Cruising Caribbean on a Jet Ski: 24 Countries !

[limejucer]

keep listening and get as much support as poss. But until you test the limits who knows where they are. Be safe and have an escape plan.
PS you can pick up one man life rafts compact but ...
I am uk or i would lend you mine

[Noname1]

Looked at your website.
Looks to me you will have two primary obstacles.
1: Island bureaucracies. Just cause the authorities give you an OK don't bet the locals will know about it or honor it. Take some Tee shirts and giveaways.
2: Equipment reliability. If your jetski is reliable then I don't see anything you can't handle.
3: Schedule. This is the most likely thing to get you killed. It damned near did me and I was on a 46' boat. Summer in El Caribe outside of a weather event you can row island to island as long as you don't have to BE somewhere

I'm near 60 and I guess one of the wrinkles not up to it but I'll ride with you in spirit

[halsar]

St. Kitts and Nevis lifts ban on importation of Jet Skis
August 24, 2010

Basseterre – Aug. 24, 2010 — St. Kitts and Nevis is lifting a 15-year ban on the importation of jet skis into the twin-island Federation.
The ban on the a small water sport craft mimicking a motor-bike used at certain beaches in St. Kitts and Nevis was imposed after an accident at sea involving a Jet Ski, left a victim with significant injury to the head caused by the propeller of the Jet Ski.
“Over the last 15 years, the propulsion technology for jet skis has changed thereby eliminating the propeller blades in favour of jet propulsion, which is a much safer technology,” said Minister of Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty in a Post Cabinet Briefing.
Sen. Carty said new guidelines on how and where jet skis are to be used have been created and approved by the Cabinet so as to ensure that the use of the sport craft remains safe for those who use them and for those who use the beaches where they are authorised to be used.
He said that the lifting of the ban is likely to create new opportunities for water sport operators who claim that the demand for services in those areas has been growing over the years.
“This then can only add to the development of the tourism product resulting in increased intake for the local tourism industry,” Minister Carty said.

[rowingdude]

After reading this thread, I am prepared to offer some advice:

1. If you haven't bought a jetski yet, save your money. They're annoying, stupid and scream "I... AM ... A... GIANT... DOUCHE" really loudly. If you haven't noticed, the general forum consensus is that they're useless toys.

2. If you must persist in this endeavor, I second the advice of buying a satellite phone, but also buy a Pelican case for it (water tight), get a PLB and some proper flares (for when you can hear or see the rescue craft (if they come)).

3. You need to prepare for worst case. The analogy that this is like a motorcycle trip is completely misleading. With a motorcycle, if something breaks, you can hoof it. I sincerely doubt that you can swim 30 - 60 miles to safety.

I'm not convinced either that you've completely thought this out. I think this is an egotistical adventure and you're setting yourself up for failure.

Have you ever been out of the country? Like just to Mexico? The island officials deal with cruisers daily, standing out like you will on a jet ski will prompt additional inquiry and I might advise taking extra cash for bribe money.

Get the sailboat, enjoy it..
Good luck on whatever route you decide.

[captainKJ]

My plan is to ship a new jet ski to Aruba and travel counter clockwise North. This will be a world record.

THIS WILL NOT BE a world record,,,someone already crossed the atlantic on one,,, 4 people rode around australia on them,,,,2 people went from alaska to russia on them,,,,


the trip is able to be done,,,i planned a similar trip from fort lauderdale to venezula on one but did not have the funds to do it and could not get any sponsors. jet ski manufactures do not want to endorse trips like this,,,,

i posted before I read the whole post

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by witzgall

I seriously doubt that you will be able to carry enough fuel to bridge the larger gaps between islands. I have you tested the range of your PWC in real world, out to sea conditions? What happens when the wind picks up, waves grow, and your range is halved?

Chris

i was able to get 180 mile on my jetski,,,,,,22 gallon built in tank gave me 70 mile at Wide open throttle,,added 18 gallon tank ont he back,,,at 30 mph i had LONG distance

[captainKJ]

.

The only way this trip would be doable is to sit at each departure point, wait for a really calm day, leave early in the morning, and make max speed across to the next island.


