Naples to Key West in a 225 Osprey

[Glock Diver]

Am I nuts?  Something I've been wanting to do for some time is take the boat down to Key West for some diving, lobstering, etc.  Obviously, finding optimal weather would be essential.  The course looks to be about 95 nm from Naples to Key West.

Has anyone made or contemplated this run?

[GoneFission]

Go for it!  Take your time and consider an overnighter along the way - some good fishing and diving along the way - you don't want to just drive down there and miss the stuff in between that you can only see by boat...    You can camp in a state park like Bahia Honda, or stay at one of the hotels that have docks and marinas.  Could be a great trip.  

[seabob4]

Mike,
Do it?  Your Osprey will be fine.  Hell, if you had a bow dodger, you could even camp on the boat, a little portable alcohol or butane stove stowed in the Haitian Hatch, sounds like fun!

[wingtime]

sounds like a great trip!  I'd go for it and camp out on the way.

[Aswaff400]

our neighbor used to do it multiple times a year

he was in a 27 ft boat

[Glock Diver]

Go for it!  Take your time and consider an overnighter along the way - some good fishing and diving along the way - you don't want to just drive down there and miss the stuff in between that you can only see by boat...    You can camp in a state park like Bahia Honda, or stay at one of the hotels that have docks and marinas.  Could be a great trip.  

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't a side trip to Bahia Honda lengthen my overall trip fairly significantly?  Naples to Key West is almost due south (95 nm).   Or, should I hug the coastline?

[DOCREED]

I would go to Marco, top the fuel tank off and then go directto KW.  I would also consider renting an EPIRB----just in case.

[Glock Diver]

Mike,
Do it?  Your Osprey will be fine.  Hell, if you had a bow dodger, you could even camp on the boat, a little portable alcohol or butane stove stowed in the Haitian Hatch, sounds like fun!

Now that sounds like a good idea Bob.  I can finally say that I've found a use for the little Haitian Hatch!  ...(BTW, what DO people use that space for, besides smuggling Haitians?)

[seabob4]

Stowing stuff they don't want to be able to get to because it shifted all the way forward and they can't reach it!

It's a big space under there, we always kinda wondered the same.  Our lam department was almost all Haitian, hence the logical name...

[Glock Diver]

LOL...  

I figured it was dubbed the "Haitian Hatch" because it's only useful to smuggle Haitians!  Had no idea the term was related to the workers building the boat!  

[seabob4]

Mike,
Lam was right across the alley from the line where your boat was built, my line.  Sometimes would go over to use the microwaves in there break room.  You'd swear you were in Port-au-Prince...

[billsaquasport]

Go for it. I take a buddies Grady back and forth from Palm Harbor to Marathon every year. Watch for shallow water if you head east toward Islamorada. I just picked up a boat in Marthon on the 4th and drove it back to Tampa. Stopped in Ft. Meyers at Fishtales and had dinner, Drinks, then finished up the trip the next day. Good Times!

[Beerpilot]

Freshmen year of high school (Naples, 1977), my buddy's dad rents a place in Marathon, walks me and my buddy out to the 20' cc, and says "fill it up and head about 170 degrees off of Cape Romano.  3 hours later, look for Faro Blanco Marina....I'll meet you there".

God looks out for fools and children...we were both.  I don't even remember having a chart or a radio...just a compass.  Oh yeah, and Dad's beer supply....which was considerably diminished by the time we arrived!

Another wonderful Aquasport memory!

[Glock Diver]

Freshmen year of high school (Naples, 1977), my buddy's dad rents a place in Marathon, walks me and my buddy out to the 20' cc, and says "fill it up and head about 170 degrees off of Cape Romano.  3 hours later, look for Faro Blanco Marina....I'll meet you there".

God looks out for fools and children...we were both.  I don't even remember having a chart or a radio...just a compass.  Oh yeah, and Dad's beer supply....which was considerably diminished by the time we arrived!

Another wonderful Aquasport memory!

    That is too funny!

...so what you're telling me is... GO FOR IT?  

[gran398]

Freshmen year of high school (Naples, 1977), my buddy's dad rents a place in Marathon, walks me and my buddy out to the 20' cc, and says "fill it up and head about 170 degrees off of Cape Romano.  3 hours later, look for Faro Blanco Marina....I'll meet you there".

God looks out for fools and children...we were both.  I don't even remember having a chart or a radio...just a compass.  Oh yeah, and Dad's beer supply....which was considerably diminished by the time we arrived!

Another wonderful Aquasport memory!

Wow! And I thought MY dad was nuckin' futts!

 

All I can say is, for a 15 year old, you read a heckuva compass!