who has taken a small boat to the Bahamas

[campuscab]

I want to go from Florida to The West End in May. I want to trailer my Cal 20 down and will need marina to launch it and somewhere to leave the van and trailer. Any ideas. I want to go to Abaco then head back in a couple of weeks.

Some of the cruisers think you need a 150k sailboat to leave the dock.

 

[TLW]

Had a friend do this in a Balboa 20 in the 70's

 

[kjretlaw]

Only issue is you'll need to pick the best weatheer window to travel on. Park a Lake Worth and wait, as long as you have the patience it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[campuscab]

I have all summer so I am not in a rush.

 

[svchickadee]

Suggest you depart Fl farther south than Lake Worth to allow for the north current of the Gulf Stream. Come into the Abacos at West End. Use the Explorer Charts.

 

[campuscab]

Where should i depart from.

 

[seadaddler]

?????

I would think twice about crossing over in a small boat only because how much ffuel can you carry and water and food aand battery for VHF.
I am not saying it can't be done and have never done it but many friends have done and many with 30' boat think they are small for the trip,why not just cruise down the Keys and plenty protection and places to get supplies.
I did sail my H-36 down from NY to Florida all ocean and if **** happens I would not wnt to be on a 20' boat but that is just me.
I have been to Bahaama's and boy every thing $$$$$$ and how much can you carry so bring lots of $$$$$.
We started out with a load with food water in 44' sailboat and the engine broken down 10 miles off Florida coast and no wind and after many hours of triying to get back and good thing the weather was calm and for sea tow.
Nick

 

[campuscab]

The money has me mire afraid than anything. With limited space fuel and water will take up a bunch then add saftey equipment and a dinghy and not much left for food. Oh and i hate seafood and fish. Ramen noodles i guess.

 

[svchickadee]

I have crossed several times in my Irwin 41. I currently have an ODay 25 that I am going to take over in May 2014. You can muscle your way over on a big boat but not on a small boat. Leave out of Ft. Lauderdale or south with a south wind and a window to allow you to get to West End based on your sailing speed. In a small boat do not plan on a motor boat ride. The crossing will have some darkness in it probably. The problem is to not get rundown in the Fl Straits, lots of traffic. Get a current edition of the Explorer Charts for the Near Bahamas. A buddy boat is always a good thing.

 

[dive7mmwet]

We used to do it all the time years back as Stink Pots not Rag Baggers, but since the entry fee has been doubled now $150 for a vessel your size West End a quiet burb is even more quiet on the once Grand Island of Grand Bahama! but it dose cover fishing permit!
see link
http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/private-boat
West End is quiet but a entry point, Lucya is the marina area to visit if you can as it hops and all the shops!

As said have money it can be EXPENSIVE they have no infrastructure everything must be imported! Rums cheap at the duty free so its all I need Rum & Wind!

If you can find a regatta or weekend group to run with,, used to be packs on weekend's not now with $5.00 plus $$$ fuel and the stupid CASH entry fee,, they are just the big boys cruising fast over and not the old Mom and Pop's as in years past when the Jack Tarr resort was in her glory!

I'm sure you may find a board out there to help more and another great source of information is the Tourism minister located in Chicago I think he will answer any question and get back to you right away if he cant answer it ,I just cant find his card at this second as we reminisce at the shows about the Good old Days' each time we meet!

 

[Mike B1026]

If you go to YouTube, you can watch videos of people on personal watercraft making the trip. (they are a bit faster) The catch is having a good weather window / patience.

 

[djplatt]

South Dade Marina South of Homestead on US 1 . Bob will look after your tow vehicle and trailer for $10.00 a day. Just got back from spending February in the keys.

http://southdademarina.com/

Have a great trip.

Cheers

 

[svchickadee]

When you return to Fl you will get a north drift out of the Gulf Stream and will end up north of where you departed Fl (assuming you arrive and depart the Bahamas at the same place). Be prepared for logistics of getting the boat to the trailer or the trailer to the boat. Returning is easy as the prevailing wind is easterly.

 

[Chris Burti]

I did this as crew in 1970 in a gaff rigged wooden centerboarder. Skipper detested using the iron genny considering it a poor reflection on his sailing skill, so it never ran until my last day aboard because I was on leave from the Army and had to make a flight home or be AWOL. Otherwise, we sailed to and from the dock. We each stowed a supply of canned food and jug water. The only electronics the Skipper had was a 60's era transistor RDF unit (correct, no VHF, but this was 1970). We had ample life jackets and ample flares. We were all experienced sailors, with deep water time.

We left from Lauderdale, it took three days to cross due to lack of wind and remains one of the most memorable sailing trips of my life. It was a simpler time. Skill and resourcefulness was considered more necessary and more valuable than a lot of expensive toys back then and what we did was not at all considered unusual for south Floriday at the time.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Yep- spent three months there in my 25 footer. And I'd not have any problems taking my current 21 footer across, and would expect to have a great time. Water is fairly easily available, so that's not a real concern. Beer is VERY costly, but rum (decent stuff too) is cheap.

Take a look at this website by the way- Mindy and David took Little Cruiser, a 14 footer, over many times

http://www.microcruising.com/

Oh- and a Cal 20 completed the Trans Pac, so 45 miles of Gulf Stream should be no real problem. Do remember that it flows north at about 2.5 knots, all the time.

I left from Angel Fish Creek, and went in at Bimini by the way. Then Berry's, New Providence, Exumas, Elluthera, and back via Nassau and Berry's again.

 

[Doc_holiday]

Go to amazon.com ad look for the book or snook titled "Sailing Misadventures of the Wild Hair". I think I paid 1.00 for a kindle version. It's by a guy names Chip Giles. He and his wife are teachers who make this trip and its funny and easy to read but in the end, you can learn something from their mistakes and you'll love the comedy of errors they encounter. After reading this, I too am really excited about the idea of also making the trip someday.

I just checked, its temporarily in available but I'm sure it will be available soon

http://www.amazon.com/Sailing-Misadventures-Wild-Hair-ebook/dp/B0039IT8OE

It's not a great masterpiece, but funny nome the less.

 

[campuscab]

The have a web site with it, there. Very funny stuff. I will never think I have bad luck again.. They have fun that is what is important

 

[Benny17441]

Don't be foolish. I'm not saying it cannot be done but first you should do it in a larger boat with someone who has done it before. Only when one gets to know what they are doing could it be risked to do it in a Cal20. It is better to rely on knowledge than just luck.

 

[navigator97]

Check your boat insurance to see how many miles offshore that it currently covers. You may have to increase the distance offshore covered - at additional premium.

 

[CaptDon01]

Get a copy of "Black Feathers" by Robert Crawford. He sailed the singlehanded Trans-Pac,(San Fransico to Hawaii), several years ago in a Cal-20. Great story and a lot of information on preparing the boat and yourself for a long voyage on a small boat.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to have a death wish to take a small boat out of the harbor.....

Keep us posted,

Don