buy elsewhere, BVA, USVA......

I have no intention of importing into the EU so issues regarding RCD and VAT don't apply (I think?)

Thanks in advance to my learned forumites.

Will

 

[Sea Devil]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

The only problem with buying in the states to cruise the West Indies is that you need 'The gentleman's guide to passages south'.. From Florida it is all to windward and can be quite hard work. It is an interesting cruise in its self through the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Spanish Virgins etc but is quite hard work.

Most of it can be day sailed with the occasional overnight - Santana in the DR to Puerto Rico for example but nothing too challenging. I would get the book and have a read - it is a bit US quirky but makes good sense.

You really must have an SSB for the weather if nothing else - also great to keep in touch with friends doing the same thing....

I am really off wind gennies these days and beginning to think we spend far too much on generating amps when we have engines with smart chargers - A solar panel (Siemens are probably the best) or two is useful......

You will need at least two anchors - lots of places ever one is Bahamian?? mooring on two so there is no room to swing... Chain cos of the coral..

Radar is alway useful particularly at night and if you are single handing of course the best autopilot - wind or electric - you can afford.

There are always lots of boats for sail in Trinidad and in the Virgins lots of tatty ex charter which will do the job in caribbean... well priced some of them.

 

[bbilly]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

Mike,
Thanks for the response. An specific reqs. for the SSB?

BTW. I have a friend that is looking at a Moody 36 for cruising. I seem to remember (correct me if I'm wrong) that Bambola was such a boat - an recommendations (would you buy a different boat on reflection) can pass on?

Thanks

Will

 

[Sea Devil]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

Will hi,

No - any SSB will do amateur or marine provide it works marine channels etc...

I had Bambola for 10 plus years - lived aboard for lot of the time - really good boat at a low price and capable of taking a bit of weather and comfortable with the super aft cabin and 2 heads.

For domestic reasons I am looking for a catamaran - They are generally very good for long distance cruising as well I think - The trick is to make it as comfortable and fun as you can...

 

[bbilly]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

Mike,
Thanks for the response. I phrased the question regarding the SSB incorrectly. Do I need a special license to operate an SSB in that area of the world? I've got the Italian VHF license, do I need a special SSB license and what's the easisest way of getting one? Thanks for the info and considerations 'bout the Moody. Your right a cat is probably the most confortable solution ...mmmmm got me thinking, it's just that i love the IP.

Will

 

[AndrewB]

As Ex_Bambola says, going out to the West Indies from Florida by the direct route, is against the prevailing wind and current. It may look like you can island-hop, but there are some tough windward passages which will take several days. Many yachts going out from Florida don't make it past the Bahamas - Georgetown is known as 'Chicken City' for that reason. So the correct way is not by the direct route but well to the north, nearer 32degN, where you you should catch favourable westerlies during December/January, looping south as you are approach the longitude of the Leewards. This could mean an ocean passage of maybe 10 days to reach St Martin's.

Its certainly possible to buy a yacht in the West Indies, Antigua is good as well as the Virgins, but the selection is small compared to Florida, and the prices not so good, though better than in the UK.

Regarding gear, good ground tackle is essential, two anchors minimum. VHF is the popular medium of communication among yachts around the islands, SSB Rx only will be quite adequate for weather info (no licence needed). Water is expensive in many places, take what you can. Shorthanded, an autopilot or wind-vane is essential. Otherwise it should all be fairly obvious if you are used to Mediterranean cruising: take what you can afford - and are prepared to maintain, given services and spares can be expensive in the West Indies.

 

[tcm]

hi, others here more expert than me but a/c (and hence generator) wd probably eat too much space on a 31? Wsd be fab, but there's a nice breeze much of the time, so a/c praps a bit less nec. than in med. Eat galic capsules an/or take the anti-hystemine tablets to get used to the mozzies - they only seem painful for the first week or so it seems. From listening to the radio, you need your wits about you in US islands - any yanks can live there and there is crime etc. By contrast, the european-run places (esp brit) are less open for "incomers" hence less crime element it seems.

