Planning a trip from Tampa Bay to Key West next Summer

FLBoater66

Member
Jun 23, 2018
67
Boat Info
2006 Sea Ray 240 Sundancer.
Engines
2006 Mercruiser 5.0 litre
Hello all, I am looking for some guidance and tips as I plan a trip for my wife and I next summer. We are planning to take the boat from our home in Apollo Beach, FL.(It is on the South East side of Tampa Bay), to Key West. It charts out to be approximately 325 miles in total. We recently purchased a 2006 Sea Ray 240 Sundancer. It has the 5.0 Litre MPI Motor, A/C and a full camper package. We have yet to take it on an overnight trip, but plan to do several before we attempt the trip to the Keys. That said, I am anticipating that we will ride tight to the Coast line all the way down to Naples and then hug tight to the South side of Ten Thousand Islands and then shoot over to Islamorada, FL. We will then follow the Key islands down to Key West. I am thinking of tackling 110 - 120 miles per day and docking at Marinas overnight. I am figuring 2 nights and 3 days down, then after a weeks stay, we will do 2 nights and three days back. My only real point of concern is running from Naples to Islamorada, FL. This is about an 80 mile stretch and is pretty desolate to say the least. My boating experience is on our previous 21' Angler 204 FX limited with a 2 stroke / 150 HP Yamaha engine. We owned it for 6 years and never traveled outside of Tampa Bay. We would regularly take it for day trips out to Egmont Key and back, approximately 52 miles round trip.
Being that My wife and I are new to long boating trips, I am open to any offers of advice and or suggestions.
 
I’ve never done this trip, but my understanding is people tend to get to Naples/Marco island, and then drive directly to the tip of key west (possibly waiting for the weather to clear up), about 90-100 miles, fueling up at one of the marinas there. Take that with a grain of salt, but this is my understanding. I understand what you are trying to do, staying close to land, but that land you are staying close to only helps to calm the seas, but presents a risk due to shallow water. It is desolate, so there is no help, few, if any, marinas around those parts.
 
Thanks for the tip, certainly something to consider.
 
Have done the trip both ways multiple times.

Going south, the last fuel is Marco Island. 20 NM or so south of Naples. Highly recommend Naples as a stop, but when you go in the inlet, you go back 4-5 miles north.

So, from downtown Naples, out the inlet, then to Marco - 20-25 NM. Last fuel before the Keys.

From Marco Island, turn south, stay west of the Marco shoals which extend quite a ways, Then turn to a heading which takes you on the east side of Bullard bank. Follow the markers down into Marathon.

From there - the Keys are easy and fun to explore. You can transit inside in Florida bay - or cross over to Hawks channel.

Be careful on range, nothing between Marco Island and Marathon.

Mark
 
Have done the trip both ways multiple times.

Going south, the last fuel is Marco Island. 20 NM or so south of Naples. Highly recommend Naples as a stop, but when you go in the inlet, you go back 4-5 miles north.

So, from downtown Naples, out the inlet, then to Marco - 20-25 NM. Last fuel before the Keys.

From Marco Island, turn south, stay west of the Marco shoals which extend quite a ways, Then turn to a heading which takes you on the east side of Bullard bank. Follow the markers down into Marathon.

From there - the Keys are easy and fun to explore. You can transit inside in Florida bay - or cross over to Hawks channel.

Be careful on range, nothing between Marco Island and Marathon.

Mark
Thanks Mark, that is GREAT Intel and I will certainly use it.
Thanks again and I may be reaching out to you directly if you don't mind.
 
Hi, I make that trip about 3-4 times a year. Would be glad to discuss and answer any questions. I have one boat in Tarpon Springs and the other in Crystal River. 352-949-8082.
 
Hi, I make that trip about 3-4 times a year. Would be glad to discuss and answer any questions. I have one boat in Tarpon Springs and the other in Crystal River. 352-949-8082.
Thank you Larry, I will certainly be calling you.
 
Hi, I make that trip about 3-4 times a year. Would be glad to discuss and answer any questions. I have one boat in Tarpon Springs and the other in Crystal River. 352-949-8082.
Larry,
What’s your decision making on the weather? I’m thinking in my 320, I can get to Marco/Naple in slightly bad weather, being able to stay inland, etc. but then, going from Marco to marathon, I would want really good seas, like 2 feet max, or 1-2 in the morning, 2-4 after noon, and I start at 6 or 7am to try and beat the 2-4. 4 hours of 3 footers might be okay if i was with the wind, but not against it. Scratch that, I just want 1-2mor less. Does that ever happen between Marco and Marathon? I just checked, and winds on Tuesday and Wednesday are 1-2, and Thursday through Saturday they are 2-3. A friend did this, and he stopped in Ft Meyers and just took the ferry down because the weather was not good for his 320. Which is a valid option. I’m assuming you plan that if the weather is bad, just stay in Naples/ft Meyers/Marco island, or maybe your boat can handle the 2-4?
 
Hi, I personally like 2’ or less on the run to the Keys. In the 320 I keep my legs at around 100 NM between fuel stops. In the 420 I go none stop from Clearwater. I like running in the open water when weather permits. Running the waterway from Tarpon Spring to Captiva Island adds close to 3 hours to the trip. I usually stop at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva for fuel or Marco Island depending on the weather. Check all available weather sources before you depart. Depart early in the morning helps, but a few times I have got caught half way between Marco and Marathon with a pop up thunder storm that went from dead calm waters to 5’ waves. I have also started back home and had to spend 3 days at Captiva waiting on the weather to improve. Biggest tip is you need to be flexible with your travel days, you might need to leave a day or two early, or lay over a day or two to get a nice day.
 
Never boat in your area but sounds fun. Word of caution have two means of electronic charts and paper ones also. We have two electronic chart plotters on the boat one very good the other not so good. This spring we were 400 knots from start point and the good chart plotter started to fail. It has the radar. It never completely failed but we cut our trip north short because we were not comfortable. I have not used it but some people have a tablet with Navionics as back up.
 
I am in Apollo Beach also. I am also planning to go Key West from Apollo Beach. I not sure of planning a trip to Key West by boat during Hurricane Season (June 1 to November 30) unless you are very flexible and also a very experienced boater. MarineMax Clearwater sponsors overnight boating trips. You may want to check with them to see if you get in some of their trips.
 
I am in Apollo Beach also. I am also planning to go Key West from Apollo Beach. I not sure of planning a trip to Key West by boat during Hurricane Season (June 1 to November 30) unless you are very flexible and also a very experienced boater. MarineMax Clearwater sponsors overnight boating trips. You may want to check with them to see if you get in some of their trips.
He is planning on doing it on March.
 
i just looked at it on the map and you'd be crazy to hug the coast of nothing.
from Marco island to key west is 92 miles. i'm not sure of your range on a 240 but i have a 290 with 140 gallons and i would make that run and just bring some extra fuel in cans in case the seas are rougher than expected. it would only be 3.5 hours instead of 211 miles roughly hugging the coat and the keys and another day. Thats a finish your coffee and be there before lunch kind of ride so it sounds perfect to me as long as the weather cooperates
 

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