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22-02-2014, 08:29
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5
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Monohull in Exumas
Anyone sailed a monohull with 6' draft in Exumas? Bad choice? Good choice? Also, how important is air conditioning in early May in Exumas?
Thanks much.
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22-02-2014, 16:44
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Presently on US East Coast
Boat: Manta 40 "Reach"
Posts: 10,108
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
6' is no problem, but you need to be alert in some places. Same with 5' draft. Same with 4' draft. Air conditioning is unnecessary for almost all the time in the Bahamas. If you find that it is so hot and still that you need AC, you should immediately head for a hurricane hole.
Mark
__________________
www.svreach.com
You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
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22-02-2014, 17:19
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: On a boat
Boat: 1987 Cabo Rico 38 #117 (sold) & 2008 Manta 42 #124
Posts: 4,172
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
Quote:
Originally Posted by colemj
If you find that it is so hot and still that you need AC, you should immediately head for a hurricane hole.
Mark
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That is GREAT info! Easy to remember too.
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22-02-2014, 17:23
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wherever the boat is!
Boat: Marine Trader 34DC
Posts: 4,619
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
We traveled to the Exuma a number of times with our 6 foot draft. AC is in the feel of the beholder. We seldom needed it or used it while cruising in the Bahamas. We do have a genset and can run the AC anytime. Chuck
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22-02-2014, 17:52
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Montegut LA.
Boat: Now we need to get her to Louisiana !! she's ours
Posts: 3,421
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
You can cruise 7ft almost anywhere in the Bahamas!! With proper Care! We have used AC a few times when it was hot as hade's and the mostquitos were unreal!! As far as needing it, it depends on what your used to ! Compared to So. Louisiana it cool there as long as theres a breeze!
__________________
Bob and Connie
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22-02-2014, 17:54
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Winter Bahamas - Summer BC
Boat: Lagoon 450, Bavaria Vision 40
Posts: 518
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I am glad we did not install an AC for the Bahamas. Never ended one so far.
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23-02-2014, 06:12
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#7
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,130
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, wyowind.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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23-02-2014, 09:12
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wyowind
Anyone sailed a monohull with 6' draft in Exumas? Bad choice? Good choice? Also, how important is air conditioning in early May in Exumas?
Thanks much.
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6ft is manageable but there are some places that you can't get into where you could with 5ft. Likewise 4ft draft will get you into some nice hidey holes that 5ft can't. A Gemini or some such with 2ft can really get in there. Usually though you want to anchor where there's some breeze which means not too close to the beach.
We managed fine with 5ft but many boats anchored near us drew 6 or more. Places like Red Shanks off Crab Cay will be ok with 5ft or less but not 6 although friends with 6ft often rode out fronts anchored in Masters Harbor just in front of Red Shanks and just a 1/4 mile away from us inside.
Most of the time we anchored in 10ft or more. Tides usually run 1ft to 2ft at most. Spring tides maybe a bit more.
A/C not required just take a swim if you get hot.
Use the Explorer chart kits to plan passages and find anchorages. Use the Explorer waypoints for channels or cuts and you won't go wrong.
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23-02-2014, 09:29
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,477
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
Did it pretty extensively with 6'5" draft. A few spots you might pass but not too big a deal. Sure I'd rather have 3 ft!
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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23-02-2014, 10:49
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Bahamas/Florida
Boat: Solaris Sunstar 36' catamaran
Posts: 2,686
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobconnie
You can cruise 7ft almost anywhere in the Bahamas!! With proper Care! We have used AC a few times when it was hot as hade's and the mostquitos were unreal!! As far as needing it, it depends on what your used to ! ----
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7 feet! My hat's off to you guys. I guess reasonable draft also depends on what you're used to.
I tell folks you've become a true multihuller when it doesn't bother you that your knotmeter is reading larger numbers than your depthsounder.
__________________
Sail Fast Live Slow
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24-02-2014, 04:45
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Central New York
Boat: Ericson 36C, Cutter, Kasidah
Posts: 43
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We have 6 ft draft and did the Exumas, I would not do it in 5-6- or 7 ft bolted on keel. Any bulb or wing keel either. You'll be happier with a 6 ft, even happier with a 4 ft draft. Air is really not needed.
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24-02-2014, 08:33
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Austin TX
Boat: Nimble Artic 26
Posts: 951
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Re: AC in Exumas
My problem is with other people's AC in the Caribbean where its usually balmy enough to sleep with out a sheet maybe just a mosquito net or repellant. But the neighbors A/C will keep me a wake since the cooling water pump shuts on and off every few minutes in an other wise quiet marina or anchorage
__________________
Frimi Captain
Tom Bodine
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24-02-2014, 09:36
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Winter Bahamas - Summer BC
Boat: Lagoon 450, Bavaria Vision 40
Posts: 518
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbodine88
My problem is with other people's AC in the Caribbean where its usually balmy enough to sleep with out a sheet maybe just a mosquito net or repellant. But the neighbors A/C will keep me a wake since the cooling water pump shuts on and off every few minutes in an other wise quiet marina or anchorage
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Good point. One reason I do all with solar, no generator.
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24-02-2014, 18:47
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 184
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So if i run my generator all.night in an anchorage, so i can sleep comfortably is that a bad thing to do?
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24-02-2014, 19:11
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Florida
Boat: Catalina 470
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Monohull in Exumas
+1 to what Mark answered here!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by colemj
6' is no problem, but you need to be alert in some places. Same with 5' draft. Same with 4' draft. Air conditioning is unnecessary for almost all the time in the Bahamas.
Mark
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I've been sailing the Bahamas with 6' 6" draft for years...(first cruise there in the mid 1960's was on a 3.5' draft, but it's been 6'+ draft since the early 70's...)
Now as for gensets and air cond....(yeah, I've got 'em on my current boat...it came with them!), but I don't use 'em much....and certainly NOT in an anchorage with other boats around!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bohemian17
So if i run my generator all.night in an anchorage, so i can sleep comfortably is that a bad thing to do?
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, So, Bohemian, the answer to your question is a big YES IT IS A VER BAD THING TO DO!!!!
Can't think of a better/quicker way to make dozens of enemies!!!
Fair winds...
John
s/v Annie Laurie
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