We crewed from Lake Ontario to Beaufort NC on a 38'
sailboat. Eighty locks and who know how many miles across the NYC Barge Canal and down the Hudson and
ICW on someone else's boat on the way to the Caribbean. We jumped ship
in Beaufort NC.
From
there we lived on a 27X8X4 sailboat for 3 years. Sailed form New England
to the Keys, Bahamas and Caribbean with side trips to the Chesapeake. It had a diesel. We ran the motor
for 80% of the miles we covered. I'd go with gas next time.
Later we bought a trawler. The
slip fees and maintenance were an overwhelming responsibility even
though she didn't cost us a cent because she was in charter service.
Sold her after about one year because she was an anchor around our
necks.
We then went to
small cuddy cabin boats. In fact I went back to the Bahamas solo in an
18' single engine boat. https://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/11/bahamas-magic-july-7-9-2000.html
If you have a decent weather sense almost any
boat can cross the 50 mile Gulf Stream from Lauderdale to Bimini. Wife
has MS and even tho I air conditioned the 18 footer
we soon ran out of
comfort.
We needed
something more accommodating. Our savior turned out to be a trailerable houseboat.
She's 28x8 and draws about 18 inches. All the comforts of
home including full galley with double sink, 4 burner stove, oven,
microwave, not to mention flybridge, a freezer on the aft deck,
generator, air conditioning, stand up hot water shower and she sleeps 7.
We've seen 3 mpg at 8mph on inland lakes and the ICW and we've had her
up to 25 mph before we loaded her with our comforts - her brochure says
she'll do 30 with her SBC (350 Chevy) spinning her Volvo Penta Aquamatic
outdrive.
Knowing everything I know now, this houseboat would have served all of our needs from the very beginning. We're too old now, Big Duck Old Friend but she would have been a great looper (120 gallon gas tanks) and/or Bahamas boat or liveaboard. My Boat For The Bahamas
