Newbie in SW Florida

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Olliedad

This is great input - thanks. I'll look at the Manatee as well. I will need a dedicated office space that can be used for an occasional guest. Can the N37 and Manatee comfortably make the Bahamas? Labrador (from Nova Scotia)?

Define comfortably.....

If that means one time and I have all the time in the world to look for the perfect weather window......

Or does it mean, regular trips back and forth and I don't want to have to wait a couple of weeks for the right conditions......

This is where you get into figuring out your regular use vs. those occasional things you'd like to do. Also when you start talking "can do it" versus "comfortable doing it." As to the Bahamas, making Bimini the first stop, it's a very make-able trip. But that's 60 miles and a one day trip. To other areas at 200 miles or more, then careful window selection as now you're talking overnight and into a second day of weather. In any of these the gulf stream comes into play. If you were in Fort Lauderdale today contemplating the trip across in either of those, you'd not be planning it for this week. There are times of the year though you could do it. As to Nova Scotia to Labrador, I'm not as familiar but that area is in our future plans. Today, looking at Halifax Harbor, a strong wind warning in effect. I would personally say neither would be my preferred boat for that trip from Nova Scotia to Labrador. New Brunswick perhaps, but Labrador is a bit daring for me.

[healhustler]

If you click on the link on Janice's post above, you can see what people are willing to do with a Manatee. At least one N-series GH has gone to Hawaii. I've also seen the Pilgrim 40 and 43 down island. People do blue-water distance and island hopping with these boats, but they were not built to fight weather in the process while still offering a reasonable level of comfort for the average cruiser. If I were looking at Labrador occasionally, I'd still watch the weather but my boat choice would be different, but you did mention the GH N-37 so I figured you preferred an under 40 vessel. If not, a Willard 40 or a Hatteras 42 or 48 LRC come to mind. Krogen 42 and the high-buck 39 would be secure choices. For the same money as the 39, you could swing into a Nordhavn 46....no question about the capability there. Some steel custom builds would also be out there. The Manatee and the N-37 GH both do the Bahamas run and stay for months on a regular basis, but on blue water, they are fair weather boats if you want the comfort you mentioned above. Over 40 would open a whole world of possibilities. Of course, if you're talking about 10 years to try out things, the list could change a lot by then. My opinion.

[Olliedad]

My mistake - not Labrador but Newfoundland including St Pierre and Miquelon. I absolutely agree with waiting for a suitable weather 'window'.

[N4712]

Welcome aboard!