Currently own a 42' sailboat (don't say it) and age is making it more and more difficult to get aboard and around. There is Sea Ray Sedan Bridge down the dock from us and it looks like it would be much easier to get on and off, step off the dock onto the back deck, open the big door and step into the salon. With the sailboat we don't worry that much about fuel stops, we can hold 210 gal. The Sea Ray has Cats, don't know the model, but wondering, what would be a comfortable range between fuel stops? Could it make the crossing to the Bahamas? Thanks, Bob
Welcome to the dark side. Nothing bad to say about sail boaters. Yep the Sea Ray will be a lot easier to board and get around on. It's also a lot less work to run. Making the Bahamas from Texas might be a little tight, but from Ft. Lauderdale / Miami no problem especially if you bring it down to near sail boat speed.
Done the ditch twice, that's once too often, from TX to Pensacola and then outside the rest of the way. Didn't really concern ourselves with fuel stops, we carried 110 gal, so can't say that I recall a lot of fuel docks but then we always anchored out, no marina stops. Also did the trip from and to TX from Clearwater straight across, I guess the Sea Ray would not be suitable for that. So back to the original question, how far can I expect to go before worrying about finding a fuel dock? Hoping to make another trip up to Maine before the rest home. The plan is to spend 3-4 weeks on the boat, leave it along the way, return home for a bit and then continue on.
Without looking back in my logs you should safely make about 200nm at cruise speed on a tank. I brought a 42 down from Boston one year. We hit a gale in Buzzard's Bay and overnighted in Newport rather than pushing on to Montauk. Speaking with the owner that night he told me the boat could make Atlantic City from there on a tank. That was the last time I trusted a boat owner. We ran dry about 5 nm north of A.C. When I talked with the owner that night he told me he made it from Montauk to A.C. and that's the same distance. No it's another hour. I seem to recall that boat burned about 33 gph avg. but you can check those courses to double check me. Just know for that run to Maine that if you come out of Cape May or A.C. you'll want to stop for fuel in Montauk, Shinnecock or Block Is. if you don't come up through L.I. Sound.
Thanks, that's great information. Last time we did that trip we went from Norfolk to Block Island, but that was with out last sailboat.
Not knowing how many crew you'll have, but my experience on smaller boats is that the boat has longer legs than the crew does.
Crew is no problem, always was just the two of us and we made it from TX to Maine and the Virgin Islands and St. Martin. With this or a similar boat we would probably head to Sandy Hook and then do L.I.Sound.
Good way to go if not charging someone by the day or especially if the ocean kicks up. Great views and NJ gives good cover from west winds. Sandy Hook is a pretty long in and out. You might consider consider fueling at Liberty Landing and staying at one of the marinas in that area. Great views. From there you can make Pt. Jefferson or even Newport.
I would say (guessing) that a Searay that size would have a 175NM range with 20% reserve based on my experiences with Searays. Fuel stops from Texas to Carrabelle on the ICW are about 70 miles apart.