travel to the carribean

[Hippocampus]

Looks like a Boreal. Was on our short list but wife said no high lat so went grp. Whole other level of complexity to do high lat. have great respect for those folks. Thanks for the link.

 

[Jeff F]

Looks like a Boreal. Was on our short list but wife said no high lat so went grp. Whole other level of complexity to do high lat. have great respect for those folks. Thanks for the link.

I saw six Boreals in NS this summer. Had four in Lunenburg Harbour with me at one point.

I was sort of admiring them until an Outbound 46 came in. That's a sweet boat.

Sorry for the thread drift...

 

[Trolerman]

Imited range on a 36 trawler?what about the 36 willard that went from cali to Hawaii and burned under 400 gallons,thats about 2500 miles,and my 36 Willard holds 500 gallons in the tanks,and seen plenty of 36 footers in Puerto Rico,U.S and British virgin islands,and even smaller sailboats,ive commercially fished certain times of the year all the way down the edge of the continental shelf to the Puerto Rico trench and been to the Caribbean plenty,and with the right planning,knowledge and vessel it is very doable

 

[mvweebles]

Imited range on a 36 trawler?what about the 36 willard that went from cali to Hawaii and burned under 400 gallons,thats about 2500 miles,and my 36 Willard holds 500 gallons in the tanks,and seen plenty of 36 footers in Puerto Rico,U.S and British virgin islands,and even smaller sailboats,ive commercially fished certain times of the year all the way down the edge of the continental shelf to the Puerto Rico trench and been to the Caribbean plenty,and with the right planning,knowledge and vessel it is very doable

In October of 1987, the owner of one of four pilot house version W36s (a Blaine Sealey adapted W36 of a Wm Garden designed hull) departed Los Angeles for Honolulu, roughly 2250 nms. This 1969 version was equipped with hydraulic stabilizers (Vospers) , a small sail plan, and a single 75hp Perkins 4.236 diesel. Over the next 15-1/2 days, she burned 335 gallons of fuel and averaged around 6-kts for an average burn of 0.9 gph, likely helped by the modest sail plan and favorable currents and conditions. What is not known is how the boat returned to the US. She's currently based in the PNW. .

The sedan version of the W36 like Lostsailors and mine carries 500 gallons of diesel but the PH version carries only 300. The owner carried 200 gals on barrels which was obviously not fully needed (which he noted as the only thing he'd change about the trip)

The "Vega" came off Garden's drafting board in the 1950s as a 34 footer. When Vega Marine decided to go into production in 1961, the hull was stretched to 36 feet by Garden, a modification that's noticeable in the flat mid-beam sections. Weebles, my boat, was the last of 39 hulls laid launched in 1970.my avatar picture is first launch day from a marine railway in Newport Beach.

When I first bought Weebles, I moved her to Treasure Island Marina at Naval Station Treasure Island, San Francisco CA. Three slips down was Rattler, the first W36 built in 1961 owned by Ken McBain, a firey old timer prone to incredibly tall stories ("the waves coming into The Gate were so tall you could see the bottom between them!"). Ken was an incredibly active member of the CG Aux and Rattler was well known in SF Bay. It was a sad day when he could no longer pilot his beloved boat.

Hull #4, Linco (1963 I believe) , was owned by an attorney out of Portland OR. He organized the owners of W36s into what had to be the very first "Trawler Forum" by publishing a mimeographed newsletter a couple times a year. We know this because Ken McBain had a big stack of newsletters aboard Rattler that he gave me. I scanned and they now sit in the archives of Willard Boat Owners Group (open to all).

I really admire these early cruisers. The newsletters told of trips as far as the Galopogas Islands and many trips down Baja at a time where there was no highway south of Ensenada. I tbi k often of these hearty cruisers whos navigation was based on old charts and a depth sounder as inputs to Dead Reckoning and Celestial Navigation. Their boats likely had VHF radios, perhaps RDFs, but little else. And even these would be barely usable. 50 years later there are few of who would leave their slip without a full suite of electronics with redundant GPS just in case.

In 2013 the "Hawaii" W36 was listed for sale. The broker filmed this video which is still on the internet. He gets many of the statistics about the boat roughly wrong (WBO archives has the original letter from the owner to Willard Marine), but still very watchable.

