Any experience or advice sailing Blize with a mono hull?

[Headingbug]

Hello all,

We plan to sail the Caribbean sea and wondering if somebody got experiences sailing, mooring, anchorage or marina(s) in Belize (Cay Caulker or ...).

Our draft: 5.6' mono

Many thanks in advance for all feed back...

[belizesailor]

Have sailed most Belize in Monos up to 50' and just under 6' draft.

Lots of relativley shallow water around Caye Caulker, good anchorage, no moorings, some docks on windward side, but not really any marinas

[belizesailor]

Freya Raucher's cruising guide is the best place to start for a good overview of Belize.

Any specific venues or routes that interest you in addition to Caye Caulker?

[model 10]

What's the plan? Are you renting a boat? You can go all over with 5.5' but 6 or 7' is a problem going south inside from Caye Caulker.

[Flyingriki]

Love that island! Will probably have more draft than that so will have to be careful....

[belizesailor]

Getting from Belize City to Caye Cualker via the inside route, with a draft of over 6' would be a challenge (5.5-6' will be very close to the bottom as it is).

The two primary problem areas are just N of Ship's Bogue (between Swallow Caye and Drowned Cayes) and just N of Port O Stuck. The water gets skinny in both places and visibility is poor...so you would be piloting by braile thru both of these spots.

[Dave22q]

Not terrific idea. Shallow water and few navigation aids. Nice place to dive or day sail in low draft boats.

[Scorpius]

Scorpius has a 6' draft and we touched bottom 17 times one day going north from Belize City. Port'o'Stuck is well named! However, it's all sand so no damage to a full-keeled steel boat. Just exciting! After years of sailing deep Pacific waters it's unnerving to see extended periods of 6 inches beneath the keel on the depthsounder.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Scorpius99eh

Scorpius has a 6' draft and we touched bottom 17 times one day going north from Belize City. Port'o'Stuck is well named! However, it's all sand so no damage to a full-keeled steel boat. Just exciting! After years of sailing deep Pacific waters it's unnerving to see extended periods of 6 inches beneath the keel on the depthsounder.

Yes, its all (or mostly) soft bottom on the inside from Belize City to Ambegris Caye so you can "pilot by braile" all the way as long as you go nice and slow in the tricky bits.

Once well N of the infamous Port O Stuck, the depths get more consistent. From S of a Caye Chapel to Caye Caulker you generally have about 10', sometimes a bit more, Caye Caulker to Ambergris is mostly about 7'.

As you've confirmed with your keel, the controlling depth on this route is about 6'.

[Headingbug]

Hello all,
Thank you very much for all your feedback. Much appreciated!

We have one year (maybe more) in order to make our boat up and ready to sail so we are pretty sure that more questions will come soon...

Have a great sailing!!
C&P