would you take a 240SD to the Bahamas?

I'm not saying a 24 foot boat is not big enough. What I'm saying is a 24 foot bow rider is the wrong type of boat to be on the open ocean. I've swamped my bow rider before on the river and it's an "interesting" moment. A 240SD is not like a Grady White or Throphy where the water can just woosh out the back end. It's like a big bathtub with an engine compartment that will hold water. I would also question if a 240SD can handle a true 2-3 chop on open water very well. That is about the boat's freeboard on the bow. What happens if it becomes 4 feet?

The 240SD is a great boat... but... back to the original question... I would not do it. My mother always told me something like "If all your friends ran off a cliff, would you follow them?"
 
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chuck1 said:
Sounds good to me:thumbsup: Have you signed up for the CSR TN River trip? Presently I'm planning out a FL East Coast ICW/(Out side if the weather is good) trip. Starting out at St Simmons GA and running all the way down the coast.
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How do I sign up for CSR trips? I also have some friends that are from St Simmons and they have been talking about doing some inner coastal trips. I would definately be interested in the FL East Coast ICW so keep me posted please....
 
Four Suns said:
I'm not saying a 24 foot boat is not big enough. What I'm saying is a 24 foot bow rider is the wrong type of boat to be on the open ocean. I've swamped my bow rider before on the river and it's an "interesting" moment. A 240SD is not like a Grady White or Throphy where the water can just woosh out the back end. It's like a big bathtub with an engine compartment that will hold water. I would also question if a 240SD can handle a true 2-3 chop on open water very well. That is about the boat's freeboard on the bow. What happens if it becomes 4 feet?

The 240SD is a great boat... but... back to the original question... I would not do it. My mother always told me something like "If all your friends ran off a cliff, would you follow them?"
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Gary, Gary The 240SD can handle 2-3 foot chop without a problem and yes it can even handle 4 & 5 foot seas. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree:thumbsup:

and yes, back on topic

With the right planning, weather and group I would take a 240SD to the Bahamas?


 
I think folks underestimate just what 2-3 foot seas are. It's already pretty uncomfortable in that size boat in those seas, even in an offshore capable 24 footer.

4-5 foot seas are guaranteed to swamp an open bow recreational boat. I've been out there where it's like glass and one of those South Florida squalls will come up and you're in 4-6 foot seas in no time. Then what?
 
I live in S Fla, and before I got the 320, I had a 25' Doral Cruiser and while it had no problem taking 4'-5' seas, it was not a lot of fun to get pounded. I have a lot of friends that go together to Bimini in their boats which are in the 24-28' range, but I never felt comfortable with one engine and a small gas tank which is one of the reasons I sold that boat and bought the 320. Additionally, a lot of insurance agencies will NOT cover you in a smaller boat more than 25 miles from shore, so you need to take a look at your policy before crossing and see. Finally, if your boat is not documented with the Coast Guard (which most small boats are not), and there is a problem in the Bahamas or any place out of the United States, you loose some protection as to the title of your boat.

So, can you make the trip, should you; well, it really depends on your comfort zone, your safety zone, and the seas at the time of your trip. A lot of boats from here go over, so if and when you're ready, let us all know and I'm sure you will find someone to tag up with.
Barry
 
I think 2-3 or even 3-4's would be ok on the 240, but the comfort factor wouldn't. The boat CAN handle it but can the rest of the crew? Wives tend to get really pissed when they believe the kids are in danger which leads to her b**ching at you which leads to lack of concentration. I learned this on an 18 foot bowrider in 4-5's with water coming over the bow, she was screaming, I was laughing :smt100 My brother sank that sea ray later that summer. In hindsight, I'm glad my son wasn't aboard at the time because I probably wouldn't have been laughing. If you do make the trip, run with the bow cover on even if the water is like glass when you leave the dock. Conditions never gradually change, its more like instantly it seems. SB
 
Well. . .I have to say the the thought of going onto the ocean two-four miles from shore was a key factor in my buying a 28' cuddy over a 22'-24' class bowrider. Going 60 miles in a bow rider like that would get me *really* nervous. Not sure I would venture a 60 mile water crossing like that in my boat -> even with twin engines!

