Admittedly our little 28' Beneatau First is a fair weather boat. I love its quick handling and responsiveness but offshore it can be a little twitchy. Before the trip we installed a Furuno Radar, life raft, SSB radio and had the local rigging shop install heavier lifelines and rigging. Our trip took us across to Bimini in May, on to Nassau, down the beautiful Exumas. We enjoyed spots such as Thunderball grotto in the Exumas where part of the James Bond movie was filmed and charming Georgetown and the Peace and Plenty Inn.
Past "Chicken Harbour"
From there we sailed on past "Chicken Harbour" as some sailors call Georgetown, Exumas. It's where many sailors end their voyages south for fear of rough seas and unfamiliar waters farther on down. From there on down to Long Island and finally to the Turks and Caicos, Puerto Plata in the DR, then across to Puerto Rico where we spend a month. From Puerto Rico's "Spanish Virgin Islands" where we had a wonderful time for nearly a month until we crossed to the US Virgin Islands in late July. We stayed in the VI for another month and put Fandango up on the "hard" in the boat yard at Red Hook. We had a few minor boat problems, such as the impeller on the Volvo engine, but for the most part it was an easy, fun trip thanks in large measure to Bruce Van Sant's book "The Thornless Path to Windward". In his book he details preferred ports and anchorages, when to leave, customs procedures, when the worst weather occurs and more.
It was well worth the money and anyone making the trip, even for the second or third time would be wise to have it aboard.
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