I have been in 15 foot sea on my ski,,,2004 yamaha 3 seater,,,you just go 19-22 miles an hour,,,like riding motor cross,,,i came down the hudson in 4 foot seas from albany to port washington at 22 miles an hours in those condition,,,was not wave jumping but riding the seas

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

halsar, have you ever ridden a jet ski in the open ocean, by which I mean well out of sight of land? I'm all for the adventure aspect of your proposed trip, but I just can't help but think that you are going to be in for a very rude awakening once you get out in the open ocean, 50+ miles from the nearest shoreline.

what is the difference,,2 miles or 50 miles,,, it is all in perspective, i have been to bimini and back from fort lauderdale,,,never bothered me

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

Oh, you might also want to research the Mona Passage. That passage regularly kicks the **** out of 40'+ sailboats. You'll have to go through it to get from PR to the DR.

who cares about the mona passage,,, on a jetski you are not going through the waves you are riding on top of them

15 foot seas is easy,,,trying to explain it to the coast guard was another story,,,,wore a full face helmet so i was able to see,,,i have been stopped at lest 12 times by the coast guard or the marine patrol on my ski most in ruff weather,,,,,I trust the engine on my ski,,,4 cylinder 4 stroke never a problem in 400 hours

[captainKJ]

I think the point was noise. And I dunno if such anything as a quiet jetski exists. Certainly, the ones around here make their surroundings horrible.


you can barley hear mine running,,, it is a 4 stroke,,,,,an outboard motor make more noise than my ski

[captainKJ]

I believe Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Kitts and Nevis all ban Personal watercraft. Check it out. You may be able to get an exemption, but will need to show a professional program to change their minds.

that is true,,,,they banned them many years ago

A chase boat will be absolutely required in all passages over 50 miles. This means from Trinidad to Grenada and St. Maarten to BVI's. I'm not sure about Venesuala, but you will want support for security reasons. Pirates are getting worse there.

Who say YOU,,,,i never needed a chase boat on my ski,,,,what is the big deal about a ski,,,,my engine is better maintained than most outboards,,,,,,,i carry a paddle just in case,,,,,,,why a chase boat,,,,do you have a chase boat for your sailboat,,,,,,i carry ebirb, 2 radios, file a float plan with somebody on shore,,, I contact them every day at a certain time,,,if they do not hear from me then they call the rescue people,,what is the big deal about a jetski,,,years ago people did the miami to bimini run in small open wooden boats with 15HP on the back when they did not have gps or radios

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by Alecadi

Where do you want to put them on a PW?.. they will be at sea level on a PWC, no use at all.
The higher they would be the better.

I don't know if we should go on giving advice like that. This is crazy and I'm wondering if our collective responsibility is not at stake here, by indirectly encouraging you to go on.
The more I read your questions the more I think you have no idea at all of where you are putting yourself on.

With all due respect you seem to be totally out of reality.

And stop calling that cruising.. this is not cruising, this is a very dangerous intent with very few chance of success for being totally out of range in my opinion.

with all due respect or lack of it it is you who is out of reality,,,explain why he can not do this trip,,,if i had the funding and could take the time off of work i would go with him,,,,,,jetski are safer now than ever before people have kits surfed from fort lauderdale to bimini,,,,,i know a person who did it in an airboat and a paraglider,,the WRIGHT BROTHER were crazy to or so people thought

[captainKJ]

photo of my jetski
5.5 color inch chart plotter
metz antenna (not shown but hold is there)
2 hand held vhf
18 gallon external tank with fuel transfer system
ebirb
depth finder
life jacket is STAY ALIVE with many item inside
12 dozen flares
2 military die packs
2 gallons water
1 box cigars

[captainKJ]

1. If you haven't bought a jetski yet, save your money. They're annoying, stupid and scream "I... AM ... A... GIANT... DOUCHE" really loudly. If you haven't noticed, the general forum consensus is that they're useless toys.




gonna get banned now for this photo

[Gazelle Family]

I cant think of a worse thought... sailers tend to avoid jet skis (Wind nature)
loud stinky loud... did i mention loud?