Small boats I've taken to the islands!

I took this one back and forth many times in the '80's

1986 Formula 242 SS 260 Merc/Alpha 1:thumbsup:
 

Attachments

  • 242 Formula.jpg
    242 Formula.jpg
    107.3 KB · Views: 164
Any photos of the boundary of the ocean and the Gulf Stream?

There is a color shift of the gulfstream waters vs the coastal waters off South Florida. With a mile of shore the water is a soft yellowish emerald green, 1-3 miles the water is geenish blue and outside 3 miles the water becomes the most beautiful deep blue a man has ever seen. The word that best describs it is Azure and it is crystal clear to 40-50 feet and is the western edge of the gulfstream. From Port Everglades, the heart or axis of the GulF Stream is about 12 to 14 NM off shore.

The color boundry between coastal <100 ft and the near coastal water from >100 but < 600 is pretty sharp. The color shift takes place within a 40 foot boat length as does a temperature shift down. I'm told is due to a dramatic increase in salinity in the deeper water. The coastal/ blue water boundry marks where many fishermen like to begin their troll for big game that come in to pick off the reef fish.:thumbsup:

The deep open Ocean water color is much more a subtle shift not stark, but you know you're there when you see it. I suspect there isn't a mariner alive that doesn't love the deep blue color of the open water under the keel (on a nice day). On a day of full blown crap that same water is steel grey and attacks you like a battle ship, but I digress!
 
Last edited:
The deep open Ocean water color is much more a subtle shift not stark, but you know you're there when you see it. I suspect there isn't a mariner alive that doest love the deep blue color of the open water under the keel (on a nice day). On a day of full blown crap that same water is steel grey and attacks you like a battle ship, but I digress!

It must be female...
 
Just a small note on small boats <30 ft. crossing the Gulfstream.

This body of water between the Bahama Bank and the coastal waters of South Florida is one of the most unpredictable bodies of water in the western hemisphere. Small craft should avoid crossing when the winds are out of the northerly directions in any condition more than a whisper. With a northbound current of 2-3 knots and a wind from the north at 10 knots will quickly build 6 foot or larger chop perhaps with crossing wave patterns and steep walls. A skipper in such condition in smaller boat will be fully challenged, will quickly fatigue, and an autopilot may not be responsive enough to prevent broaching. On the other hand a 15 knot wind from the south will typically create longer swell and some white capping but the ride comfortable and exciting.

In any size boat, I want to make my crossing at first light clearing the jetties just after "false dawn". The winds are generally down to nothing, the sea state settled well into 9-9:30 and I'll be east of the GF axis and have the Cays on my radar (a great time to drop that troll too).

I have seen a lot of interest here at CSR over time in skippers wanting to take trailer-able open design boats to the Bahamas crossing the GF. We see this done here in SoFla all the time, but they tend to be of the open center console ocean fishing design such as 28-32 ft SeeVee or Grady White etc., these are build for open ocean work. A skipper with an 18 ft. bathtub with an outboard crossing the GF is simply ill advised to undertake such a passage.

As Barry and Ray have previously contributed in this thread and others, The Bahamian Government sponsors flotillas to the islands and organizes shore side activities as well. This is a good way to start and there is some comfort in numbers and not going it alone. But there is a point of reality to be discussed. Different boats take the seas differently, some can run fast in 3 ft chop and others can not make more than 12 knots without bring beaten to an inch of the lives. In these group crossings the lead boats, larger 40-60 footers will run at their fastest/economical cruising speeds and the flotilla quickly gets spread out. On the crossing I crewed for BarryG last year we quickly lost radio contact with the back of the fleet due to distance and many of these smaller boats were relying on inadequate hand held radios incapable of carrying much distance. With a flotilla or going it alone, a skipper has to make sure he can get his vessel and crew to a safely harbor ... alone! In this group there was SR open bucket in with a crew of 6 aboard, I watched them bury the bow on every wave! It was going to be along and perilous day for them.

In that crossing we encountered a 2-3 foot chop running on long cycle swell. The best BarryG could run and keep crew on board was 14-18 knots and barely on a plane, we tucked in close behind a 46 footer and ran in his wake where the seas had been plowed flatter for us, and we could run better. But, had we tried to lead the fleet at hull speed of 30 knots, we'd have been creamed by even three foot chop. A consequence of the sea state was that BarryG had to burn 50% more fuel plowing his way to Bimini as we could couldn't get up on plane, but that was a better choice than risking damage to boat and injury to crew (me).

Boats designed for lake and coastal crusing would be smart to only consider crossing to the Bahamas in the best of weather, choosing instead the Florida Keys for their adventures. And Keep those greenbacks home!
 
Good write up Chad.
I'll add that my w/a boats handled ALOT better than my 240 da. The 240 da doesn't track as well and it bangs and rattles everything in the boat when it gets rough.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,945
Messages
1,422,746
Members
60,928
Latest member
rkaleda
Back
Top