Yacht selection: Carver or Navigator or Trawler

I have done this trip three times. Once with a 48 ft Grand Banks (wood) 30 years ago, once with a 49 ft Grand Banks (glass) 8 years ago and once with a 78 Ft Jongert Dutch Built Motor Yacht, last year. I would NOT recommend doing the trip with any of those boats. There is a lot of big water between here and the BVI and then much bigger to Grenada. Any of the boats you mentioned, I would not want to be in the ocean over 4 to 5 feet. The boat will probably not sink, but those boats are not made for 10 foot seas. You can be as careful as you like but you will get caught in some big seas.

The boats you're talking about could all be good coastal cruisers. That leaves a lifetime of cruising to do, covering the coasts, the Great Lakes, the Loop and even the Bahamas. Just not built, nor generally the range, for the Virgin Islands or South of them.

Two knowledgeable and experienced yachtsmen have expressed sound opinions.

Judy

Lenny - Can you share why a 78' dutch built (steel? CE Cat A?) motoryacht would be inadequate to go from Miami to the VI? It seems like more than enough.

Sorry I guess my post was not clear. My Jongert, 78 foot Dutch built motor yacht, has crossed the Atlantic seven times on her own bottom. She is all aluminum. Yes Cat powered. We are going to Palma, in the Med, in May. We have been in legitimate, 10 to 14 foot seas, and it was nothing. The boat loves it. Wife was reading her book and I drinking my tea. Only difference was stew would not give me my tea in a proper cup, had to use a plastic mug!! Such problems!!! Very comfortable for the passengers and crew. We go it not forecast over 15 feet. Would not be afraid to go over 15 but we are not in a hurry. When everyone is sitting in Miami because the Gulf Stream is 5 feet, we cross like it is flat. Miami to VI is nothing for the boat. Really, the Jongert, per our Naval Architect, is not a boat or yacht, but a mini ship. We are now in our third major refit. Not because it needs it, but just to stay ahead of the curve. Suppose to splash Thursday after three months on the hard. Ever time I look for something bigger, it just does not compare to the Jongert.

Excellent explanation. Thanks! She sounds like a great "little" ship. I'm with you on the tea in a proper cup.

Power cat's can pound when over a certain height and it hits the center of the hull. I have been very impressed with the 43/44' Lagoon power cats with the big motors. 16.5 knot cruise at 1.5 Gallons per NM, 12 knots is 2NM per Gallon and 10 knots is 3NM per gallon. I had one in 7'+ seas in the Yucatan peninsula and it rode great, very impressive......but 2' higher seas and it would've rode HORRIBLY.

Turks and Caicos to DR is an easy passage really....only 180NM...I've done it in as little as a 45' Searay Sedan Bridge. It's D.R. to PR where you can get it handed to you, but still pick your weather and go.......it's about 50 NM across the Mona Passage......If you go across the Northern end.

I am not a roly poly trawler fan in the under 60' size range. The only time I've REALLY had the OHHH $%$ feeling in rough seas were in trawlers.......doing 90 degree turns where the boat doesn't respond at all to steering in following seas......and the wallowing around NO THANKS. Give me a semi displacement hull, that won't do U turns when a following sea makes it hit hull speed and plants the bow.

Take a look at the Dashew FPB's. They look like excellent passagemakers.

You probably bought a boat by now, but if you have not, I agree with others regarding open ocean trips on Navigator/Carver on the Atlantic Ocean. In the Pacific Ocean, they are frequently used for an over 800 mile trip from San Diego to Baja, without a problem!
I chose a Navigator over a Carver and used it for 11 years:
5 in the Great Lakes; then out the St Lawrence Waterway to Gaspe/PEI/Nova Scotia/Maine and on to Florida;
6 years in the Bahamas with cruises throughout the islands, with no issues!
She was custom built in 2000 and delivered to Morris, Illinois dealer for commissioning, so I had 450hp Cummins and duplicate electronics as well as dual Racors,etc. She had all the amenities:Washer/Dryer;Dishwasher;Trash Compactor;Direct TV; Zodiac jet dinghy; special storage under galley,etc. She served us very well for 11 years and frankly had quality parts built into her[Water strainers; dual FW pumps; etc. We had to add power steering as her original steering was inadequate and contributed to a bad experience we had in the Chesapeake!
She is fine at 18-20 knots, up to 4' waves but after that you need to slow down as the Pilot house is forward so you feel the waves much more than in a sports fisherman. Remember in a PH boat you are 15-20' from the bow whereas in a SF you are 15-20' from the stern!
We love a Pilothouse layout, so after owning a 55' Viking SF in winter of 2015[great fast SF], we now have a 52' West Bay Sonship [600 hp MAN's]which is very similar to 53' Navigator layout, but a much better seaboat[17+ Beam; much higher hull profile, etc.] If you can find a West Bay Sonship, you will pay more but you will have a much better seagoing vessel!!
Happy to answer any questions from those looking at a Navigator as I visited factory during build and operated her for over 1,000 hours, etc. Navigators are great for coastal & Bahamas use. In the hands of a seaworthy captain, she can take you to lots of places and she is a very comfortable live aboard! We spent five summers living on her in the Great Lakes and did not ever regret her!!