Peter

https://youtu.be/0KNpJrXtKUs

 

[charlesamilton]

Really enjoying everyone's feedback. This question is probably going to sound stupid but here goes..... the islands of the Bahamas seem idyllic but a bit monotonous , is that so ? I have only been there once for a few days but is it a place to spend say a year? or will customs even allow you to stay there that long? I do realize that being bored with paradise sounds silly but just looking for input.

 

[Steve1.0]

There is much to see through out the Bahamas, deserted islands to..well Nassau. Here is a link to the ministry of health. https://travel.gov.bs/
Boats are generally allowed six month cruising permits and must be renewed for longer stays. Not a big deal, more of a tourist tax. The latest trend with many of the marinas is a "resort fee".
Bimini Big Game Club had no "fee" for decades, then the casino/marina resort opened and started charging one, so the BGC decided they needed to follow suit.
That has spread to many of the nicer facilities.
Hundreds of beautiful anchorages through out. World class fishing and diving. You just have to get used to traveling in 10'-15' of water while on the banks. It looks like 3' over super clear areas and is unnerving at first.
The "fish mud" is another fun illusion. Looks like a sand bar. Trust your charts and sounder.

 

[BandB]

Really enjoying everyone's feedback. This question is probably going to sound stupid but here goes..... the islands of the Bahamas seem idyllic but a bit monotonous , is that so ? I have only been there once for a few days but is it a place to spend say a year? or will customs even allow you to stay there that long? I do realize that being bored with paradise sounds silly but just looking for input.

Hundreds of islands, all different, much like people. Something special about each area. Ezumas certainly different than Abacos or Berry's. Nassau far different than outlying areas.

We live 60 miles from the Bahamas but hundreds of miles from some and they are often our fallback choice of places to go, but we've never been when we haven't enjoyed our trip there.

Still, whether you'd enjoy a year there or a year in any general location, is a matter of your personality a bit. My wife and I like to see a lot of different places so likely will never spend a year straight in one area. That would include the Caribbean as well though. However, I know many who have spent very long periods (year and more) in the Bahamas and only grown to love them more.

 

[bumpkin]

beauty! thanks for the info, any advise for the loop? do it in sections? all at once? 2 years? my 92 year old dad wants to come with me at least part of the time so I better hurry up, although hes in better shape than I am

The biggest source of loop information would be AGLCA. For more information, go to their website https://greatloop.org/page/JoinUs I copied the link that includes, why join.

Your boat is just fine for heading out to parts unknown. When you join the AGLCA you will be connected to people: who have finished the loop one or more times, who are in process, and who are planning to go.
The variety of boats that are used on the loop is pretty interesting. Those that have had fun on the loop take their boats on to other challenges.

Mike

 

[Group9]

You have to keep in mind, that the Bahamas are as big, or even bigger than the entire Caribbean.

I've been to a few places in the Caribbean, and a lot of places in the Bahamas. The main thing I love about the Bahamas, is how easy it is to find a beautiful place to anchor, and maybe not see another boat for days.

The places you can do that in the Caribbean, are getting fewer and fewer, and in fact most of the good anchorage seem to be very crowded a lot of the time.

And, if you really feel the need to be surrounded by two or three hundred other boats, there is always Georgetown!

 

[BandB]

You have to keep in mind, that the Bahamas are as big, or even bigger than the entire Caribbean.

Sorry but Bahamas are 5,300 sq miles and Caribbean is 106,000 sq miles.

Bahamas could easily be tucked into a corner of the Caribbean.

 

[rardoin]

Sorry but Bahamas are 5,300 sq miles and Caribbean is 106,000 sq miles.

Bahamas could easily be tucked into a corner of the Caribbean.

I presume Group9 was referring to land mass. ?? Windward and Leeward islands.

 

[BandB]

I presume Group9 was referring to land mass. ??

Regardless, no comparison.

 

[Group9]

Sorry but Bahamas are 5,300 sq miles and Caribbean is 106,000 sq miles.

Bahamas could easily be tucked into a corner of the Caribbean.

I’m sorry, I’m just not looking for a fight. Go look somewhere else.

 

[BandB]

I’m sorry, I’m just not looking for a fight. Go look somewhere else.

Not fighting, just don't want to give the OP a misimpression so retrieved facts. Didn't argue at all with the rest of your post or your opinions offered. Perhaps you were intending the comparison to a certain part of the Caribbean or a few islands. If so, that would be clearer.

