Florida to Bimini boating lifestyle

[Todd U]

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle, particularly living in the Siesta Key Fl area and taking our boat on the ICW to Ft.Lauderdale and Miami and from there crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini and visiting Bahamian Islands at our leisure.

I have been a previous boat owner for years however not currently, and I am currently searching for our vessel. With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified. My question is, is this a sturdy enough sea worthy, safe vessel for our travel needs? And if so, could I consider the SDX 270? Thank You guys for your input.

[MV Wanderlust]

There are people who have crossed the Gulf Stream on Jet Skis and little 18' boats. They just have to wait for the right weather window. So, yes, you can make your plan work... with the right weather window.

[Woodland Hills]

If you can wait to pick the right day you can cross in a 12’ skiff. If you pick the wrong day you will regret crossing in an 85 footer. It’s up to you and your schedule and wallet: Ft Lauderdale is not a cheap place to hang around waiting. Having said that a 27 or 28 foot Sea Ray will be able to cross safely on a decent day as long as you don’t get seasick, you will bounce around a bit. I do think that 130 gallons of fuel is not very much for the Bahamas.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by Todd U

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle...

...With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified.

I'm not familiar with that boat but a quick search seems to indicate they cost around USD 100,000.

If you want to "live a boating lifestyle" then a much more suitable cruising boat could easily be purchased within that budget.

[gonesail]

so do you live in Siesta Key .. or planning to move there

[mvweebles]

Is this a trick question? SDX 290 is an overgrown bow-rider. Not exactly a retirement cruising boat. More of a family take-the-kids-water-skiing boat. Am I missing something? Looks like a fun boat, just not what I expected given the forum and the OP's question.


If you like the open-style of boat and don't mind something a bit older, the smaller sport-fishers are nice. Here's a 31-foot Albin TE with a good hull form for chop and decent accommodations. And economical on fuel.

https://www.boattrader.com/boat/1996...ament-6674884/

[Woodland Hills]

LOL! I thought it was an express cruiser, not a deck boat. Like I said, it would make the trip just like the 12’ skiff, and it should only try on the same day as the skiff......

There are sure to be 10 or 12 days a year that would be appropriate for that boat to cross to Bimini!

[Sailor 99]

Originally Posted by Todd U

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle, particularly living in the Siesta Key Fl area and taking our boat on the ICW to Ft.Lauderdale and Miami and from there crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini and visiting Bahamian Islands at our leisure.

I have been a previous boat owner for years however not currently, and I am currently searching for our vessel. With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified. My question is, is this a sturdy enough sea worthy, safe vessel for our travel needs? And if so, could I consider the SDX 270? Thank You guys for your input.

And when you get tired of the Bahamas? Your not going any farther with that boat. They will also do very poorly in the waves.



130 gal of fuel is a joke in a power boat. You will go through that in a few hours. You will find few sail boats that need to carry 130 gal of fuel




Get a sailboat. You can go anywhere. Stay away from slow sail boats.

[brendanwalls]

Originally Posted by Todd U

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle, particularly living in the Siesta Key Fl area and taking our boat on the ICW to Ft.Lauderdale and Miami and from there crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini and visiting Bahamian Islands at our leisure.

I have been a previous boat owner for years however not currently, and I am currently searching for our vessel. With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified. My question is, is this a sturdy enough sea worthy, safe vessel for our travel needs? And if so, could I consider the SDX 270? Thank You guys for your input.

Welcome to CF Todd

I've been thinking of living the boating lifestyle since I am hitting the big 60 in a month, and now that I've done a few overnights in my Bristol 24 I'm looking to add 10 or 15 more feet in length and a proportional beam. What was your previous boat? Did you own it with your wife and share overnights with her? Let her choose the space she needs. I've learned the hard way you sometimes need your own space to get away from your crew sometimes.

Good luck in your search.

Brendan

[Panacea2183]

Originally Posted by Todd U

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle, particularly living in the Siesta Key Fl area and taking our boat on the ICW to Ft.Lauderdale and Miami and from there crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini and visiting Bahamian Islands at our leisure.

I have been a previous boat owner for years however not currently, and I am currently searching for our vessel. With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified. My question is, is this a sturdy enough sea worthy, safe vessel for our travel needs? And if so, could I consider the SDX 270? Thank You guys for your input.

Ok for trip to Bimini in the right weather.
Wrong boat for exploring the Bahamas. It will severely limit your range and options. Look for a boat with more range and living accommodations, ability to be self sufficient (bring more food and supplies on board, things are expensive there) and anchor rather than stay in marinas will save a ton of money and let you explore the “true Bahamas” provisions can be hard to come by, water is $.35/gal good news is marina fees are cheaper than in the states.
Just have to decide what you want to see and do. Changing boats later on can be expensive.
Safe travels

[alansmith]

Skipper, powerboats ...um, ah, are tied to their fuel tanks and their range is dependent on fuel burn. One of the fellas I met while doing my restore had a nice 40 footer Sea Ray. He told me his son borrowed it and took it from Napa to San Francisco. 400 dollars in fuel...in one day. Ouch.
Seriously think about that situation. Lots of trawlers available. Much lower fuel burn and very liveable.

[Woodland Hills]

Originally Posted by Panacea2183

Ok for trip to Bimini in the right weather.
Wrong boat for exploring the Bahamas. It will severely limit your range and options. Look for a boat with more range and living accommodations, ability to be self sufficient (bring more food and supplies on board, things are expensive there) and anchor rather than stay in marinas will save a ton of money and let you explore the “true Bahamas” provisions can be hard to come by, water is $.35/gal good news is marina fees are cheaper than in the states.
Just have to decide what you want to see and do. Changing boats later on can be expensive.
Safe travels

I’m not sure where those “cheaper than in the States” marinas are. We usually pay $2 a foot per night in the US, and the cheapest we have found so far in the Bahamas is $2.75 a foot and that was the weekly rate. Cat Cay and Chubb were $4 a foot IIRC. Highborne Cay was $3.50 and a single 50amp cord was $60 a day. This is as a transient, it may be cheaper by the week. Fortunately you can anchor out paying only for the fuel to run your generator to keep the lights on and the beer cold.

When running at 10mph I burn 10 gph but when up on plane at 20 mph I burn 60 gph.

All of this is going to require a boat that is much much more complicated than a simple bow rider both to operate and maintain.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by Todd U

My wife and I are soon to be retired and would love to live a boating lifestyle, particularly living in the Siesta Key Fl area and taking our boat on the ICW to Ft.Lauderdale and Miami and from there crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini and visiting Bahamian Islands at our leisure.

I have been a previous boat owner for years however not currently, and I am currently searching for our vessel. With our top budget I have decided on a Sea Ray SDX 290 (31 ft LOA) (7030 lbs) (130 gal fuel) Yacht Certified. My question is, is this a sturdy enough sea worthy, safe vessel for our travel needs? And if so, could I consider the SDX 270? Thank You guys for your input.

Trawler.

[Scaramanga F25]

Maybe a Sea Ray Sundancer 32. Gas $ 5.00 a gallon if available after Dorian.

Your pick is just a weekender. Wrong boat. If you need to go fast look at fast diesel trawlers. Even an older Mainship 34 if in great condition.

[Tin Tin]

Consider a trawler power cat, can run on one engine to save fuel whilst cruising slowly through the islands, stable at anchor, no need for marinas in the Bahamas, jut fit a water maker and a solar array, you could spend months at anchor in some of the most exquisite anchorages in the world.
eg.

https://au.yachtworld.com/boats/2001...maker-3577137/