Could you cruise the bahamas...

S

Shadowcruzr

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In a 26 foot cruiser? 83 gallons of gas, 12.5 cruising fuel burn rate.
We went to Bimini as part of the first BE flotilla back in 2001. We want to go back.
I would like to cruise more of the Bahama's. THe wife doesnt want to get a bigger boat.

Who wins?
 
You have about a "5hr straight-line range". You do not state cruise speed, so I can't tell you the range in nm.

a) If you expect her to be aboard for the cruise, do what she sez.

b) The size/shape of the boat affects how you cruise, where you will overnight, and just where you can explore. A short rang will confine you to fuel stop hops and a small vessel will confine you to hotels ( or beach camping )

As for "who wins", well if you make the cruise and are still friends at the end of the trip, everyone wins.
 
it's doable with the right weather window and equipment.

it's about 50NM to bimini... then another 70NM over to chub cay. from there you can cruise north up the Berrys and then at the top from Great Harbor it's about 75NM back to Bimini.

further north, about 55NM from St Lucie to West end. it may be a little tight to make it across the bank to the abacos with your range, you'll have to check where gas is available along the way, i'm not sure off hand.

usually the banks are pretty easy to cross with pretty good conditions.

of course, be ready for $5 a gallon gas in the bahamas!
 
Personally, I think you need to install larger fuel tanks. Some may recommend carrying a bladder for extra fuel but I am just not a big fan of carrying large quantities gasoline on a boat other than in the fuel tanks. Certainly, I carry gas for my dink motor and SCUBA compressor but the quantities are pretty small.

Getting to Bimini is OK but then from Bimini to the Berry Islands ia bout 75-80 miles. Nearly as I can figure that would not leave you much of a reserve. Doable with what you have, but your reserves would be very skinny. If you can put in tanks large enough for a 100 mile cruising range with a 50 mile reserve I think you will be a lot safer and more flexible.

When are you planning to go? I'm leaving June 1st and it looks like Kurt (Mixman) will be going at the same time. We eventually plan to end up in the Exumas.

Bob
 
Bob
June? Could happen. We'll see. I want to stick it out this year. We'll see what rates we get. April/May much more definite, let's stay tuned. Freedom is behaving much better this year, let's hope that continues.

Paul
I am thinking you have a realistic range of about 120 miles allowing for some (not much at all) reserve. Most like to use only 2/3 of a tank. I think at 120 miles it's stretching that notion. That's at about 20 mph at that burn rate. Given that, I think, and I repeat this, think you can make West End, and then Grand Cay (Rosie's place) and then Green Turtle or Spanish Cay around to Green Turtle. Finally getting around the Whale etc. where you have many more options. A stop at Grand Cay or Spanish for fuel would make the Abacos (Green Turtle) more doable but I think you might reach Green Turtle sucking fumes if you didn't stop in between there and West End.
They still have no gas at Orchid, Sea Spray and perhaps others.
Access to fuel is not what we have come to rely on in the states.
A 70+ Burger got no diesel today. It's in the area, but not right here.

For me, I am thinking it's about 120 miles from West End to Green Turtle. Fuel can be tough to come by some times. There is none at Sea Spray now, but Lighthouse in Hope Town has fuel. Keep things like this in mind when planning your trip. The price of poker is going up daily now.
 
I should have mentioned that that burn rate was at a cruising speed of 26-28 gps mph.

Thanks for the info guys. We were comfortable doing the ICW, sleeping onboard and we had our 16 yo son with us on that trip. Might want a generator for days we get stuck onboard inside and need AC tho.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowcruzr

I should have mentioned that that burn rate was at a cruising speed of 26-28 gps mph
Click to expand...


Based on those numbers you should be able, with a bit of pre-planning, to go just about anywhere you want to. Taking the low side, 26 mph at 12.5 gph and 83 gallon capacity, your effective range is about 114 miles maintaining a 1/3 reserve. That'll do it. I use Active Captain and Marine Life for planning legs and fuel stops.

As you said, if you go to the islands in the summer you WILL need an A/C. Last year I had a 7,000 btu unit in my Carver 28 and it worked quite well. For your 26, I think that would be sufficient. But, you can never have too much A/C so perhaps a 9,000 btu unit. Also, I ran mine with a Honda 2000 portable gen and it worked just fine. (ok, here we go with another protable genny thread)

Like Pascal said, because of your boat size, you, like me, will be a bit controlled by the weather. There are lots of really good, calm cruising days in the summer but you do, at times, get a few consecutive days of wind. So you need to be flexible enough to spend a few days in one spot until things calm back down.

If you are really considering a trip, look at June. The weather has usually calmed down for the summer and the temperatures still fairly comfortable. Perhaps you can hook up with me, Mixman and Boatbum somewhere along the way.

Are you go are you going to cruise down the ICW or trailer down?

Bob
 
If you run straight from West End to Green Turtle it will be less than 120 miles since we had to travel up into Great Sale to anchor out. So for comfort's sake, a stop at West End, check in, then run the next day to Green Turtle or Guana Cay no problem.

Check on fuel here -> http://explorercharts.com/

They maintain a page with dockage and fuel prices.
 
Dan

Got fuel last Friday at treasure cay, they had gas to

We also got a (expensive) pump out from a sewer truck. In typical bahamian fashion the truck was 2 hours late as the driver stopped at a KFC but then had to back home to use the head because he got sick from the KFC food. True story!!

For June we re looking into chartering a sailboat out of nassau to go tonthe exumas... But choices are limited and none have AC or genset
Darn sailboaters dont know anything about comfort!!!
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

quote:
Originally posted by Shadowcruzr

I should have mentioned that that burn rate was at a cruising speed of 26-28 gps mph
Click to expand...