 

[charlesamilton]

my travel dreams seem to be changing to the loop, then the keys,then to the bahamas, that doesn't sound so bad now does it. Interesting hearing all the different perspectives but a common thread seems to be throughout. I still have New England to discover this summer, Newport, Block, Nantucket, New York harbor, the sound, Mystic, Watch Hill, MV, the cape, hey maybe Ill just stay here and save some diesel !

 

[diver dave]

Emotionally, the beginning of the "Caribbean" starts for the SE bound vessels beyond "Chicken Harbour" AKA Georgetown Exuma.

 

[BandB]

Emotionally, the beginning of the "Caribbean" starts for the SE bound vessels beyond "Chicken Harbour" AKA Georgetown Exuma.

So true and for many Turks and Caicos are sort of the jumping off spot as they cross from the Atlantic to the Caribbean, often with first stop in the Caribbean being the Dominican Republic.

The Lucayan Archipelago consists of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Now, all this is getting to the Eastern Caribbean. The Western Caribbean is reached primarily two ways. One is from the Eastern. The other is from Key West or Cuba. Cuba is actually in the Northern Caribbean.

 

[Hippocampus]

Many sailors land in Antigua or like the ARC St.Lucia when crossing east to west.

Many get to western Caribbean from west coast via the Panama Canal. Know folks who went windwards, ABCs, San Bas. With the craziness on the mainland coast in recent years people are concerned about pirates around the ABCs but Bonnair still has great appeal for those who dive. So folks continue to go that way. There’s a separate gyre in the southern Caribbean Sea. Easier to go south portion of it when heading west. The Spanish used the north portion to transport their gold which may explain in part why some islands are Spanish speaking and others English. Of course the outliers are the Danes and Portuguese.

 

[bumpkin]

Bahama

The best month to travel will depend on your route and where you want to go, but generally speaking, the best time to cruise the Caribbean is from December to April. There are a few different routes you can take when cruising to the Caribbean, but the most popular route is from Florida to the Bahamas. This route is popular because it is relatively short, and there are many islands to explore in the Bahamas. You can find many other exciting routes to explore at https://www.freetour.com/. I always make all my trip plan with the information from there.

Hello Lsaisslai always good to see new people.

I'm currently in Florida and docked next to a motor boater, recommending going in May and staying until storm activity starts to pick up. He says any earlier and the wind blows too much.

I hate to go against local knowledge, but it sounds too warm then. I'm planning to bump across in January for a month or so.

Mike

 

[mvweebles]

Caribbean is a pretty large body of water. Maybe be a bit more specific in trip endpoints? Trip from Tampa to Roatan bears little resemblance to trip from Ft Lauderdale to Puerto Rico; yet both are roughly similar distances.

Also, Pilot Charts are a good starting place for research. May is a good month for the passage, but butts-up against Hurricane season pretty quickly.

Peter

 

[Mike Lowthian]

Ahoy. I don't post much but have to put my 2 cents in. Had a 42 Ocean Alexander for a long time and circumnavigated the Caribbean - south from Cuba, across to Mexico and gunk holed all the way to Venezuela. Crossed over to Grenada and turned north hitting every island in the way back to the Bahamas. took a long time, 2 or 3 months at a time over 10 years. Best time of my life! Don't listen to all the nay sayers. Most have never done it. Load up on charts and the right cruising guides. Watch for the right weather. Stay away from the open ocean as much as you can and go for it. You will not regret it. Good luck.

 

[SailorGreg]

my travel dreams seem to be changing to the loop, then the keys,then to the bahamas, that doesn't sound so bad now does it. Interesting hearing all the different perspectives but a common thread seems to be throughout. I still have New England to discover this summer, Newport, Block, Nantucket, New York harbor, the sound, Mystic, Watch Hill, MV, the cape, hey maybe Ill just stay here and save some diesel !

