Fuel stops

I am going to agree to disagree with you... If you had any idea how many private messages I have received thanking me for saying what I said you would understand the disagreement. As to your personal advice ,,, I politely say, no thank you, I'm a big boy and I am very happy with who and what I am.

I'm glad you got all your wonderful private messages. However, despite your criticism, I will not ignore obvious red flags and will continue to seek more clarifications. I consider that necessary to offer responsible advice. This trip he's planning can be a very easy trip or it can be one with major challenges. Just the crossing to Cancun or Isla Mujeres is an example. Can be a nice simple trip at cruising speed or going at 9 knots conditions can turn enroute. As to involving Cayman and Jamaica. We went to both. But that's definitely not coastal cruising and when you turn 350 nm into 600, then you definitely shorten the safe passages for weather windows. We also like the idea of coming through the Eastern Caribbean which someone else suggested. However, it's a far longer trip and involves it's on challenges.

Perhaps I interpreted wrong too as I interpreted the OP as seeking a delivery type trip, not sightseeing. Sightseeing I'd make many additional recommendations. As to his fuel usage, he'll have no true idea until he actually checks it and verifies it. He's wise to be cautious and not buy into 1 nmpg.

If responsible questioning and or answering offends someone, then so be it. Irresponsible answering can put someone in harms way. As to just jump on the boat and go, I will never suggest that. I also suggested one of many resources for finding fuel stops which I think is superior to just providing some. I'm surprised his captain familiar with the Pacific side hasn't already planned a route on the Caribbean side.

Sea conditions are always a factor in that area. For instance, right now, the next window for Key West to Cancun is Thursday around noon if one can complete in 24 hours or less. Otherwise it's wait at least two or three more days.

He's also tossed a couple of additional curve balls to us. His first post indicated nothing about reasonable cost fuel and I don't know the current fuel prices of any of these locations, nor do I feel there's really a choice. Then the portable generator. I'm shocked at that on a 58' yachtfisher and would wonder if it's diesel or gas. 5 gallons per 24 hours won't impact any numbers, but I'm assuming that's only a few hours usage.

I feel much better knowing he has a crew along, but, as he readily admits, the first post created reason for concern. If I'm concerned about one's safety, I am always going to consider that when answering.

I should also point out that after more information I then shared the most useful information rather than just criticizing the posts of others.

It's obvious the trip is really beyond your abilities. Finding fuel stops is the easiest part of planning a trip like this. There's no way in hell you'd have the range or the stamina to do Isla Mujeres to the Panama Canal non stop, that's close to 900NM. Does the boat have a water maker? Stabilizers? There are a lot of red flags in your post, and I don't blame older boater for saying what he said.

That being said I have done 2 transits from the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale on boats exactly the size of yours, and multiple other ones from Honduras, Guatamala, etc. I just got back from running a 59' SF back from the panama canal yesterday. I just did the trip in 10 days and waited on weather 3 days in Roatan, flew down to Panama City on the 1st, left Colon on the 3rd and arrived here the afternoon of the 13th. I also ran a 58' Yachtfish for over 10 years.

First off, I wouldn't even consider the hassle of a portable generator for power, you don't save any fuel to even think about it. Nice to have as a backup, but on an already exhausting trip, who wants to go screw around with topping it's tank off, checking the oil and changing the oil every 2 days (50 hours.), the noise in the cockpit right behind the master bed and window, and associated safety issues of having it in the cockpit. Just run the normal generator.

Secondly, hull speed on the 58' yachtfish is 8.7 knots, in calm water with no current. 900-1000 rpms will get you there at 1 nmpg with TI's, again not fighting current. With N's 1000 rpms might get you to hull speed. Many times on that voyage you'll be bucking a lot of current, rough seas and down in the 6's a lot of the time(knots). Seriously chewing into your fuel consumption figures. Some places you will need to run at cruise for most of a day for safety.

