[bdude13]

I am looking at a 42 foot Maxum SCA AFT Cabin. Is this too small to go from Florida down to the carribean? It has a 400 mile range. Should I be looking for something larger to handle the seas? Also where can i find information about harbors while I am there. What is the average price to overnight a boat down there?

Thanks and looking forward to your input.

[Loren Schweizer]

Originally Posted by bdude13

I am looking at a 42 foot Maxum SCA AFT Cabin. Is this too small to go from Florida down to the carribean? It has a 400 mile range.

bdude13:

In the "for what it's worth" department, a couple of semi-qualified boat drivers, twenty-some odd years back, successfully delivered a Bertram 33 Flybridge Cruiser (gas model with half the range you are speaking about) to her new owners at the Willemstad Yacht Club in Curacao.

Would they do it again? I know one of them definitely wouldn't, but he's an old dog now!

[yachtbrokerguy]

A few years ago I sold a boat for a client who had taken his boat to Venezuela and back to Florida. It was a 43' Carver aft cabin, which you do not think of as a passagemaker.
There are lots of slower long range boats available that are better suited for long distance cruising, but if you recognize your weather limits a 42' boat could be OK.

[Yachtguymke]

Hi there! Are you dead set on the Maxum? There are other boats out there that have better seakeeping abilities for around the same amount of money. One that I have always liked is the Sealine 42/5 or the 47. Now that Sealine is not introducing any of these to the US markets because of an importer issue, these boats can be had for some really good prices and the majority of the vessels have diesels. The interiors are much nicer, the handling characteristics at the dock are good as well and underway in rough seas, its comfortable as comfortable can be.

Just my two cents worth. Email me if you like for other questions about the Sealines, i used to sell them. If I was buying something in that 40-50 range, Sealine would be at the top of my list....

[YachtForums]

Originally Posted by bdude13

Also, where can i find information about harbors while I am there. What is the average price to overnight a boat down there?

See this thread, written by YF member "Sailronin", for detailed info on marinas in the Bahamas...

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/de...s-bahamas.html

[nilo]

once i have done a trip on a Azimut 40 from Cannes to Marmaris, which is around 1300 miles, similar to what you are planning to take. It is doable, but when the weather gets rough it is not much fun and range and arranging fuel stops is something to take into consideration very seriously.