Looking to buy a used boat that can get me back and forth from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida (space coast area) a couple of times a year.

Anyone know how long that trip would be, give or take?

sail or motor?

Its about 1000 nautical miles between Balt and Miami. Sailboat would be about 4-5 knots per hour. You are looking at 8-9 days if you have a crew and take turns sleeping and dont stop. Obviously most people make port inbetween so its a 2-3 week trip. You will need 32 foot sloop or larger. Also be a good idea to learn open ocean sailing and navigation - that will take a year or two of regular training. I would budget somewhere between 100k and 200k for the boat, training, insurance and upkeep over the 2 years you are preparing and provisions for the trip.

You could get the boat and hire a captain but what is the point of that?

i am available, but will stop for any large great whites on the way

or hire a captain Wrote:
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> Its about 1000 nautical miles between Balt and
> Miami. Sailboat would be about 4-5 knots per
> hour. You are looking at 8-9 days if you have a
> crew and take turns sleeping and dont stop.
> Obviously most people make port inbetween so its a
> 2-3 week trip. You will need 32 foot sloop or
> larger. Also be a good idea to learn open ocean
> sailing and navigation - that will take a year or
> two of regular training. I would budget somewhere
> between 100k and 200k for the boat, training,
> insurance and upkeep over the 2 years you are
> preparing and provisions for the trip.
>
> You could get the boat and hire a captain but what
> is the point of that?

You can take the intracoastal waterway in any size motor boat comfortably in less than 2 weeks. (One week if you are in a rush.) Any size will work, from 18 feet up to 50+ feet.

To get some exercise you could paddle a canoe or kayak in about 4-5 weeks. In 2010, Jack Stachovak made a 5000+ mile solo kayak journey around the Eastern United States. An adventure linking the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes via the Gulf Coast, East Coast, and New York Canal Systems starting and ending in the small town of Portage Wisconsin.

The part from Key Largo to New York City was 1350 MILES and took him from April to mid May. He followed a mixed route through the Intracoastal and open coast.

http://www.portagetoportage.com/

This would be a 2-3 week trip with a sailboat, but you can make it less than 10 days if you don't stop at all. This would be pretty tiring, so better take your time.

If you have to ask, just don't do it. Save yourself the trouble unless you have millions in cash and need to spend it

If the Cubans can float from there to Florida in an intertube.......

Me and two friends did it in about a week one summer during high school. It was a small 18-foot outboard motor boat. We went partially in the intercoastal and partially by ocean.

As for me, this trip would take a solid two weeks if you’ll have some stops and will take your time. You could make it in a week, but it depends on your necessities and how fast you'll go. Also, for such a trip, I recommend a good stabilizer if you don’t have one already. I got mine from https://coastaloffshorex-cellence.com/boat-stabilizer-products/ and I’m very satisfied with how it does the job. And, check that boat a few times before you start the trip, you don’t need any surprises in the middle of the ocean.

The day you buy a boat!
The day you sell the boat!