I am looking to buy a power boat (NOT sail) with the intent of sailing between the US (NY/NJ-FLA) and Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St. Lucia, etc. Obvious a cabin cruiser of sorts. My question is what is the minimum size boat is good for this excursion? Plus any ideas on specific boats based on personal experience will earn my vote!
Actually, Dan has the very short – but correct answer.
Mainly because neither of us know how much money you have. I am assuming… you have an awful lot! (Silly of me isn’t it.)
Well, since I have no idea of how much money you want to spend… I hope you have at least "two" wallets… One for purchasing the boat, and the other for fuel…
Course, my very first suggestion would be sail… If you don’t know how – it is not hard to learn, and will certainly be less than the fuel you will spend on the first leg of your "powered" voyage.
But, If you are set on the power vs sail issue… then I would make a very strong suggestion you get a trawler…
Trawlers have greater stability in rough seas, greater fuel capacity and far greater range… Their single engines are made to run very cool for very long periods at a time… and when combined with the shape of the trawlers hull… they offer the very best fuel economy. Trawlers also tend to offer a bit more room and live aboard creature comforts than a standard cruiser…
Your main "power" issues here are going to be crossing the Gulf Steam… and range on a single tank of fuel…
For the most part, your choice of boat will need to be based on distance and range…
Course, there are plenty of fuel stops from NY/NJ to Cape Hatteras and Florida… after that however… in your case you will need to consider the fact that Miami to US Virgin Islands is 1130 miles… normally about (an average) 10 day cruise for most everyone these days (sail or power) … and fuel stops in between (what very few there are in the Caribbean) are usually as low on fuel as you are… plus, you have to know of… plan for, and stop (and sometimes wait for a fuel delivery) at these fuel stops or you will never reach your destination (Welcome to the world of bunkered fuel.)
From Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico for example is 900 nautical miles. Bermuda (the most northerly group of coral islands in the world) is just beyond the Gulf Stream some 650 miles off the coast of the Cape Hatteras and Miami to US Virgin Islands is 1130 miles.
I lived aboard my Krogen 42 (trawler) for 2 years, it had an actual cruising range of 2800 nm at 9 knots… (sail boat speed) with full 700 gallons of diesel fuel in her tanks.
So… today, for $4,200.00 in fuel to fill up her tanks, I could make it all the way from Miami to St. Thomas and back – if I held her to 8 or 9 knots and watched most of the sailboats pass me by.
So, you need to make sure you are looking at single engine long range capabilities with very economic fuel…
Most "Cabin Cruisers" are capable of planning… and most of these with larger fuel tanks are only to be found with larger twin engines… A twin screw vessel on plane will burn 8, 10 or more gallons per hour… and as a "footnote"… fuel "on the water" (at your favorite Marina) is running about 25% more than the price of fuel on land…. As a result, boaters today are paying over $5.00 a gallon for unleaded fuel in their boat (over $6.00 for diesel)…
On the "good news" side… you should be able to find some absolutely wonderfully marvelous deals "out there" on these size vessels… Most of the "twin engine" cruisers in my Marina are for sale, and / or their owners are coming down on the weekends… sitting on them, drinking their umbrella drinks, and having a fine time at the docks… almost none of them are taking their vessels out anymore – least not for anymore than an hour…
So, my recommendation is:
1. learn to sail & get a sail boat… put the money you would have spent on fuel in savings – so you can retire sooner, and sail longer.
or
2. get a trawler… single engine, long range fuel tanks…
(any trawler will do… Aldine, Krogen, there are alot
of them out there that are great vessels…
Grand Banks… I am not going to say is the best –
but it is one of the most expensive.)
As far as my experience goes, you can check me out – I’ve done it all: And if you think I am giving you lip service, just check out the kind of boat my 40 yr. old son has… and he has seen his Dad go from cruisers, to sail, to trawlers… to (now) a sternwheeler… (I now travel full-time on my live aboard sternwheeler at slightly less then 1 gallon per hour.)
> http://www.boatwrights.org <
Happy & Safe Boating!