Bahamas

[Uboatcdr]

Has anyone or do you know of anyone who has taken an Camano 31 from Florida to the Bahamas, and how was the trip.

Thanks
Pete

 

[menzies]

Pete, while I do not specifically, are you considering going over there and do you have a concern doing so in your Camano?

 

[Uboatcdr]

Pete, while I do not specifically, are you considering going over there and do you have a concern doing so in your Camano?

Hi, yes at some point. Just seeing if anyone has done it. The boat is capable of doing up to 15 knots if needed. Like anything you have to to watch the weather, but the boat does have plenty of fuel range.

 

[menzies]

Are you retired with lots of time, or working with a schedule?

Both are doable, just with different cruise plans.

 

[mvweebles]

Has anyone or do you know of anyone who has taken an Camano 31 from Florida to the Bahamas, and how was the trip.

Thanks
Pete

Hi Pete - boat is fine. As a matter of fact, if you go, you'll see a ton of lessor boats comfortably cruising there.

That said, you may want to sharpen the question to ask best departure point in Florida and any known seasonal weather conditions that would influence a plan. Speaking of plan, might be helpful to know any time constraints.

I've been to Bahamas a couple times but on other people's boats so I'm interested in collective wisdom on tactics.

 

[DavidM]

From your profile, it looks like you live in the PNW and may keep your boat in Florida for vacations. If that is your plan- to fly down and cross over to the Bahamas, that may be a problem.

You generally have to plan these things in advance and book tickets early. When you do get to Florida you may find yourself in a weather situation that prevents crossing for a week or two. This extended weather block mostly occurs in the winter months and is due to persistent north winds. You do not want to cross the stream in a wind against current situation.

The less apparent problem with this is that it may lead you to cross when you shouldn't- in 6' mixed up seas. The Camano can handle it but you won't be very happy and your SO even less so.

As others have noted, the time of your planned trip is important. The above situation is less prevalent say from April through October and if you do get north winds then, they turn around within a day or so.


David

 

[mvweebles]

You generally have to plan these things in advance and book tickets early. When you do get to Florida you may find yourself in a weather situation that prevents crossing for a week or two.

So true - years ago, I met a shoestring-budget couple on a 35-foot sailboat who had been cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean for about 10-years. The stress of timing for visitor's vacation slots developed sage advice for their friends and family: "You can pick your destination, or you can pick your time to visit. You cannot pick both." Poignant way of saying "most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule."

Question for you David (and other experienced Bahama cruisers): Any crossing strategies? I assume departing from a southerly point is preferred given the Gulf Stream, but marinas south of FLL are expensive compared to Melbourne area. How do people generally approach this balancing act?

Thanks in advance

Peter

 

[psneeld]

If I had a 15 knot capable boat of going 200 or so miles without refueling and only needing that 15 knots for a couple of hours...doing the trip over is really no big deal.


Even weather windows are way more often for faster boats.... as the full force of the stream isn't ALL the way across, and sometimes in some areas, the counter current is pushing a bit.


Not a trip to take lightly...but in a faster, well found boat ...the trip is easily done but a probable wait for a weather window will occur in the dead of winter months. If willing to travel some in the dark, even easier as often there is a lot less wind before lunch on many days.


After the crossing ....it becomes more of cruising where your consumables allow, meaning how long they will last and how far you want to travel to replenish.


Also, in a smaller vessel, picking or moving to protected anchorages will be a guiding force during the windy months

 

[diver dave]

Not a Camano, but i have crossed at least 3 dozen times in a 32’ 20 kt boat. Out as far as Georgetown in that boat. Once at new years. Crossings varied from near glass smooth to 6-8 ft dodging several waterspouts at once. My fuel range was only 160 nm. Not sure if any of this helps??

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Doing the trip over in that boat is not an issue. Just a matter of timing and deciding where. First timers typically make an initial stop in West End or Bimini.

The problem is like today. Between here and there you're talking 8' at 6 seconds, you're talking 27 mph winds and 38 mph gusts. You're not taking a Camano or most boats anywhere.

I know because I'd like to be out there on the water and can't be.

Heck, we were going to at least go play tennis. Oops. I don't think so. :lol:

Boats no problem but weather and sea conditions can prevent you from doing what you want when you want. So sitting in our office instead.

 

[Group9]

If you have the time, and patience, to wait for the right window (and, everyone should, really) you can cross the gulf stream to West End, Bimini, or Gun Cay easily in just about anything.

