Trailering my boat to Florida

[I_squared_r]

I bought a 2019 242 a few weeks ago and the season already ended here in Long Island. I work remote so I've been working between different countries. I already have plans to go to Colombia for October/November where I have an apartment and a car. But I'm trying to plan the next 6 months. I have the option to bring the boat to Stuart, FL where my dad has a house. I would like to see the keys, bimini, miami, etc. My question for the people that live in Florida, is it worth being there sometime between December-February? Or should I go there March-May? If I brought it there in December, I don't see the reason to winterize my boat. My 242 has a new trailer so that's not an issue, but I need to calculate the cost to tow it down there. I'm not sure what my mileage would be on the new boat/trailer. I'm pulling it with a 2020 RAM 1500 hemi

 

[adrianp89]

March-May is prime weather. December is a great boating month - usually still in the 80s all month. January/February/March are the coldest months.

Budget for 9mpg and you should come out ahead slightly.

 

[I_squared_r]

March-May is prime weather. December is a great boating month - usually still in the 80s all month. January/February/March are the coldest months.

Budget for 9mpg and you should come out ahead slightly.

As much as I would like to use my new to me boat, maybe its better to pass the winter in south america and wait until spring.
How about crossing to bimini in the spring? Still windy?

 

[fatboyroy]

Its great time to be boating in FL dec to feb but offshore is questionable, on rare occassion sea will calm down and you can enjoy going offshore... not recommended traveling to Bimini but since you work remotely you have time to wait for calm ocean to return back, so its still feasible for you. Florida Keys is very good on winter but its also very crowded cause snowbirds comes in bunches.

 

[adrianp89]

As much as I would like to use my new to me boat, maybe its better to pass the winter in south america and wait until spring.
How about crossing to bimini in the spring? Still windy?

I can't speak to the Atlantic. You can look up historical weather data. Mild west winds would be what you want for a bimini crossing.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Sounds like the weather will be great down there in the time frame you are looking at!

Hook up your boat to your truck and head on down and check it out! Probably 120 gallons of fuel if you keep your foot out of the fan…

 

[Babin Farms]

I’ve made the trip a couple times from up north and can say it’s always worth dragging the boat down, especially when it’s cold and frozen up there.

 

[I_squared_r]

Got word from the shrink wrap guy that it's $360 to shrink wrap the 242 so I may as well do it. Go down to South America and come back to the states around March/April to get a early start to boating season. Then bring it up to NY in time for 4th of July. Who knows??? Maybe I will just keep it down in Florida lol my dad would be happy about that.

 

[jdkaeser]

I have a Ram 1500 with the V6 and I get 11 MPGs towing my 195s. But, I also do 75 - 90 so there’s that! Going that fast with the V6 it spends a lot of time down shifting especially through the mountains. I would think you’d get the same or slightly better with the V8 even though your boat is heavier driving a reasonable speed.

 

[I_squared_r]

I have a Ram 1500 with the V6 and I get 11 MPGs towing my 195s. But, I also do 75 - 90 so there’s that! Going that fast with the V6 it spends a lot of time down shifting especially through the mountains. I would think you’d get the same or slightly better with the V8 even though your boat is heavier driving a reasonable speed.

The last time I drove to Florida with my Tacoma, anything above 70 was like a 20% hit in mileage. Fortunately I-95 is flat so I wouldn't be working against elevation changes.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The last time I drove to Florida with my Tacoma, anything above 70 was like a 20% hit in mileage. Fortunately I-95 is flat so I wouldn't be working against elevation changes.

In all of my towing and driving experience 65 mph has usually been the most fuel efficient speed, 22 mpg on the flat empty and roughly 13.5 towing the boat, like your experience my mileage takes a big hit at 75 mph, 18 mpg empty and roughly 10 mpg towing the boat.