Maximum Draft for the Bahamas

[labaxter]

What is the maximum draft to comfortably cruise the Bahamas?

[Auspicious]

There is a very recent thread on this subject on SailNet. I think the consensus was "six inches less than you have."

[maxingout]

I would not want to have more than five feet of draft. That will get me into most places that I really want to go. There will be a few places that I won't be able to get to, but most of the really great places will be accessible.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

There is a very recent thread on this subject on SailNet. I think the consensus was "six inches less than you have."

I think that's the answer to most questions...

[stacy]

I have read the other threads on this issue and I was wondering if the various draft recommendations reflected the actual depth of water or just what the captains felt comfortable with. ie- needing 2', 3' or 4' of water under the keel. Any thoughts?

[ArmyChief]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

There is a very recent thread on this subject on SailNet. I think the consensus was "six inches less than you have."

Cmon..he did not ask what would stop chasing the women away

[chuckr]

to serious for a minute - we were there last year for 5 1/2 months and we have a 5' draft and had a great time - we know of one boat that had a 6 1/2' draft - they just had to be a bit more cautious than those with less draft - by the way we went from bimini to naussau down the exhumas over to long island down the jimentos to ragged island and the crossed over to crooked acklins bight to clearancetown to rum then island hopped to eleuthra to spanish wells to abacos to northern islands and finally came out at grand cay to sail back to the states --
so we saw a lot of the water and the key is knowing your boat and where you can and can not go -
by the way explorer charts are spot on -- use them and believe them - we also used cmap and it was also exactly spot on -- Navonics was not (that is all i will say)

chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the hook deltaville va

[ArmyChief]

Chuck,

I've been lookcing at property on Long island..what do you think of the place..have not been there yet. But plan on it next year

[chuckr]

we love the people there and had a great time - the island is way but is close - know that may not make sense but is it different from the islands north of it - thompson bay is a great anchorage and they have a few marinas on the west side that can take shallow draft - spelled power boats or trawlers -
it is long and a lot to do from one end to the other - you may also want to look at eleuthera -

chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the hook deltaville va

[cfarrar]

There's no hard and fast answer to this question. We basically did chuckr's route - in a different sequence - with a draft of 5 ' 3". Plenty of days we were cruising on banks with the fathometer reading 7' for long stretches at a time, steering between coral heads or shallow spots. Then there's the occasional brush with 6' or less in order to enter an anchorage, or just because you passed over a shallow spot or a coral head you didn't really plan on. So, depending on where you want to go, 5 ft is quite practical, 6 ft is workable but with less comfort margin, and 7 ft would definitely restrict you from some of the inner banks, passages, and anchorages. Chuckr is spot on, though. You just have to know your boat, use the explorer charts, and watch the water.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by labaxter

What is the maximum draft to comfortably cruise the Bahamas?

Go with whatever you've got. How "comfortable" you are will depend on your experience. I would not let draft deter me from buying a well found cruising boat. Whatever your draft you will make allowances and also get into most anchorages. Last year while anchored in GT a 80 odd foot Australian sailboat came very near to me in the anchorage. He was underway. I spoke to the skipper as he went past. The reason he was going through the anchorage and not through the "big boat channel" was that he drew 9 feet!! In GT certain spots in the anchorage are deeper than the main boat channel. I watched him and he got out Conch Cut! I draw 5'06" and have not had any problems in any of the anchorages. There are some spots south of Cave Cay in the Exumas where a 4 foot draft will let you get further south on the inside (on the Banks side) but most folks head into the sound once they get past Farmers Cay or Cave Cay.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by ArmyChief

Cmon..he did not ask what would stop chasing the women away

Yes, and certain questions can be answered by "Six inches more than you actually have."

[ArmyChief]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Yes, and certain questions can be answered by "Six inches more than you actually have."

Doh! .... good thing I'VE never heard that statement ..<G>

[gbanker]

We took 7 1/2' through the Bahamas last fall. Not cruising, a delivery. Spent the winter of 91 - 92 in the Bahamas on a centerboard that drew 4', still managed to go aground. Going back next April, May, June on our catamaran and looking forward to it as she draws 4'.

Seen to remember looking through the various cruising guides (and charts) at the anchorages and a lot showed 6' where the little anchor was drawn. So anything less than that should be fine.

Less draft = more options, more draft = less options.

[boatsmith]

The less the better.