On a bad day, it can be miserable in a 58 foot Bertram.

You have to learn at least the basics about the weather patterns and how they affect the gulf stream, though, unless you want to roll the dice.

 

[Sidclark]

So true - years ago, I met a shoestring-budget couple on a 35-foot sailboat who had been cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean for about 10-years. The stress of timing for visitor's vacation slots developed sage advice for their friends and family: "You can pick your destination, or you can pick your time to visit. You cannot pick both." Poignant way of saying "most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule."

Question for you David (and other experienced Bahama cruisers): Any crossing strategies? I assume departing from a southerly point is preferred given the Gulf Stream, but marinas south of FLL are expensive compared to Melbourne area. How do people generally approach this balancing act?

Thanks in advance

Peter

Our crossing strategy has always worked well for us. We take an anchorage in Miami while waiting for a suitable window to cross. Why Miami? Well, there have been years where we've waited two days for a window to cross and other years it's been a two week wait. If we've waited two weeks we'll head back to the Publix on Collins canal to top up the provisions.

On departure day we'll take another look at weather then pull anchor at 5am. Leaving Government Cut we'll be in Bimini usually by one or two in the afternoon. This is in a 6-7 knot boat. One year we left and the weather was not what was predicted, so, an hour out of Government Cut we just turned around and re-anchored. Left the next day and had no issues.

Keep in mind that if it's been blowing out of the north at 10+ knots for more then a few days it's going to take a few days for the stream to lie down to where it's manageable. And don't forget to set out a couple of fishing poles!

 

[Woodland Hills]

Check passageweather.com for winds and sea state for the crossing. 2 to 3 meter waves or more is a no go. We have been waiting for a window since just after the new year and Thursday looks good! I’m sure our boat could handle 6 to 9 footers, but why should we? It’s called recreational boating, not endurance boating......

 

[HopCar]

I just checked with Oliver Sessa who had a Camano 31 before he up graded to a much larger boat. He said they went to the Abacos several times. Always in summer and they picked their weather.

 

[Flatsflyer]

Bahama crossing

The Bahama Tourist Office has (had) flings to cross in groups, only requirement was the boat had to be 22 feet in length, properly registered and insured. Flings would leave Ft Lauderdale in different groups based on crusing speed, some made Bimini in 2.5 hours, some 8 hours. Distance is only 53 miles.

 

[Blissboat]

mvweebles wrote, "You can pick your destination, or you can pick your time to visit. You cannot pick both." Poignant way of saying "most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule."

Amen to that, brother. To the point of the OP's question, if you wait for the right weather, you can safely cross the Gulf Stream in just about anything.

 

[stonejd]

A good friend made the Bahamas trip multiple times on a Cape Dory 28 trawler, with no problems. Just plan carefully, particularly weather for The Stream.

 

[Group9]

On one of our Bahamas trips, we kept running into a guy in the Exumas, who had come over on a 16 foot aluminum jon boat, with an enclosed canopy of it, from the U.S.

I don't know what his trip over was like, but with his 6 inch draft, he sure had his pick of good anchorages!

 

[HopCar]

I knew a guy who crossed the Gulf Stream from Miami to Bimini in a hang glider being towed by a small boat. Just pick your weather and don’t have a schedule.

 

[Duetto]

friends of ours went to abacos on a camano 31. their only concern was fuel capacity if they tried to go more than 7 knots. they topped off in west end then in green turtle and finally marsh harbour.

 

[DavidM]

friends of ours went to abacos on a camano 31. their only concern was fuel capacity if they tried to go more than 7 knots. they topped off in west end then in green turtle and finally marsh harbour.

They were being very conservative. It is about 60 NM from Palm Beach to West End. The Camano 31 cruises nicely at about 12 kts, so maybe 6 hours (allowing for the stream) burning about 7 gph at that speed. The fuel capacity is 100 gallons for that boat.

David

 

[diver dave]

Yeah, 60 nm is not far at all. Very early in the program, taking the boynton to WE route, we almost made it, but did run out of fuel. I had to send in a crewman, who towed in an empty prestone jug in his teeth swimming for the coast. He re-appeared a few hours later, with a couple gallons. Recharged, we made it to customs, and then further east, where we completed some awesome cave dives. For sure, no one on board forgets this trip, even when followed by a hundred follow on trips.
Youth can be an amazing commodity.

 

[Blissboat]

Diver dave wrote: "For sure, no one on board forgets this trip, even when followed by a hundred follow on trips."

True that.