Is it out of line to consider taking this vessel from San Diego to the Panama Canal, and up to the great loop? I've got twin Cummins 300's. Looking for thoughts.
Once you get to Panama you still have quite some motoring to get to the Great Loop. Any coastal passage is possible if the weather is calm. Doing a run like that in that type of boat will require careful planing and execution. You might have better success finding someone who has done it if you can join an Owners group dedicated to your type of boat. If you do it take your time and fish along the way. I have been up and down that way a few times and always had great fun filling the freezer.
Is it possible? Yes. However, as K1W1 says you'll have to do careful planning and pick your spots to cover some of the coastal areas. The second thing I'd point out would be it will challenge the condition of your equipment and your skills in maintaining everything. With coastal cruising you're talking over 5,000 nm from San Diego to Brownsville, TX. I don't know your speed and range you'd expect. But assuming 10 knots, that's 500 hours. A couple of other things I'd toss out. On top of fuel range which will probably be a challenge to you in a couple of areas, you're talking some distances that may require more overnight running than you're use to. I'd definitely want enough of a crew to be able to switch off and not exhaust anyone. We made that run early this year, but not in the size boat you're talking about. What is your speed and range?
Range is the big question. You should be fine on the Great Loop for range and seas. DK about coming around from San Diego. What's your distance between ports in those section? Pick your weather carefully for those ocean and Gulf legs. I heard there's some spots where it's a long way between safe harbors. For two sections of the Loop you'll have to get your hight down to 19'1". P.S. On overnight legs having enough crew to have 2 on or to do short shifts, then someone the run the day shift. Sleep sneaks on like a thief at night on the water.
You're going to have to do some long 24-48 hour legs at hull speed and bring some fuel drums as well. Probably an additional 150-200 gallons. The distance from the Panama Canal to fuel stops is quite lengthy until you get up to Roatan. Then you have stops to Cancun but then another 350NM trek to Key West from there. It will be a REAL challenge both mentally, physically, and mechanically to do this trip in your boat and you're going to have to pick your weather. You will also need a crew of 3-4 to maintain watch and run the boat on these 24 hour plus legs. It will not be for the faint of heart. The safe trip would be to ship it from Ensenada to Fort Lauderdale or WPB, then do the Great Loop. The Great Loop fuel is not nearly as much a concern and a lot of the great Loop, at least half -2/3s can be done in protected inland waters
Thanks to all for your input. NOW I HAVE A STUPID QUESTION. Without actually doing it, how can I figure what the range on my boat is? Do these facts help: Cruising speed 8/9 knots twin Cummins 300 [2] 200 gallon fuel tanks Gross weight 24,000 lbs One person told me in passing.... "figure about a mile a gallon". Any truth to that rule of thumb? Does that mean that I might have a range of 400 miles?
The safe trip would be to ship it from Ensenada to Fort Lauderdale or WPB, then do the Great Loop. How do i find out how much this could cost?
Approx $500/ft ...or $20K depending. Usually some discounts for early booking or last minute deals if the boat has open space. Google yacht transport. I can't recommend any of them.
I'd recommend both Sevenstar and Dockwise Yacht Transport. That is a normal shipping route for them. Hull speed you can get 1 mpg in your boat. Download the fuel burn chart for your motors. You want to look at the fuel burn on the propellor curve chart.
As you figure your fuel burn keep in mind that any kind of seas will affect that number negatively. So you want to maintain a wide margin of error in your figures.
THAT ONE MILE PER GALLON IS CONSIDERING BOTH ENGINES, NOT ONE MPG EACH, RIGHT? IN OTHER WORDS, IF I'VE CAN CARRY 400 GALLONS, I CAN TRAVEL 400 MILES, RIGHT? (YES, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THEORETICAL, AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON CONDITIONS, AND OTHER THINGS).
You should actually try to measure your fuel economy by running a distance starting with full tanks and ending by filling the tanks and calculating. There is a big difference between 8 kt and 9 kt. I have twin Cummins in a 37 Tolly, weight 22000, at 8 kt I get 2.3 Nmpg with both engines running. At 9 kt I get 1.3 Nmpg. Heavy head seas have reduced my 2.3 Nmpg to 1.6 Nmpg. Lastly your usable fuel volume is about 20% less than volume state on your tanks. This is due to the air for expansion on top of the fuel and the suction is anyway off the bottom to prevent water from entering the engines. I have taken my tub all the way to Cabo, I sometimes take plastic fuel barrels to compliment by 240 gallon usable tankage but only need it when I stop and do a lot fishing along the way. Personally I would love to make that trip but have not looked at fuel stops below Cabo.
I would add that the 37' Tolly is a great sea boat. It's a good hull and a very capable small cruiser. Fuel capacity notwithstanding, it's more suitable to long distance cruising than the 42' Carver ACMY in my opinion.
Below Cabo the only long run we found was from Golfito to Panama City, about 400 nm. There may be available fuel between the two but I'm not aware of it. However, on the Caribbean side we went much further between stops and don't know if there was fuel we weren't aware of. Specifically between Boca del Toros, Panama and La Ceiba, Honduras. We weren't in need so didn't search more carefully.
Based on this and your other question about fuel mileage it seems you are not an experienced boater. What you are considering is something only an experienced boater should consider that knows his/her boat thoroughly. Your Carver boat can probably take more than you can weather wise but is not considered an open water boat. The loop is safe and easy to cut your teeth on. Consider shipping your boat to the US east coast or better yet selling and buying in Florida. Used boats in Florida are numerous and probably cheaper than the west coast.
There is a HUGE difference in fuel burn between 8 and 9kts on a boat that size which probably has an 8kts hull speed. At 9kts you probably will burn 75% more fuel than at 8kts. This alone will make a difference between making it or becoming the star of USCG rescue video on YouTube
I agree, taking this boat from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale is full or peril and danger. Ship the boat, enjoy The Great Loop which is a beautiful trip, once it gets to Lauderdale.