I sure as hell wouldn't be doing 600NM on ANY 40+ year old, rolly polly, 58' yacht or any 60' yacht period. With a crew of 4, 36 hours is exhausting and 48 hours is about maximum without stopping. This voyage is almost always rough. You can never get decent sleep, and your body constantly adjusting to the sea state really takes it out of you.

Worrying about cheap fuel is a lesson in futility in a trip like this. Cheap fuel= fuel with water and contaminants in it, in these countries. Saving money on fuel should be the absolute least of your worries. Same with trying to do customs yourself instead of hiring an agent. Covid tests in some countries can also rule out stops there given your time to get there. Why stop in Belize? It's out of the way and adds a lot of mileage, can't get into Ambergris, which only leaves Belize City which is way west, also fuel is expensive, and customs takes forever. I'd carry 4 drums in the cockpit, run off the cockpit tank to get the weight balanced to not having the drums and keeping the drums full as insurance, you always know you have 220 gallons.

I'd do Port Charlotte to Key West. Key West to Isla Mujeres, 340 nm Marina Puerto Isla Mujeres, German does all of your paperwork in/out. You will waste an entire day clearing customs in/out and immigration and fueling. Isla mujeres to Roatan, Honduras, it's virtually going straight South almost, 320NM stay at barefoot Cay and have them do the paperwork and bring the fuel truck out. You can also anchor on the NW side of Banco Chonchurro for the night to break the trip up. Fuel was $3.80 versus $5 a gallon in Mexico. Roatan to San Andres is 400NM. I wouldn't do ANYWHERE from 30NM from the NE tip and South in Nicaragua until you're 30NM offshore as you're headed South of the NE tip(as you're headed to San Anres) here at night, and would highly consider doing it at cruise, since you can't do that entire stretch during daylight hours at 9 knots and I certainly wouldn't go down the coast to Colon anywhere on that stretch at night, if you value your life at all. Not Nicaragua OR Costa Rica or Panama. I had a small panga with 4 guys in it (underway)try to get me to stop about 35 NM SE of the NE tip of Nicaragua and I was doing 30 knots.......The Panamanian Capt I had on board, told me to keep going, and don't stop........Stay at Nene's and the owner (Felix)will get a customs agent (Renee) to do all of your paperwork in San Andres. From there to Colon is an easy 220NM, Shelter Bay is the easiest stop and Enrique Plumer the best agent to use to clear you in and arrange the canal passage. Going the Eastern way adds a whole lot of mileage.

It's really easy to pretend to know what you don't know. This trip is an incredibly hard trip with many perils, weather, very long runs, pirates, and etc. It's NOT the trip for Joe shmow to just wing it. Captaining the vessel is the EASY part, knowing where NOT to Captain the vessel is the hard part! There is NO HELP on this route whatsoever. So if you can't fix it, you're screwed. There is no tow boat US or Coast Guard that's going to come save you.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling... Everyone will have to forgive me is I scoff at the doomsday folks. We all know yachting has its moments and some trips harder than others. How BORING it would all be if that were not the case. SMH

As I plainly stated, I agree to disagree with you. Life is like that.

With that said and on a positive note, I would love to see a few pictures of your current boat, could you post a couple? I'm certain everyone would enjoy them, thanks.

Olderboater owns a handful of yachts from around 35'-130' and does close to 15,000 NM's a year of cruising all over the world. What do you own? What geographical areas have you Captained a yacht?

We don't share pictures of ourselves or our boats. Sorry to not honor your request.

My wife and I. And our avatar is of one of our boats.

Well I’m not shy… here’s a pic of me driving my boat and my close encounter with Judge Smail’s yacht while I was lost on my way to Panama…

I'm the other half of "WE" Well, unless you count all those who cruise with us, both crew and friends. I leave him to deal with grouchy old men like you here.

Just no one mention pirates. This thread is about fuel stops only.

Wow, I hate to disappoint but I am not interested in a p*ss*ng contest. Far to many of them in forums like this. I just like to see other boats, sort of gives me a mental picture of who I am talking with. As I said (apparently I need to explain statements better) I asked to see his boat as a positive thing. Did you not see that?

I see...