 

[jimboaw]

Forget the "Gentlemans Guide To Passages South" Just one day of beating to windward when the advice given in the book is less than perfect, will have you wanting to murder the author. (He lives in Luperon, Domincan Rep.) Far better to purchase your boat anywhere on the E. Coast and prepare for a passage to Bermuda from lets say the Cheasapeake. We have also done in from New York, not much difference. From Bermuda make your easting. I would suggest Barbados as your next stop. We made the mistake of heading to the BVI from Bermuda and had a hell of a time going "down island" from there. Missed Carnival in Trini as a result. Herb, Southbound 2 is fantastic for weather. 12359.00. For times see Reeds . Ignore his advice at your peril but he does plot his contacts with care and if you are not where he expects you to be you better have a damn good excuse! SSB liscense? whats that? as long as you are not chattering away on any other than pre- arranged frequencies with other passage makers you will have no problems. Whatever boat you buy I would suggest you put it on the SSR but retain the the US state registration to facilitate a re-sale when you have had your fun. As to boat size, I think anything less than 36 ft makes the passage times for the route I advise you to take on the limit for a crew of two. Five nights out to Bermuda. Best bit of kit on board my boat is a back up auto pilot system. Don't leave home without it! (shorthanded)

 

[BrendanS]

[ QUOTE ]
Ignore his advice at your peril but he does plot his contacts with care and if you are not where he expects you to be you better have a damn good excuse!

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard this before many times. What happens if you do annoy him. Does he just stop responding?

By the way, how old is he, I get the idea he's been at this for years, so must be getting on a bit. What will happen when he passes away, are there any young upstarts providing a similar service?

 

[AndrewB]

[ QUOTE ]
I've heard this before many times. What happens if you do annoy him. Does he just stop responding?

[/ QUOTE ] No ... he just gives a candid opinion of your seamanship over the air. The voice of the adult admonishing the wayward child. Grown men are reduced to cringing embarrassment, given there are about 1000 or so other yachties listening in and probably gloating its you not them on the receiving end of his invective.

You might think someone who gets this treatment wouldn't dare call in again ... but they do.

From memory, he started the full-time service around 1994. There were others before him, but no-one who could possibly maintain this standard.

 

[bbilly]

Jimboaw,
That seems to be good advice, east to Bermuda then west to the antilles also the advice to keep the US reg. and flag it UK SSR seems a good idea. Could you explain <<<As to boat size, I think anything less than 36 ft makes the passage times for the route I advise you to take on the limit for a crew of two>>> a bit better? Do you think an IP31 (which seem plentyfull in the Chesapeake Bay area) is suitable for this cruising?

 

[jimboaw]

Just on my way out to work so will be brief. Re boat size. Bermuda is appx 5 days for a short handed 40 footer. Smaller boats maybe 6 or even 7 if the weather does not co-operate. Comfort is the aim ! Go for the bigger boat! Not forgetting that stores are much cheaper in the US and you will have much more stowage!

 

[Sea Devil]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

folks use SSB out there like VHF of citizens band - they use it properly and it is absoultly the way to keep in touch with weather and friends - nobody will ask you about an operators licence but it may be worth having it on your VHF Epirb et al boats licence......

Make no mistake the offshore passage via Bermuda is quite demanding and crossing the gulf stream with wind over tide can be interesting. I have single handed it once and also done the island hopping. Both have their ups and downs and really depend on your experience. The Island hopping - passages south - has the advantage that you go to some interesting places - Bahamas, Turkes a Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico - I found them all interesting especially the 100 or so whales as I came out of santana....

I find long offshore passages a challange and fun to do but it really is the oppertunity to see places i have not seen before that really keeps me coming back to the sea........

As for boat size - bigger boats go faster is what the guys are saying - I had a 31 ft long keel Elizabethen for years - she taught me to sail and looked after me and really was cosy - also did not cost much to buy. The size of the boat is the limit of your pocket but in the end you will get there and a while ago 31 ft was considered to be on the larger size.....

 

[Salty John]

Ex_Bambola gives really good advice. If you are intent on the Caribbean, go the Bermuda route and maybe come back via the BVI, Puerto Rico, DR, Bahamas because they are very interesting places. On the other hand, you should not be deterred by the bashing to windward of the "Passages South" route. I've done it on a heavy displacement 32' boat with just my wife for crew and it was the adventure of a lifetime. Sure, you have those days when you wish you had a pilot house and 100 HP engine, and you want to find and kill Bruce Van Sant, but when the leg is over ( if you will excuse the expression) you can toast your own fortitude and bask in the wonderful glow of your achievement. Bruce's book is particularly annoying because when you look back at his advice after a hard overnighter you will find you did not precisely follow his rules and therefore suffered exactly the fate he predicted for you. I did this many times, and eventually forgave him, not least because he is a charming gentleman who has inspired thousands of timid sailors to get out and expand their horizons. I don't particularly enjoy long ocean passages, preferring to connect interesting and exotic places with excrutiatingly head-bashing, but short, coastal passages. You may be of the same persuasion, in which case find yourself a tough, shallow draft, boat (under 6') with a big reliable engine, equip her with a good refrigeration system, but not a/c, two proven anchors and all chain rodes, windlass, good charts, GPS and backup GPS, canvas covers for cockpit and foredeck, a good dinghy and outboard, preferably on davits and head for the Bahamas. Beyond the Bahamas, listen to Herb, and further south David Jones. You may want to consider Cuba before heading for the more obvious Caribbean destinations, if you want to avoid the crowds. Whatever you decide, Bon Voyage!

