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Old 01-08-2008, 11:48   #11
SydneyTim
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cruising USA & Caribbean
Boat: Passport 51 - Matsu
Posts: 49
The perfect draft for the Bahamas is 6" less than you have

You can cruise them with anything, and there are plenty of great anchorages, but you will always want to go to that one that is a bit skinny and wish you had less.

We did the Exumas with 7' 6" last year, fine, but missed most of the lovely anchorages in the channels, and I wouldn't want to explore some of the other areas with that much. That said never ran aground, while all around us boats drawing 5' did as they pushed and pushed to be that bit too close in!

IMHO once you get to 6' it's fairly irrelevant, as you can go to any of the islands, and anchor well but will also get misty eyed and wish you had 6" less to go to another anchorage!

I guess the what I'm trying to say is once you get around the 6' range don't walk away from an otherwise perfect boat for 3-4" of draft difference.
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