# Getting a small boat to the bahamas



## Frogwatch (Jan 22, 2011)

Just out of curiosity, I contacted Discovery Cruise Lines who runs a ferry from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport, Grand Bahama about the cost of them shipping my 20' powerboat on her trailer from Lauderdale to Freeport. It was around $350. Not bad. I'd anticipate that a Catalina 22 or similar size sailboat might be just a tad more than that. This would enable people with small boats to sail the bahamas without doing the crossing in a too small boat.


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## MarkCK (Jan 4, 2009)

That's a nice a idea. Not that I live anywhwere near Florida. A few curiosity questions. What do you do with your trailer once you are in the Bahamas? And how do you launch your boat.


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## Frogwatch (Jan 22, 2011)

I dont know if you need a trailer or just a cradle. I intended to put the trailer at a marina but there are storage places.
Something I found was that a sailboat is not the best way to explore the Bahamas because many places require less than my 4' draft. I intended to take my 20' Tolman Standard over to Freeport and then use it to explore the nearby reefs and then to go thru the Lucayan waterway and then around to Abaco. Once at Abaco, I could explore as I see fit while "camping" aboard my boat. AS the Tolman gets about 5 mpg with 90 hp Yamaha, it is financially feasible. I'd consider the 50 mile trip from Little Harbor to Spanish Wells in Eluthra in good weather aboard her.
A small sailboat could also take advantage of the Lucayan waterway if she could drop her mast thus cutting off the expensive marina at West End and the necessity of spending a day going from there to Great Sale Cay.


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## MarkCK (Jan 4, 2009)

So you are just going to pull the boat onto the ferry with your tow vehicle and then park your truck and trailor at the marina. I guess my question came out more complicated than what I meant it to.


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## ftldiver (Sep 9, 2002)

be careful of the Duty, if you leave it there too long.... 

you'll take it back home the same way? (in 6 mo's)?


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## Lebldia (Mar 16, 2013)

As of 2015 the price of shipping a small boat from Florida coast to Freeport Bahamas has drastically increased. Is there any other way of possibly getting the a small 16' boat towed by a larger vessel and load the trailer? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Frogwatch said:


> I dont know if you need a trailer or just a cradle. I intended to put the trailer at a marina but there are storage places.
> Something I found was that a sailboat is not the best way to explore the Bahamas because many places require less than my 4' draft. I intended to take my 20' Tolman Standard over to Freeport and then use it to explore the nearby reefs and then to go thru the Lucayan waterway and then around to Abaco. Once at Abaco, I could explore as I see fit while "camping" aboard my boat. AS the Tolman gets about 5 mpg with 90 hp Yamaha, it is financially feasible. I'd consider the 50 mile trip from Little Harbor to Spanish Wells in Eluthra in good weather aboard her.
> A small sailboat could also take advantage of the Lucayan waterway if she could drop her mast thus cutting off the expensive marina at West End and the necessity of spending a day going from there to Great Sale Cay.


I remember fuel in the Bahamas as being triple the price of the US or more. You are also going to have to carry fuel from gas stations to the boat in many places. Along with the cost of cruising permits and transportation, you have 100% duty on any item for the boat, even if you took it to the US for repairs and are returning with it. And that's with my business partner being best friends with the PM!
On the good side, I've done the Freeport/Little Bahama Bank area with 13' draft without problems and a lot of the Bahamas with 9', so I wouldn't let 4' concern you too much.


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## ianjoub (Aug 3, 2014)

Why wouldn't one just sail (or power) their way over. You can see the island from the FL coast. You would never be out of sight of land.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

ianjoub said:


> Why wouldn't one just sail (or power) their way over. You can see the island from the FL coast. You would never be out of sight of land.


Wow, dude, you must have incredible eyesight! Closest the Bahamas get to Fla is 49 miles. Even from half way, you would need to be standing on a deck 320 feet above the water, to see Bimini, which is a very low island.
Never mind an AVERAGE current of 2.5 knots on the 49 mile trip which could mean 5 or more at some point, certainly overpowering a 22' sail boat's speed, unless it's blowing way more than you'd want to be in, if you were sailing a 22'er in the Gulfstream.
However, I welcome you to do the trip on a 22' sailboat and please, report back to us and let us know how things went.


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## Kyhillbilly (Jun 14, 2011)

Not that I am recommending it but Cat22's have crossed the Gulf Stream before. Not something I would want to do but I have read about others doing it.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Kyhillbilly said:


> Not that I am recommending it but Cat22's have crossed the Gulf Stream before. Not something I would want to do but I have read about others doing it.


Jetskis do it.


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## Kyhillbilly (Jun 14, 2011)

Yea I have seen that video as well. Its all about risk vs reward for me. Jetski would be much faster than a 22 and probably take less than an hour to cross. Those things fly! However, what happens if it breaks down? One could be in a world of **** in a hurry. I am sure many people take much greater risks every day. The older you get the more reserved I get anyways.


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## ianjoub (Aug 3, 2014)

capta said:


> Wow, dude, you must have incredible eyesight! Closest the Bahamas get to Fla is 49 miles. Even from half way, you would need to be standing on a deck 320 feet above the water, to see Bimini, which is a very low island.


I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. I could see the lights on the coast of FL from the mouth of Freeport harbor. It is closer to 40 miles I think.


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## Pendragon35 (Jun 26, 2014)

I know that some have crossed on Tanzer 22's, although I haven't personally done it.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

ianjoub said:


> I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. I could see the lights on the coast of FL from the mouth of Freeport harbor. It is closer to 40 miles I think.


Though your eye sight seems to be super human, your navigational skills do not seem to be up to sailing the Bahamas.
Bimini is indeed 49 nautical miles from Ft. Lauderdale. I did not pull this figure out of my as*! Freeport is around 82.
Even from the deck of a cruise ship you could not see that far. Sorry, what you were seeing had to be something else.
I have made this trip as captain on everything from a 37' sailboat to a small (400') cruise ship and with the average visibility to see the stacks in Port Everglades from 20 miles on a small craft could be challenging.
Don't underestimate this trip on a small craft. Though it has even been done on a wind surfer, plenty of people have lost their lives thinking that a measly 49' voyage across the Gulfstream is a cake walk.


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