View Single Post
Old 10-18-2010, 06:58 AM   #8
FF
Guru
 
FF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
RE: Type of boat good for gulf crossing to caribbean

For most voyaging purposes . a sailboat in most any size has a better chance than most "trawlers".

If you are willing to take a modest RISK, most any fully found reasonable motor boat will cross the Atlantic . Single deck only , no 3 -4 stories tall with oxygen tent on top.

Range will be a problem , but 50G drums or a bladder will add the extra few hundred gal needed.

Sadly most "trawlers " do not have the scantlings , robustness , systems or gear aboard for true ocean passages.

The reason is a cruiser will have far less space than a roomaran coastal or dockside queen.

Costing usually 300% more for an ocean ready boat , price enough to assure that 99% of the boats are coasts and bays only.

That understood simply getting to the Carib can be done either of 2 ways. The along shore run past Hispanolia has only 150-180 miles of open ocean , the Mona Passage.

Many folks , sail and power , will wait for great weather and dash across. Once in PR , its a lark to South America.

An Atlantic passage can be done by crossing in the Horse Lats, where the old sailing ships had trouble with 5K winds , the marine motorist will find nice but rolly conditions.

Carib ? no sweat , Passage to Euroland , courage and planning.
FF is offline   Reply With Quote