Is the C25 capable of traveling from Fort Myers FL, to the Bahamas.

Sep 6, 2020
3
Catalina C 25 Fort Myers FL
Hello Everyone, hoping you
Can give some advice on the boat. It would be our
First sailboat. Our
Plan is to get a boat capable of traveling from Fort Myers to the the Bahamas and the keys. I would hate to buy Something too small, and need to replace it in a short amount of rime, Any input is greatly appraciated.
Thanks Paul
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Paul, if the boat is a model built between 1978 and 1994 the answer is yes, but with a caveat; you need a good weather window and for the first time would advice you be accompanied by someone who has crossed the Gulf Stream before.
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Yup. People have done it in Hobby Cats, C22, 17 foot center console power boats.

Get the explorer charts. In the back Chris Parker has an excellent write up on how to correctly plan and execute a GS crossing.

Fair winds
 
Sep 6, 2020
3
Catalina C 25 Fort Myers FL
Sorry I left Out
It’s a 1986 c-25 with a swing keel. Thanks for the input guys. It’s has a 9.9 outboard, do you guys see a draw back to not having a boat with a diesel? Other then the fuel haveing a greater chance of igniting. That seems to be a pretty big one.
Thanks for your input.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Sorry I left Out
It’s a 1986 c-25 with a swing keel. Thanks for the input guys. It’s has a 9.9 outboard, do you guys see a draw back to not having a boat with a diesel? Other then the fuel haveing a greater chance of igniting. That seems to be a pretty big one.
Thanks for your input.

Ooh, I change my opinion. The swing ballasted keel in a 34 year old boat is in my estimation a deal breaker to cross the Gulf Stream. I was willing to oversee boat size and the use of an outboard engine, which can pull the prop out of the water in rough conditions and it is not that efficient in directing flow of water through the rudder, but the swing ballast keel poses some potentially serious problems. A boat without its ballasted keel would surely capsize. The swing keel rests on a single pivot bolt attached to the keel trunk of the boat. That keel trunk attachment point is surely to have lost some of it's integrity through the life of an older boat. Keel Slap (side to side play) is likely to be present and is quite dangerous in strong currents. Last concern is "jackknifing" where the boat is tipped over and instead of bouncing back that XX lbs. keels retracts back at speed into the keel trunk and destroys the hull of the boat. I have owned boats with ballasted swing keels in the past and would never had thought of sailing them beyond coastal reach. Oh, surely many have crossed successfully over to the Bahamas in swing keels and water ballast boats but that does not make those boats fully capable and forgiving to a less than experienced Captain.
 
Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
We owned a 1987 Catalina 25 SKTR and we sailed/raced her on Lake Erie (Short choppy steep waves) We were comfortable the years we did so before we moved up to a 310. There are youtube videos of guys crossing the GS on a 25 check it out!
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
That boat in decent condition would be fine on most days. The question is would you be up to the trip on the other days?

A friend pointed out to me another consideration is what makes the trip worthwhile is having room for everything you need for the trip on your boat when you leave. If you are buying provisions and very many meals while on your trip you might as well fly and stay in a resort.
 
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Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
let us know your choices, on our 25 we could store, had a stove, marine head, safety equipment, vhf etc. and a very compatible crew (Wife!) but as stated it is a longer than a10 minute journey. Buddy Boating is great and we have done that.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Frankly, I distrust outboards generally as auxiliaries. They can become unreliable for starting and running well. Their propellers can be lifted from the water in seas sooner than any diesel propeller. You’re more likely to see the engine swamped on a small boat than a large. With the electric starts they perform a little better on some larger boats with higher freeboards astern. I probably wouldn’t cross the GS in a smallish boat equipped that way especially in view of Benny’s additional remarks on the swing keel issue of that model. Yes, the idea is to SAIL, not motor, across—so use of the OB depends on the circumstances. Will it serve when needed? Maybe, maybe not.:doh:
 
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