Key West To Colon, Panama

[svtzonev]

Hello all, I am purchasing a Marquis 420 SC it is power cruiser with a 300g fuel tank. At about 3000rpm around 26 knots which is cruising speed I will get roughly 300 miles per tank. My question is with this size boat can I comfortable cruise around the Caribbean and even go down to Panama or should I consider a larger boat with more fuel capacity. I can get a pillow bladder with another 300 gallons of fuel but still encountering bad weather would eat that up in no time. What are your thoughts?

[TheTeelSea]

Originally Posted by svtzonev

Hello all, I am purchasing a Marquis 420 SC it is power cruiser with a 300g fuel tank. At about 3000rpm around 26 knots which is cruising speed I will get roughly 300 miles per tank. My question is with this size boat can I comfortable cruise around the Caribbean and even go down to Panama or should I consider a larger boat with more fuel capacity. I can get a pillow bladder with another 300 gallons of fuel but still encountering bad weather would eat that up in no time. What are your thoughts?

svtzonev,
There is many factors here to take into account. One age and maintenance of that vessel you’re going to buy. Before you buy it I would have the boat gone over with a fine tooth-comb by a surveyor first. 2nd if it passes the 1st test, then you can have a Tank (bladder) installed professionally by a professional to assure the correct balance and will handle the stress it will undertake on that type of cruise. 3rd Make sure ether way, that you get clearance from your insurance company that this will not affect your policy. Allot of insurance company’s put in GOT YA’s where as, If you travel more the 100 miles out.. YOUR NOT insured. Lastly, Always plan on the 50% rule. When you have used 50% fuel, start to find more. Hope this helps and good luck!
Richard

[Kettlewell]

That range would be tricky if you are planning to go from Key West to Mexico and then down to Panama. It is about 350 nautical miles from Key West to Isla Mujeres, and you have the current to fight a good portion of the way. If you could go to Cuba you could probably do it. Island hopping down the Bahamas to the DR and then down the islands I believe you could just make it with a 300 mile range.

[svtzonev]

Well I was thinking I could go a lot slower lets say 8 knots at around 1000rpm which would dramatically cut consumption and also I could stop in Providencia Island which is off Nicaragua (Colombian Territory) to refuel. Though the Loop current is something I would like to avoid. Going through the Bahamas and DR would that do it??

[Boatguy30]

You'd find yourself in a lot of dodgy area along the Venezuela and Columbia coast if you were to go the "down island" route.

you would be Ok with the bladder tank via Mexico, bay of islands.
Best to wait till may or early June.

[svtzonev]

Hey Boatguy what do you mean by "dodgy" area by the coast of Venezuela and Colombia??

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by svtzonev

Well I was thinking I could go a lot slower lets say 8 knots at around 1000rpm which would dramatically cut consumption and also I could stop in Providencia Island which is off Nicaragua (Colombian Territory) to refuel. Though the Loop current is something I would like to avoid. Going through the Bahamas and DR would that do it??

I would stop at San Andres Island for fuel instead of Provedencia. Provedencia is more isolated and does not have any tourism. The likelyhood of finding diesel or gas could be a problem.

On the other hand San Andres has a commercial port and readily avaible fuel. Like mainland Columbia, both islands require an Agent to Check In.

My guess is you will probably double your range cutting back to 7 or 8 knots, if your range is currently 300 NM at 26 knots?

The only guide book available for the route you are considering is Pat Rain's Guide Mexico & Central American Guide, which should help with your route planning.

[Kettlewell]

A couple of things. Sure you can stop at Providencia, but there was no fuel dock there when I was last there in 2007. You had to hire a pickup truck to take jugs back and forth from the local gas station. One trawler managed to purchase fuel from a visiting tugboat somehow, but San Andres is definitely better for fuel. However, that is a long ways down from Key West. Like I said before, it is more than 300 miles just to get to Isla Mujeres in Mexico, so figure out what you're going to do for that leg first. From there you can coastal hop pretty much down to San Andres, though I would avoid the Honduran coast which has been the scene of some piracy in recent years--stick to the offshore islands. Then I seem to recall it is something like 150 miles down to Panama. After Panama fuel is a big problem in the San Blas Islands so you basically have to go all the way to Cartagena from Panama. The route would probably be doable with a 300-mile range, but would take careful planning.

[svtzonev]

So San Andres seems like the better option down there. Key West to Isla Mujeres would be the best choice and down to San Andres. Seems like the fuel consumption at 6.8 knots is the best - you can get up to 1145 nm out of 300 gallons. But the piracy has me defiantly worried. Would it be more prudent to go straight to Panama from Isla Mujeres and avoid the shores in order to stay away from any pirates???

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by svtzonev

So San Andres seems like the better option down there. Key West to Isla Mujeres would be the best choice and down to San Andres. Seems like the fuel consumption at 6.8 knots is the best - you can get up to 1145 nm out of 300 gallons. But the piracy has me defiantly worried. Would it be more prudent to go straight to Panama from Isla Mujeres and avoid the shores in order to stay away from any pirates???

I haven't herd any incidents of actual Piracy on moving vessels... There have been several problems with anchored vessels along the mainland coast of Honduras. Also a couple of people reported problems while anchored in Roatan. Also anchoring off Colon is a bad idea.

Beyond that, there is just the normal stealing of unlocked dinghy motors and the occassional break in of unoccupied anchored boats in isolated locations.

[svtzonev]

Hey Tom, got the book its really great. Thank you very much.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
I hope you can find some answers here.
kind regards,