Across the Atlantic in a Sea Ray

capn mike

New Member
Jun 9, 2018
7
Boat Info
Gulfstar 50
Engines
Yanmar 4JH4-TE
Hello y'all. I got kind of a silly question just for the sake of curiosity.
Do any of you know of some one having crossed the Atlantic (or pacific for that matter) in a Sea Ray?
If you do know of some one having done it, how big was their boat, and what style was it?

I've been debating with a friend as to whether it could be done. We agree it is possible, but my friend thinks it would only happen in the most ideal conditions. My opinion is that a 40 foot Sea Ray could handle an atlantic storm as long as the waves were not more than 8 feet.
I also think if a 40 foot sea ray was caught in an ocean storm with dead engines, they could through out a sea anchor if they have one and tie it to the front of the boat. That way the boat is always facing the oncoming waves. What do you think about this idea?

To give you an idea of myself, I'm more of a sailboater, I do enjoy the speed of a sea ray from time to time.

Thanks for your input,
Mike
 
Aside from the questions of seaworthiness, it would need to carry loads of extra fuel. I think the MY models had some big tanks, but SR notoriously have pretty short range compared so the boats designed for long distance cruising.
 
I’ve crossed the Atlantic several times, and as much as I love my 410, it ain’t nowhere near the vessel for that type of journey. Suicide mission for sure.
 
You'd have to be towing a fuel barge behind you.
 
This is like asking if you could go over Niagra Falls in a barrel. Of course you could, but why?

8’ maximum seas are a pipe dream. Try 30’ swells with 14’ cresting wind waves. A Sea anchor is basic equipment, but loss of power? At that point you’re talking rescue at sea rather than waiting things out.

My boat could theoretically do it, with A Ocean rating and 1200+ nm range at idle speed. Newfoundland to the Azores to Portugal with time at each stop for oil changes and other maintenance but again, why? It would be cheaper and safer to load the boat onto a transport ship and enjoy the ride.
 
if we are talking a non stop crossing i think not a single model has the range capability , i guess very few recreational motor yachts have whatever brand . seawothiness might be sufficient if in summer months and good planning with the forecast . but basicly none searay is designed for transatlantic crossings i think
 
Columbus did it, so why can't Capn Mike do it? Just pack lots of limes for the rum & scurvy. :)
Heck ya, even this 19yo kid could do it, piece of cake.:cool:
OTC-CraneBoatNew.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies. I do see the fuel requirements being an issue.

But, how about this idea:
You start with a Sea Ray 360 with an aft cabin. First, you replace the two massive V-8's with a couple little 2 or 3 cylinder diesels that can idle along for days at 1300 RPM and use less than a gallon per hour each.
At that rate, you might be able to do 4 knots, so basically you're getting roughly 2 nautical miles per gallon, maybe more?
The you convert the aft cabin to storage for extra fuel, water, and food.
Leave Newfoundland in early June and head straight for Ireland.

I think it would be a rather nice little journey, since the seas will be mostly calm-ish, and the costs wouldn't be too bad. Heck, you would probably make money by selling the two big engines and buying the two little diesels. At that rate, the fuel will cost roughly 3 or 4 thousand. Add another thousand for food and whiskey, and you're looking at a trip that costs about 5 grand.
For two people, that's only 2500 bucks each, and now you've got a nice little boat to putt around Europe in.
The journey will put about 1000 hours on your motors, but that's 1000 continuous low rpm hours. That's nothing for a little diesel engine.
How bout them apples?!?
 
But again ...why would you? At 4Kts you won't be outrunning any storms should the weather suddenly turn ...which could easily be a life ending event. Why not just fly to Europe and buy a boat there?
 
If you really want to motor to Europe, how about in an Elling E3? They are self righting, built for rough weather and enjoy the life of luxury.
 
Those Ellings sure are nice, but even the cheaper used ones start at 200k and most are 300k. A decent condition 36 ft sea ray can be found for 25k to 35k. You could buy a whole fleet of sea rays for the cost of a single Elling.

BTW, I'm definitely not going to do this, but it is fun to think about the mechanical possibilities.

Back to the original question, I guess no one has ever attempted an Atlantic crossing in a sea ray.
Just as well. They probably would not have made it.
 
One of my friends has an Elling and it is gorgeous. As far as trying to compare a 25k to 35k dollar Sea Ray to an Elling you are not in the same area code with these two boats. He has also soloed across the Atlantic twice in a 27 foot Catalina sailboat.. 30 days over through the North Atlantic and 48 days coming back in the southern Atlantic. Not on my radar screen because of the pucker factor involved
 
He has also soloed across the Atlantic twice in a 27 foot Catalina sailboat..

WOW, that is truly awesome. I must tell you that in my younger days, the first boat I ever bought was a 27 foot Catalina. I also thought I could sail it across the Atlantic and I didn't even know how to sail. I literally mean that I had never been sailing before that. Well, I quickly found out the 27 foot Catalina wasn't exactly meant to be ocean material so I sold it.
Many years later, now I'm sitting in a 50 foot Gulfstar.
That's really awesome to know that some one did it in a Catalina 27 and they did it twice.
Maybe I should have kept mine back when I was younger.

Well, now that I know a Catalina can cross the Atlantic, I'm actually a little more optimistic about the ocean fairing Sea Ray... ha ha just kidding.
 
Taking this a bit more real (i.e. not doing a non-stop route because it's impossible), if you had a SR of decent size with a range of 500-600 miles, this trip could be possible depending on the availability of fuel at the southern tip of Greenland.

One would basically go up the eastern coast of North America, jump across around Newfoundland for the ~400 mile trip to Naak, Greenland. You'd then hug the Greenland coast before eventually crossing to Iceland. From Iceland, the Faroe Islands show up in about 300-ish miles. From there, the final stretch to either England or Ireland are another 200-300 miles.

This would obvious require some serious planning, fuel range calculations, and ideally not going in the North Atlantic winter where huge swells are commonplace.
 
There was a boat at our marina that had 440 Chrysler in it that went from Florida to Panama to Vancouver in 1960. It was a 50 foot wood boat. He said the owner had the entire back deck covered in 45 gallon drums and others where ever they could put them. They made it. Think Sea Transport is less and a little safer.
 
I get nervous in a Lear 60, and we go Gander-Reykavik for gas, and then over to the UK.
 
Give'r a shot! Just bring an EPIRB & a couple of Energy Drinks.
 

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