Think about what it means to be going in a group as suggested. . . .You don't REALLY think some one in a 24 footer is going to tow another 24 footer are you? And even if you have one or two 35 footers with you. . are they REALLY going to to tow a 24 footer for 20 miles? Only in ideal conditions, I bet. The real purpose of the other boats are to act as life rafts.

How expendible do you consider your 240SD?

And I hear you about the Admiral. Funny how they don't seem to help in crunch moments. I had a bad moment in an ocean inlet a few months back where one of my engines quit -> with 2'-4' swells and a good healthy current in reasonably cramped quarters. The Admiral *immediately* got out her cell and inquired about the SeaTow membership.

She knew I had just shut down an overheated engine (the one with the power steering pump, darn it!), but did not realize that with one good engine we could comfortably (albeit with elevated heart rate and blood pressure) maneuver out of the inlet back into the bay.
 
I would maybe consider a DA, but no way for a SD.

Plus for the 240DA I would need lots of this....in the original spill proof decanter

Pusser's navy rum.
 

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I boat on Lake Superior and have been caught in some nasty stuff. I always put the bow canvas up in heavy seas but we took huge hits over the bow and it became a real concern. If we would have had mechanical problems I assure you we would have been in serious trouble. Nice boat but not what they're made for. Running together is great but when you finally get to where you need help you are asking your rescuers to put themselves at risk. No open bows or single engines for me when I'm out on real water.
 
I personally wouldn't try making that crossing with my experience even in a 280DA. I wet myself 2 miles from shore when a wave broke over my bow. Everyone on board, including my dog, were not happy campers. And the water took longer than I expected to drain out.
 
How far is it. I'm not sure I'd want to do it in a BR or Sundeck, but I had the 230OV in 12 seas about 6 years ago. That was not fun for sure, but the boat did handle it. We had the full canvas up which helped the rogue waves crashing over from swamping the boat.
The crossing was 27+ miles in the Straight of Georgia(Vancouver Island to the Canadian mainland). Confidence in the boat wasn't the issue, I just wanted to make sure I had enough fuel to putt accross if I needed.
 
I cannot even count the days when we started somewhere in a 3-4 ft chop only to encounter 8 ft seas as the day worn on.....or leave on a trip with winds forcast to be 10-15 kts only to find a front stalled or on has accelerated during the day and 25-30 kt winds is where we ended up.

I don't think the question to answer is "Can a 240 go to the bahamas?", but can the 240 handle the Murphy's Law occurences along the way.
 
A lot of people make trips of this nature in small open boats. I'm sure a good portion are not mechanically sound either. Still, the vast majority come back with nothing but great memories.

For me, I would not do it. The reason is you need at least 3 hours in good weather to make it. If it starts to get a little sloppy, you need much longer. If it is a little sloppy, you are asking a lot of the boat and yourself to be running in poor conditions for at least several hours. You and your crew will face significant discomfort (even seasickness) for a long period. Your mechanical equipment will be strained as well increasing the liklihood of a failure. Not to mention if you have to slow down to subplaning speeds, you likely will not have enough fuel.

So, the way I look at it is this: If you go, I would be willing to bet $100 you will return with no problems. However, you will be wagering a lot more. If something does go wrong ( and this kind of trip has good potential for it), you are likely to lose the vessel or worse.
 
If I were adventurous, I would consider it. But I would also have every piece of Nautical Safety equipment known to man including an inflatable life raft if I had to ditch.

But alas, I am not that adventurous and would even have to think twice about trying that trip in my 260DA even though it's "ocean rated".
 
Sure, why not. If 40 Cubans can tie logs together...:smt001
 
Nehalennia said:
Ok Officially we've hit a new, but hillariously funny new low.

Gary, would you take your Dinghy out in this. weiner or no weiner?
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Are those waves? They look weird almost like a whale or large submarine is surfacing behind you.
 
I made alot of runs like this with my 270SD. Got to be a ho-hum thing until I got caught in the dark w/35 knot winds, gusts over 40. Had to pass two small harbors, no way to enter them in that weather(what a feeling). 2.5 hours to make the last 15 miles. I don't scare easy but that night I got scared. My boat was carrying some precious cargo(grandkid). Did the boat "handle it"? It kept running and didn't go down but that is all. Plan for the worst. The 240SD is not meant for open water cruising and sooner or later you'll wish you were home watching TV.
 
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