Based on those numbers you should be able, with a bit of pre-planning, to go just about anywhere you want to. Taking the low side, 26 mph at 12.5 gph and 83 gallon capacity, your effective range is about 114 miles maintaining a 1/3 reserve. That'll do it. I use Active Captain and Marine Life for planning legs and fuel stops.

As you said, if you go to the islands in the summer you WILL need an A/C. Last year I had a 7,000 btu unit in my Carver 28 and it worked quite well. For your 26, I think that would be sufficient. But, you can never have too much A/C so perhaps a 9,000 btu unit. Also, I ran mine with a Honda 2000 portable gen and it worked just fine. (ok, here we go with another protable genny thread)

Like Pascal said, because of your boat size, you, like me, will be a bit controlled by the weather. There are lots of really good, calm cruising days in the summer but you do, at times, get a few consecutive days of wind. So you need to be flexible enough to spend a few days in one spot until things calm back down.

If you are really considering a trip, look at June. The weather has usually calmed down for the summer and the temperatures still fairly comfortable. Perhaps you can hook up with me, Mixman and Boatbum somewhere along the way.

If you go are you going to cruise down the ICW or trailer down?

Bob

Click to expand...


I already have an AC unit installed. I put it in when we lived in Florida. It is only a 5K unit, but it makes a meat locker out of that boat.
I would love to go this coming June, but that is when the house is supposed to be completed. At that time, we may be knee deep in moving in or ready for for a weeks vacation. I'll let you know cuz we'd love to go over with you all.
 
I'm still on for June. It looks like we might have a BE cruise in the works!

Bob, the Formula has dropped out. He doesn't want to drop another $3k in fuel just to get from MD to FL. I can't say that I blame him.

Pascal - they have pumpouts in the Bahamas? Doesn't Charmer have a Type II on her?
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

I'm still on for June. It looks like we might have a BE cruise in the works!
Click to expand...


Wow, this is looking good! Kurt, Dan, Pascal, me and possibly Paul? Sounds like a pretty neat BE Floatilla to me!

Bob
 
And Bosun too. It's time for him to find a new host.
 
Paul, are you going to stay on the boat all of the time or mix it up in hotels some of the time? If hotels, then there are probably more options in the Abacos. We use to take our previous Sea Ray to the Bahamas that had 100 gal fuel tank and twin gassers. Going across to Bimini or West End is no problem as long as the weather is good. If it gets 2 to 4 ft then you are in for a rough ride and you wont be on plane, so fuel mileage may be worse. Once you are on the banks, it is much more protected. In our Sea Ray we would stop at Spanish Cay for fuel on the way to GTC. But that may be a bit long so you can also look into Fox Town which is closer to West End than Spanish, I think they now have fuel. We go through Lucaya often as well on the way to the Abacos. We use to carry a few 5 gal gas cans for safety margin on longer passages and then you can easily put them in the tank while island hopping so as not to carry a bunch of fuel.

We are going to be in the Bahamas and probably the Abacos from mid June through the first week in July and then in the Exumas/Paradise for a few weeks in late July. If you guys have a party or get together keep us posted. Anyone near GTC on July 1 should definitely try to make the Stranded Naked beach party, all the free booze and food you want. It is on the deserted island Fiddle Cay just across from GTC.

Paul I still have the tubes if want them, although we will be on the road a lot for the next month and a half.
 
Rick,
Let me know when you are going to be back home. I or my Brother in law will meet you to get them.

We will mix staying aboard and motels. As long as she can shower onboard, we'll stay there. She would want a motel every now and then just to stretch out.

I will plant the bug withthe Admiral to try for a week long trip in June. We'll see what happens.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowcruzr

I will plant the bug withthe Admiral to try for a week long trip in June. We'll see what happens.
Click to expand...


Hmmm, a week really doesn't give you much time for anything but running from place to place. Even if you trailer down to Palm Beach and cross from there to West End you'll eat up 4 days just going and coming from Elizabeth City. Really need at least 2 weeks to have time for much cruising. Plus, you may or may not get stuck somewhere along the way with weather.

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

Pascal - they have pumpouts in the Bahamas? Doesn't Charmer have a Type II on her?

Click to expand...


i wasn't on Charmer, i was running a 63 viking MY and the overboard pump wasn't working. we had a full tank and the only way to pump out at TC was to get a truck to come over to the fuel dock...

otherwise, it's no big deal, jsut go offshore and pump overboard. i looked into a type II MSD for Charmer but at 70' we need a type I and we dont' have the room (they're about 5' long...)
 
Wait a minute, I'm getting confused. The Type I devices are the small ones ("Lectra San", Electro Scan, Purasan) and designed for boats under 60'. The Type II are the big ones. Right?

Darn responsible of you to go to the trouble to get that truck to come. Way too many people dump inland. And that water at Treasure shouldn't see such...er...stuff. But then again, where did the truck dump it? :-)

Is Mike still the dock master? He's a darn nice guy.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

quote:
Originally posted by Shadowcruzr

I will plant the bug withthe Admiral to try for a week long trip in June. We'll see what happens.
Click to expand...


Hmmm, a week really doesn't give you much time for anything but running from place to place. Even if you trailer down to Palm Beach and cross from there to West End you'll eat up 4 days just going and coming from Elizabeth City. Really need at least 2 weeks to have time for much cruising. Plus, you may or may not get stuck somewhere along the way with weather.

Bob

Click to expand...


I know, Bob. I would love to get a couple weeks or more but I think I'll only be able to pull off a run to Bimini this year and maybe a month next year.
 
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