Crossing the Gulf of Mexico

[JeffH]

New to the forum. I just finished a trip across the Gulf of Mexico from Punta Gorda, FL to Cancun, MX and then on to Roatan in Honduras towing a 20ft center console. The Maxum 4100 SCB preformed fawlessly. Ran about 1400-1800 the whole way. 100 hrs total. Encountered some moderate seas during two overnight passages. The Maxum can definitely handle more than I can. Happy to answer anyone's questions.

[gmc60]

Wow sounds like a trip
Do you have any pic how many gal of fuel you use ?

[JeffH]

My boat holds 380 gallons of diesel total in it's tanks. I left Punta Gorda on Sept. 19, 2020 with full fuel plus (5) 55 gallon drums reserves. I had (2) drums on the swim platform and (3) on the boat that I was towing. Distance ended up being
495 NM. Average speed was 9.5 knots. It took 52 hours to get to Isla Mujeres, near Cancun. I had 5 family members on board with all their luggage, so about 1500 lbs of people and luggage plus tow boat, plus extra fuel, so quite a load. I ran the generator the entire time for A/C and all other amenities. I figure I arrived in Cancun with 175 gallons of fuel on board. If the generator used 60 gallons, then the boat used 415 gallons. Will upload pics later.

[JeffH]

The center console that I was towing weighed 3500# loaded. I think that heavily effected my speed at given RPM. Plus all the passengers and luggage.

[Glenn111]

You the MAN!! Awesome...want to see pics and more stories. What year Maxum and engines.

[JeffH]

Maxum 4100 SCB w/ Cummins 370b 5.9's. 1300hrs.
The autopilot (Simrad AP22) quit working about 150 nm from Cancun, so had to hand steer across the Yucatan gulfstream. That was fun.

[Phillbo]

I've made similar trips but in a Blow Boat........

[JeffH]

At times I was thinking that it would be nice to have a sail, just in case.

[Phillbo]

When I made the crossing i stopped in Havana for a few days.....

[JeffH]

I seriously considered stopping in
Marina La Gaviota in Cabo San Antonio Cuba if I needed fuel, but my fuel burn calculation turned out to be pretty spot on, so no need.

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by Glenn111

You the MAN!! Awesome...want to see pics and more stories. What year Maxum and engines.

2000 model

[Phillbo]

Originally Posted by JeffH

I seriously considered stopping in
Marina La Gaviota in Cabo San Antonio Cuba if I needed fuel, but my fuel burn calculation turned out to be pretty spot on, so no need.

I was not in a hurry and fuel burn was about .5 gallons a day for the generator to make coffee and hot water for the Girl Friends shower.....

But we took 4 weeks to make the same trip

[Glenn111]

What great stories you all must have. All I want to do is Exumas with the 41SCA I have. Got a lot of engine accessories work first....AF coolers, Turbo, re-design exhaust. At dock in South Louisiana. Farthest I been...Key West 10 years ago. Normally in Orange Beach/Pensacola FL. Hurricane Sally REALLY DID A NUMBER on the marina's in that area.
Good luck!

[Phillbo]

The Exumas is some of the best cruising grounds in the Bahamas...

[JeffH]

I originally had planned to go to the Exumas and Jamaica then on to Cayman Islands. The weather did not cooperate. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't hesitate to take a Maxum SCA/SCB to the Bahamas. The low draft makes it an excellent skinny water cruiser. They are extremely maneuverable. Take waves like a champ. I encountered 10-12 foot seas near Tulum, MX and the Maxum just plowed through.

[Phillbo]

I would like to see a write up of this crossing with pictures if possible.

Why did you make the crossing and why towing a center console?

[Glenn111]

Hi Phil, Were you down there several years ago on your 41. I have "crewed" in the Exumas several times on my friends boat. One trip I saw a 41 SCA in a marina, but I don't recall where.

[Phillbo]

When I was cruising the Bahamas I was doing so on a Blow Boat. Could not afford the fuel at the time. Much cheaper to use sail

[shrew]

You picked an odd time in the height of hurricane season to make that trip.

[JeffH]

I had been studying the weather closely. Across the Gulf a large low pressure weather pattern had developed in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico near Texas and had drawn all the moisture to it. The seas where like glass behind it. Not even 1ft swells between Florida and Cancun. 52 hours of motoring bliss. I waited 5 days in Cancun and saw a window to get to Roatan. I wasn't so lucky as the seas near Tulum, MX really threw us around. It was 12 hours of washing machine. I dipped into an inlet for the night, because I didn't want to deal with that in the dark. The next day seas where rough most of the day but calmed down in the evening and through the night. By morning the seas where calm because TS Gamma was developing 400 nm south and so we had a nice motor into Roatan. Gamma went through a few days after we arrived. I had my wife and kids with me, so I was especially diligent about weather. The Maxum handles moderate seas well, but all that rolling around is hard on the crew. It was the adventure of a lifetime.