Bahamas Cruising w/6ft draft

[drymartini]

Looking for guidance on spending this winter in the Bahamas aboard a 6ft draft full-keel cruising yawl... any suggestions? (other than cutting a foot off the keel :-)

[imagine2frolic]

6FT is very doable. There will be some places you won't get into, or will have to watch the tide. Enjoy paradise.......i2f

[emoney]

You would probably be number 117,894th in the list of 6' drafts that have sailed in the Bahamas. Study your charts, have a solid working sounder (and a backup if possible) and have a grand ole Bahamiam time!

[bacampbe]

We charted a boat with a 5.5 ft draft in the Abacos. We could go most anywhere we wanted, but our schedule was more tide-centric than the crew liked. Granted, we were chartering, and trying to hit as many places as we could in a week. On a more relaxed cruiser schedule, it would not have been an issue.

[orthomartin]

Simple solution. Get the Explorer Chart Books for the region or regions you plan to cruise. They are the current "gold standard" and planning and plotting is a breeze. As long as you have good gps you are home free and give it no worries. Personally I think a plotter makes the whole thing easier and the c-maps and garmin charts provide Explorer waypoints
Stick to the Explorer waypoints and pay attention to your tide tables and you will be hanging with most boats out there

[drymartini]

Hey, thx to all... soooo, here's the plan...

Work down the coast from Charleston early January (need to wait until after the holidays), some inside some outside as weather permits, reaching the Miami area after a leisurely trip. Wait for a weather window and cross to Bimini.

Then, over the course of the next couple of months: cross the bank to the Berrys, head out around the Hole and up the east side of Great Abaco, make the turn at the Elbow, eventually reaching Walkers, before heading back home to Charleston early March... comments/suggestions?

[RichH]

Thats a very doable route for a first time experience in the Bahamas .... If you have enough time Id add Spanish Wells to the trip.

The newer Garmin Chartplotters are loaded with Explorer Chart data ... but still take the Explorer chart books.

Best advice I can give is have a plan but dont be a slave to 'an itinerary', simply travel when 'you feel good about it', dont rush.

BTW there is a 'new' entrance passage into Bimini. The old entrance channel is now abandoned but may still show on previous charts/plotters. Use your eyeballs when entering/nearing Bimini as the new passage is through blasted 'rock' and the tidal current in the pass can be quite strong. N. Bimini is a great place especially if you arrive during "homecoming week'.

[SVAuspicious]

How far North are you starting? On your boat you could leave Norfolk and sail into Marsh Harbour four days later. After the first day you'll be across the stream and the temperature will be up. Instead of weeks of chill it's a day. Head offshore.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

How far North are you starting? On your boat you could leave Norfolk and sail into Marsh Harbour four days later. After the first day you'll be across the stream and the temperature will be up. Instead of weeks of chill it's a day. Head offshore.

Amen!

[Yorksailor]

While Explorer Charts are the best available they do not absolve you of the need to read the water and only do difficult entries with a high sun behind you.

Relying on a chart plottter in the Bahamas is a recipe for disaster. Those coral heads and sand banks are not where the chart plotters indicate!

Phil