my sailing club owns four
catalina 25's, which i occasionally crew on. not the greatest sailing
boat but it will get you there and back if you 'wait for weather'. don't be goaded into crossing on a marginal day, but if you do, remember that it's a lot easier to turn west and go back to
florida if you really get into some bad stuff.
the only serious navigating/sailing will be crossing the
gulf stream. spend your time planning your crossing strategy and all will be well. i regularly cross using only the explorer charts and a couple of handheld
gps units. this in a 37 foot heavy
displacement cutter.
once you've arrived you're 'on the bank', in shallow
water, so if the
weather turns really bad you can
anchor almost anywhere. we've often anchored in the middle of nowhere, out of sight of land, in 10 feet of
water. have at least a
boat length of chain plus 100 feet of line and a heavy
anchor, at least 25 pounds. i use a manson supreme now but used a plow and a danforth in the past.
if you decide to go to
bimini you'll find it's the cheapest place in the bahamas.
anchoring room can be difficult to find in
bimini harbor but maybe not for your boat.
from there you can cross the banks to the berry islands or run down the
east coast of andros. never been to andros but heard it's got some of the best
diving in the bahamas.
i've grown to love the abacos. going there you'll best cross from west palm or even boca inlet. go to west end to check in or go to memory rock, cross the little bahama bank by way of great
sale key and around to green turtle cay where you can clear in. the abacos are a terrific sailing area, especially for small boats.
you'll need a passport and $150 for entry. state boat
registration is ok. bring extra
fuel tanks for the
outboard. i recommend an
autopilot, although at least in the northern bahamas i did fine without one until the last few years.
don't rely on catching
fish. spear
guns are illegal but pole spears and hawaiian slings are not. carry as much water as you can. use a
propane stove - friends of mine used a thirty dollar coleman camp
stove for years. you won't need a lot in the way of
clothing. shorts, shirts, sneakers, flip flops. maybe a light rain jacket. a hat - mostly for sun protection. a complete first aid kit. bug screens - you can make your own. bring all of your favorite snacks - they are either unavailable or too expensive.
food, other than staples like beans and rice, is expensive.
fit a real
vhf and masthead
antenna. if you get in trouble in the
gulf stream, the coast guard can pick up your
distress call all the way from
florida to the bahamas.
swing your
compass before leaving and note the deviation on at least the four cardinal points.
i think you'll get hooked on the bahamas. fair winds and following seas....