Have you ever sailed from Florida to the Bahamas or Caribbean?

Question

What is it like on the open ocean on say a 40-50 ft sailboat or motor yacht. Have you ever encountered high seas, pirates, or crooked customs. Is it safe to bring your family on that trip? Also, when sailing from Florida's gulf coast, how do you bypass the keys? Any good stories would be appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

first for Bruce T Windjammer went out of business due to questionable safety practices and other, er, irregularities....Nd most sailors in the Caribbean say good riddance

and sailing form the Gulf to the Bahamas and or the Caribbean is wonderful trip for a family and hundreds do it each year....

get copy of Bruce van Sandt's The Thorn-less Path to Windward..a great cruising guide as to how to island hop from Fla to ST Thomas in easy segments without beating yourself to death..

there can be  some high seas in the Florida Straights in a north wind, and some between the islands as you get further south...otherwise the Bahamas are pretty protected.....Customs can be quirky, and you DONT want to go into Haiti!.....You can get thru the Keys at Marathon but really you should go into Key West and have a nice stop over and wait for weather to nip over to Nassau...

read Bruce's book...available form Pilothouse Books and Charts in Philly or Landfall Navigation in Conn........good people at both......and the monthly paper for people living aboard and sailing the Caribbean is at www.caribbeancompass.com

Answer 2

many times. from miami to bahamas. about 90 miles. no problems if you prepare properly. from west coast its a tough ride. did it once and never again. weather and time of year can be trouble. in winter ther are strong north winds that can make it rough and dangerous once you pass key west.

Answer 3

Two great answers already from those knowledgeable.  I have been on many "sail boats", mainly on local lakes in Georgia but have "sailed" on "Wind Jammer" cruises on large sail boats to Caribbean, once from Charleston, SC, the other from Ft Lauderdale, FL.  I do not know if "Wind Jammers" are still in operation.

On these YOU not only are a guest, BUT, "crew member".  YOU are assigned a "position" on-board and, with assistance if needed", YOU perform duties.  It is work but I enjoyed and learned a lot, with plenty of "down time" to "take it easy".  Always women on board and I can share a story.  Night before leaving Charleston you have a "meet and greet" at an assigned location, not mandatory.  This nice looking lady and I "hit it off" and till the end, a GREAT TIME.  We were approached once at sea by a "full time mate" and given advice that the "Captain" could "marry" and "divorce", a "novel" idea we both thought.  So, we were "married", not sure if official, and upon our return trip, "divorced".

Food and drink, FIRST CLASS.  "Ports of Call", wonderful.

Answer 4

i sailed from Ft. lauderdedale floridia to the bahamas on a 46 ft. sail boat many times, the seas are nice and it is very safe it would be a great expirence for the entire family. never saw any pirates the seas are uaually always calm except when there is a storm but even then its not too bad you will be fine in a boat 40-50 ft. to bypass the keys you just make your course curve around them.