How Big a Boat to Cross Safely from Florida to the Bahamas ?

[WoodsAndWaters]

How large a boat would be considered the minimum for safely crossing from Florida to the Bahamas? By safely, I mean a boat which could safely and properly handle less than perfect conditions that might come up during the crossing. Being caught in a hurricane is not part of the equation. And, I am aware that two boats of a given length may not be equally seaworthy, so any recommendations are welcome.

Thanks.

- Tim

[Doodles]

PS Flicka ....20'

[pjop]

From what I've read, ditto to doodles recommendation. How many of the earthly comforts are you willing to forgo?

[seacap]

I did the following passages in a 22' engineless Falmouth Cutter:
San Diego-Hawaii-San Fransisco-Los Angeles
San Diego-Cabo San Lucas
Ft. Lauderdale-St. Thomas
St. Thomas-NY, NY

It's more about design, construction and seamanship than size.

I'm sure people do it, but I would not want to be caught out in the stream in dicey weather in a 17' crestliner
.
Are you asking about power or sail?

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by seacap

I did the following passages in a 22' engineless Falmouth Cutter:

Nice boat! I would go about anywhere in one.

[Pete7]

This is worth studying,

Atom Voyages | Voyages Aboard the Sailboat Atom -* Good Old Boats List - choosing a* small voyaging sailboat

Pete

[Tellie]

I did it on a 21' Clark San Juan many times in my younger years. It's really not that far with a good weather window. During the summer months I end up motoring across more than sailing across due to lack of wind and fairly flat seas.

[Cormorant]

We met a guy in the Exumas last winter who told us that in his younger days, he had made the trip in a 16-foot Swampscott dory. I didn't get all the details on what creature comforts he had, but you can imagine. Nearly any boat can do it. You just climb a scale of comfort/safety/convenience as you go to bigger boats.

[skipmac]

If you're talking sailboat, then the quality of the boat is more critical than the size. I would rather take a solid 21' than a 30' piece of junk.

Power boat? If a planing hull then basically anything that will run for 3-4 hours on a calm day.

Bottom line, it's only 50 miles across the Gulf Stream and weather information is good plus you can always go out the inlet, take a look and turn back if it doesn't look right.

People have done it on jet skis. Do it all the time on 21'-25' open fishing boats.

[doug86]

Originally Posted by WoodsAndWaters

How large a boat would be considered the minimum for safely crossing from Florida to the Bahamas? By safely, I mean a boat which could safely and properly handle less than perfect conditions that might come up during the crossing.

The comment about seamanship is spot on. One glaring example of boat size vs seamanship:

The Titanic was certainly "large" enough to safely cross the North Atlantic, yet those tasked with piloting her made some very poor decisions, resulting in a staring roll for Leonardo Dicaprio. Yet, Robert Manry successfully crossed the Atlantic in a 13' sailboat in 1965 (before GPS, portable weather receivers, EPIRBs...)

It's not the size of the hull that makes a boat ready, or "safe", to cross the Gulf Stream. Design, construction, and crew experience are far more important to a safe boat than just her length.

[MarkJ]

I'd want one large enough to run aground in the Bahamas....

[barnakiel]

A Hobbie cat should do, but only with good crew. The bigger boat will give some protection to less skilled sailors.

I like things like the Vancouver 25, the PS 25 and the Frances. They are probably on the bigger side of the spectrum you may have in mind, but at the same time can carry some supplies and are nice for any extended, if minimalistic, voyage.

b.

[Mark Johnson]

I had friends that made the crossing on Hobie Cats, but it was "intense". In a monohull, there are several like the above mentioned 20' Flica, or even smaller, that are up to it. In multi's... My Wharram 23 would certainly have been up to it, as they had been across the "pond" even in that size, or perhaps a Searunner 25... Both of these boats draw about 2', and can be beached! Mark

[DaveOnCudjoe]

Most I know will not cross the stream with any northern component to the wind. With no northern component people cross in boats that I wouldn't take across the bay. Dave

[zeta]

Folks do it on jet skis all the time!