 

[cruisingsam]

I'm also intrigued about Herb

Is he always right with his predictions? Everyone says ignore him at your peril so the assumption is he is 100% right all the time....

Commanders couldn't predict the weather 100% accurately for Ellen's RTW trip (which is one yacht at one point) so how come Herb is always right for all these yachts at various places?

 

[snowleopard]

tips for boat setup

i have assembled a page of tips from our experiences. several people have found it useful. it's here

 

[jimboaw]

No way is Herb always right and he would be the first to admit it. He will, and in my opinion, always should, err on the side of caution in the advice he gives. True cruisers have no timetable so a few days waiting for a "window" mean nothing. Go fishing or whatever. The amount of time and effort this man puts in to help his little flock can only be described as "heroic". That he does it with no expectation of reward in this world makes him, for me at least, one of the cruising world's best and least recognised assets. Long may he keep up his good work and I sincerely hope that any of you who have had the benefit of having Herb "on board" got out your cheque book and sent a donation.

 

[Sea Devil]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

Just like to 2nd everything Jimboaw said about Herb. He is certainly as good and probably better than any other forecaster - professional or amateur in his area of expertise - the Atlantic routes - Caribbean and Eastern Seaboard of the USA..

Also he is getting better 'on the spot' reports of 'actual' weather conditions and pressure than any other forecasting service in the world. All those yachts in known positions reporting back the real conditions. He can then choose from several computer programs and overlay their concept of what is happening with the reality.

A lot of his skillful advice comes from having sailed 'Southbound Two' his yacht extensively in those areas. He knows the difference between 25 to 30 knots on the nose and from astern. He knows how important sea conditions - e.g. the Gulf Stream effect - are to a small boat. He understands the time scale/crew limitations/experience of most cruising boats.

He cannot be 100% right all the time but his forecasts are probably the best in the world within his area of expertise

 

[bbilly]

Re: Caribbean cruising - some preliminary questions...

Mmmmm, needs weighing up I think, pro Bermauda is a "gran lasco" (don't know the term for a wind over the stern quarter in English maritime terms) to Tobago whereas beating to the wind has the advantages of island hopping and visiting some interesting places (which appeals to me). Anyway I am really flattered by such learned replies, Bambola, Js48, snowleaopard and TCM and others and I am beginning to form some ideas and a list of extras i can't be without. Thanks for the replies so far, tomorrows Sunday the traffic is banned in Rome so I'll be at home and I'll peruse in detail all this info (BTW Snowleopards and Bambolas site are REALLY interesting and thanks). I really don't know how many amps a day I will need but I do like ice in my rum so the fridge is top of the list and radar to wake me up on lonely passages is also a priority - dont u think? I like the idea of the beach parties keeping me awake at night /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Thanks to everybody and this info is invaluable and a stimulus to go and do it.

Will

 

[Lizzie_B]

It is actually illegal to have the boat registered in two countries lists. The US authorities regard it as an act of piracy!!!! If for example you buy a boat in Florida and leave it on the Florida registry you will be required to pay Florida registration tax for as long as it remains registered and display the appropriate tax disc and FL registration numbers on the hull. If you SSR the boat, you will have to display the SSR number on the hull. You will have register under the country where you have legal residency. A colleague of mine(resident in Costa Rica) unwittingly bought a Florida State registered boat in Costa Rica. A year later he still has not been able to register the boat as Florida are demandining all the taxes left unpaid by the previous owner, plus sales tax,plus the registration tax since my friend has purchased the boat and been trying to register the vessel in Costa Rica. At the moment he has got as far as paying to swear an affidavit before a lawyer as to the circumstances of the purchase and the fact that he has never used the vessel inside Florida State boundaries. He has been advised that there is a possibility he may be llowed to de register the boat from Florida with out having to pay sales tax, but in all probably will be expected to pay Florida registration tax up until the time the boat is deregistered. I would advise you keep it simple as any difference in resale value is unlikely to be worth the potential hassle (including confiscation of boat and imprisonment) expense and anxiety every time you have any dealings with local officials.