PLANNING A TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS BY BOAT
First, DO You Have The Right Boat?
Its enviable, and always a great trip if you are prepared. If sailing from this area, count on a number of factors influencing your trip. But as a starter, do you have the boat equipped for the journey.
The size of your boat depends in part on what's going to be comfortable for you on the trip that you plan, how carefully you'll pick good traveling weather (trust me better be very carefully), and your willingness to lay over when the weather isn't good or is forecast to change for the worse. Your boat must be large enough and built well enough to handle open ocean during times when the wind and sea come up. The boat also must be large enough and heavy enough to safely carry the equipment and supplies you'll need for the trip you plan.
Boats built to make offshore fishing trips often make good Bahamas boats. Center consoles built for blue-water fishing are also popular for travels to the Bahamas. Most people prefer some cabin accommodations to give the option of anchoring out when they choose. This, in a good protected harbor, can be a highlight of any cruise.
Speed is an essential important factor. A boat traveling around six knots will require most of the day to get from a good east Florida departure point to a safe harbor in the western Bahamas. This isn't only because of the speed but because of the effect of the powerful northerly Gulf Stream current on a slow-speed displacement hull. This boat may need several days of good weather to reach the Hub of The Abacos, more to reach the northern Exumas. A boat traveling on plane at around 25 knots can reach the western islands of the Bahamas in a couple of hours and perhaps Marsh Harbor or Nassau in a day.
Although a faster boat allows you to maximize shorter weather windows, take care to allow extra time. If you require a weather window of more than several days, odds are that it will close on you toward the end.