Sounds like a a better plan. Yes you could get to the Caribbean in that boat, probably. But once you got there I don’t think you would enjoy it all that much. Better in a much bigger power boat or a sailboat.
After three seasons in the Caribbean ( sailing) and seven in the Bahamas, mostly power, and many, many trips through Maine and New England, I suspect that of all the options you mention, the least compatible with your boat, and most difficult to get to, is the Caribbean.
First off, the Caribbean can be really crowded in season. Take a look at Marine Traffic. For many areas, anchoring space is limited to the edges of shelfs and drop offs, so congested. Read Hippocampus stuff carefully. You might spend a month at one island before it is safe for you to make the short passage in open water to the next island.
One quick example, We were on a heavy ocean going sailboat and used 6’ seas and 25 knots as the go/ no go for travel between high sided islands. If the forecast said 6 and 25, we would expect 10’ and gusting 35-40 in the compression zone. And that is normal trade winds conditions. Think 10’ short period, on the beam. In your boat. Survivable, yes, enjoyable, I don’t think so.
After our third season in the Caribbean we came back through the Bahamas. Loved it. Wouldn’t even consider going back to the Caribbean. The water in the Bahamas is incredibly clear. You can anchor most anywhere, often by yourself. Still, plenty of challenges here. Cold fronts come once a week or so, provisioning can be a challenge, and you really need a water maker. You will be on your own for repairs, etc.
We are SCUBA qualified and dove quite a bit in the Caribbean. But the snorkeling in the Bahamas is outstanding. No tanks needed. On todays snorkel trip we saw three nurse sharks, one curious reef shark, got up close to many turtles, had a spotted eagle ray swim underneath us, all six feet of him. Cool. Typical day.
You might enjoy our blog: mvprivateer.com. Lots of Bahamas stuff, as well as ways to get there .
Greg

 

[Sealife]

Bahamas had way too many sharks for me when spearfishing. The water was also too cold, I like 80°F. There is a larger cruising community and BASRA. Once you leave there, you are kind of self sufficient. We found the harder it is too get to, the more rewarding it was. I would highly recommend a water maker, if not for money, it is very convenient and takes away any questions about quality. Fuel capacity and range is important further down island and especially in Western Caribbean because of availability and more importantly quality.

 

[Sealife]

I will also add: bring absolutely everything you will need. It is either extremely expensive or of poor quality in our experience.

 

[Hippocampus]

Have not done the thornless path. Have done passage between Newport to Antigua or BVI a dozen. Have done every island except Barbuda and Saba in the entire chain several times . Even forgetting passage and doing the thornless path wouldn’t do this on 36’SD hull. Inter island travel can be nasty due to compression zones.

 

[charlesamilton]

newbie no more

I am preparing for the loop then the bahamas, f the carribean, my newbiness will take his sweet gb where it is most happy and that makes me happy!!

 

[slowgoesit]

Good on you! The loop will make a hellava shakedown cruise for your boat!

 

[cardude01]

I am preparing for the loop then the bahamas, f the carribean, my newbiness will take his sweet gb where it is most happy and that makes me happy!!

Great idea. The Bahamas are awesome. I could cruise there forever.

 

[mvweebles]

I am preparing for the loop then the bahamas, f the carribean, my newbiness will take his sweet gb where it is most happy and that makes me happy!!

We are preparing to head south from Ensenada, MX, south of San Diego. While my wife has a fair amount of experience (to use a skiing analogy, she's a "Blue" slope cruiser), she is worried about unknown, or difficult conditions. So we will make decisions along the way based on the knowledge and experience we've developed at the time of the decision, not before.

By the time you need to make a decision whether to explore the Caribbean or not, you will know so much more than you do now. No sense muddling your thinking with 'what-ifs' until then. Hard part is shoving-off. After that, decisions are easy.

Peter

 

[Hippocampus]

Timing for many is determined by insurance. Being in the hurricane zone june 1 to nov1 is expensive. We either did the salty Dawg rally to/from Newport RI (sometime via Hampton Va) or went south of 10S to not violate the terms of insurance.
If you are on your own boat there’s no viable reason to stay in any island where cruise ships land or there are charter boat fleets. It’s a totally different experience if you avoid those overcrowded places. You also get to avoid those down for just one week so feel the need to stay drunk, obnoxious, loud and disobey rules of the road. They feel the need to pack it in so some ruin the experience for others. Sure most people are considerate but there’s also a few bad eggs anywhere you go.
Where the island isn’t totaled dependent upon tourist dollars the culture is different and in many respect more pleasant. Think it’s fine to travel through the leewards as they do have much to offer but generally a one and done thing. Whereas you can fully enjoy hanging out in the windwards for years and years.